Unidentified Flying Objects

[Tristan Venora]

Chester

Tristan furrowed his brow when Chester told him what the mysterious visitors were looking for, and then he furrowed his brow some more because he definitely hadn’t expected them to be looking for dragons. He briefly wondered what he was supposed to say, and then he decided to just tell the truth, because there hadn’t been any signs that they were hostile so far.

Besides, sharing such important information with them might make them more favorably inclined towards Rharne and its people, now as well as when it came to possible negotiations. Gifts, even gifts that came in the form of answers, could be quite helpful in a diplomatic context.

So, he asked Chester, “Tell them that I know of several dragons and dragon-touched people that are currently active in Idalos. The dragons in Rynmere and Quacia seem to be hostile, but the King of Quacia might still be worth talking to, provided that they can get in contact with him. Vega Lei’nox was touched by a dragon”, he continued, remembering what Winston had told him. “Since they are approaching Rharne, they may want to talk to Vivian Shiryu first though. I don’t know if she is dragon-touched, but she may know people that are”, he admitted. The Commander had been involved in a lot of important events during the previous couple of arcs. It wouldn’t surprise him if she also had something to do with the return of the dragons.

“Indeed”, he agreed, smirking. “Dragons are just big cats with wings. You on the other hand don’t even need wings to fly!” he praised his diri that was the best diri in all of Idalos before he abruptly stopped and furrowed his brow again. Touched by dragons? Related to dragons? Just what kind of people were they really dealing with? It seemed there were ten new questions for every question he managed to get an answer to! He needed to research more!

But first …

Ilaren

Tristan inclined his head when the Thunder Priestesses told him that she was seeing to a secret matter elsewhere. He didn’t tell them to get Ilaren here right now because that would have been rude, and if she couldn’t be reached it was without a doubt important.

He simply remarked, “If you do manage to get a hold of her, after all, tell her that this may be even bigger than we thought. The people on the ships are looking for dragons and claim to be related to them. You may be aware of the fact that Dragons played a pivotal role in past events”, he added in a calm and gentle tone of voice, relying on his charm.

Perhaps, that would cause them to consider his point of view.Socialization Capstone: Gentle Persuasion: When engaging in normal conversations or negotiations Tristan tends to be polite, charming and friendly and stays calm which makes people feel like he is someone they can rely on and trust.

This causes even the most stubborn people to consider his point of view. If they end up disagreeing with him, they are unlikely to be mad at him.

So long as nobody engages in hostile activities or a fight against the other party, he can get them to listen to him for as long as he's willing to speak.

“We may very well find ourselves at another turning point”, he added before he removed something from his domain bag and handed it to one of the Thunder Priestesses.

It was an Echo Scroll, one of a pair.

“If it’s alright with you, I’ll send you updates, and you, or Lady Ilaren, should she return, can contact me if you have a task for me”, he offered before he thanked the Thunder Priestesses for their time, hoping that they would change their mind. It was nice that Ilaren trusted the Council, but he trusted her more, and it wasn’t even because she was an Immortal.

She was Ilaren.

Vivian

After his meeting with the Thunder Priestesses, Tristan penned another, shorter letter to Vivian. He hadn’t thought that investigating flying ships would involve so much writing.

His hands were starting to hurt a little!

Vivian,

I have new information. The people on the ships are looking for dragons, dragon-touched people, dragonlings, dragonets and spirits that might know more about these dragons. They also claim to be touched by the dragons themselves, or be related to them. What do you make of that?

According to the Thunder Priestesses, Ilaren is dealing with a secret matter right now. I have left an Echo Scroll at the Lightning Cathedral so that we have a way to communicate with her should she return in time.

Thank you for notifying the Council!

I will tell Chester to ask them about their interest in the prison, and I will of course be present at the meeting with them.

Tristan

Once the letter had been sent, he contacted Chester again, “Can you please ask the peple on the ships what their interest in the prison is? Vivian would also like them to know that it’s part of our territory. Be nice though, in case they are offended. They may just be lizards, but it seems as if there are a lot of them. We don’t need more diplomatic tensions!”

Ebony

Ebony asked Professor Hallowswift to accompany her to her family’s villa in the Glass Quarter. They arrived a little earlier than Tristan, so Ebony got him something to eat and drink while they waited for him.

When Tristan returned and saw that his grandmother had managed to persuade the professor to help them, he smiled and shook the man’s hand. “I’m glad that you could come, professor. I have found out some things, but I need a more skilled researcher to make a breakthrough. I want to find out who exactly those people are, where they come from and which language they speak, if possible”, he told him.

“I recently learned that our visitors are looking for dragons and dragon-touched people and claim to be touched by the dragons themselves, or related to them. What do you make of that, if you don't mind me asking?” he asked, took a seat opposite the professor and looked at him.

The Crossroads Inn

When word that the meeting with the Hyludin would take place at the “Last Drink Inn & Tavern” reached him, Tristan immediately asked his grandmother and Koral to accompany him. His grandmother was a greater leader than some generals he knew which might be helpful in such a situation, and Koral knew how to use a weapon, but didn’t look like it, and she was so tiny that she was hard to miss which might give them an advantage if things started to go south.

Finally, he turned to Professor Hallowswift and inquired, “Would you be willing to join us as well? Right now, my diri is the only proper means of communication we have, so it would be good to have an accomplished linguist by our side. You could become part of history”, he added in order to hopefully persuade the professor to come with them.

As he waited for everyone to get ready, he contacted his other diri, the Death Spirit that his mark of Bellinos granted him. Where such possibly impactful meetings as the one with the Hyludin were concerned, there was always a risk of something going wrong, or someone taking advantage of the situation.

Things were peaceful now, but that could change anytime.

With that thought in mind, he asked the spirit that lurked invisibly near him to check if death had occurred in Rharne, or if there was any sign of death at the tavern where the meeting would take place, or on the way there.

If he found out anything unusual, he would communicate it to Vivian as well as Ilaren.

He really hoped that she would come.

Finally, he told Chester to inform the Hyludin of where the meeting would take place, just in case they had missed the message – and join him there.

They needed him there more now.

And then, his companions and he waited to be taken to the Crossroads Inn.

His bodyguards, Brandon, Hannah and Lianne, were tasked with protecting his family in the meantime.

Summary

Tristan tells the Hyludin about the dragon and dragon-touched people he knows. He informs them that Vega bears Vindecaldra’s Effigy and also suggests that Vivian may know more.

He uses his Persuasion capstone “Gentle Persuasion” to hopefully change the Thunder Priestesses’ mind about Ilaren being part of the meeting with the Hyludin.

He shares his new information with Vivian and asks Chester to tell the Hyludin about the prison, but be diplomatic about it.

He tells Professor Hallowswift that he needs to know more about their visitors. He also tells him what their visitors are looking for and what they claim to be.

He asks Professor Hallowswift, Koral and Ebony to accompany him to the Crossroads Inn.

They head there.

He asks his Diri of Death to check if death has occurred in Rharne, at the Crossroads Inn or on the way there.

[Netzach Embersoul]

And so it begins.

Netzach followed his Dowsing, bouncing from Lightning Knight to Lightning Knight, conversation to conversation.
His ears picked up scraps of their conversations.

"Did you hear what people are saying about those flying ships?"
"Yeah, something about Teq proposing to Illaren? I don't know why we knights would all be so rattled over a wedding proposal."
"What? No, I heard that the Shadow Quarter is responsible for it. Some Illusion magic or something. Doesn't make sense."

The two jovial knights shared a laugh together, not noticing Netzach standing nearby, ears perking up at each word he heard. The note of 'Target' burning brightly within their Frequencies

"Well, I don't think anyone knows what those ships are. Most of our people in the old prison in the Stormwastes have apparently begun to hunker down for the worst"

The old prison? Why? In the midst of all this, they're worried about prisoners? No, maybe it was because the Old Prison was in the path of those ships?

As he walked, ruminating, turning thoughts in his head over and over, he found himself in the Sky Quarter. Immediately he felt out of place, swearing that he could feel sneering eyes burning a hole in the back of his head as he passed by the upper class of Rharne, with his clothes that barely fit the Earth Quarter.

He ignored it, and the rush blood roaring in his ears as they turned red with embarrassment. He would quickly find out whatever was calling him here, and leave just as-

BOOM!
Fweeeeeee!

Netzach froze as he heard a massive boom coming from the sky. What was that? And that whistling sound, it sounded like...

Something was getting closer.

Even as his brain tried to put together the what, where and why of whatever was happening, his body was already acting on instinct, his hair standing on end, as he quickly backed away.
And not a moment too soon, because the wall he was standing next to absolutely collapsed.

The sheer shockwave of the impact buffeted him backward, sending him tumbling and sprawling to the ground.

"...Wha-What just..." Netzach fumbled his words, head still concussed and mind reeling.

He pushed himself up to his feet, body feeling numb from shock, but his mind startlingly clear, although extremely confused, simply because he did not know what to think at the moment.

He assessed the damage, he hadn't been around here before, but whatever that explosion was broke through Skywatch Keep, at the base of its foundation.

The dungeons.

By the Fates, dungeons are where criminals are kept aren't they?

Netzach backed up even more, expecting a horde of angry criminals running out through the hole to make good on their newfound freedom.
But instead, what Netzach found wasn't criminals. At least... not alive.

He saw something move, creeping and crawling, and immediately he got the sense that it wasn't human. True enough, husks started to pour out of the hole in the wall.
Probing a little with his own spark, he could tell the Necromancer's control on these husks was supreme. Leagues beyond what Netzach could do. The work of a Master Necromancer.

Calmly, two figures crawled out of the hole, and as they regarded his appearance, so did Netzach study them, and recognize one.

Tobias

"Faldrun's balls... Is this it? Is it starting?" He asked, mostly to himself, as he knew with the distance and the clamor of the city, Netzach couldn't be expected to be heard.

Tobias gave him a little wink, and cut open a portal with that strange knife of his, vanishing once again.

Immediately, Netzach noticed two corpses drop from their animation, their husks hollow and devoid of control. Was Tobias offering them to him? Why? Why would he need them? He hadn't explained anything, any task for Netzach to do. That could only mean Netzach was expected to use them if needed. But why would he need them?

"No reason to look a gift horse in the mouth." Netzach said, grinning. The cacophony of chaos around him, the panic settling in everyone's nerves. And Netzach, standing there, a part of something big. He felt like he was at the turning point of history.

He felt excited. This was the sort of thing most people could only live vicariously through books and stories. A disaster. A war.

Netzach looked around. If he wasn't alone, he would find some place he could be, then open his bag and change his clothes with the rugged and ragged travel clothes he used as a disguise when he wanted to practice necromancy. He wrapped a scarf around his face, making himself hard to recognize.

Then, with two fingers upturned, he commanded the two corpses that were gifted to him to rise.

Two at once was still... difficult. But if it was offered, then he may need to use it.

Finally he pulled back into a corner, or an alley, someplace far away from all the hustle and bustle, perhaps deserted after seeing all the explosions and undead carrion.
And he simply watched, deanimating the two husks he had to preserve his ether. Perhaps there was some threat to him that he may need husks for. Perhaps he would find that it would be safer to ditch the husks and walk away, pretending to be unrelated to the incident.

But for now, he peered out of his hiding spot, keeping an eye on the breach in the wall, and seeing what happens.
His mind tried its best to understand exactly what was happening, and piece together what Tobias's goal was. Was it simply idle destruction, or was there a deeper reason behind targeting Skywatch Keep.

Actions this post

So Basically Netzach will do two things
1. Wait and watch somewhere safe, with his husks DEACTIVATED to preserve Ether. (Oh lawd why did I write him as having novice necromancy in my first post).
2. Attempt to analyze the situation, particularly how the Lightning Knights react to the breech in the wall, or how the Husks act, in order to understand Tobias's plan. For example, are the Husks being unleashed on the population, or are the simply swarming Skywatch keep. Are the Lightning Knights seemingly distracted by the attack on their own Keep. Etc. Etc.

Keep in mind, by this point, Netzach will be disguised, wearing different clothing and a scarf wrapped around his face to prevent identification.

[Winston]

A better life

~~~ With Timur ~~~

Winston cocked an eyebrow at the words 'you of all people'. He didn't usually take offence over such things, but he decided that on this occasion that was a little rude and might be telling his a little about the mage.

"Dammit Winston, you need to stop just blurting stuff like that out to people. I don't like him and you've no idea what people are up to." Berated Felicity inside the ferret's head as he began to make his preparations to leave...

Honestly, he'd probably have declined anyway, however it was not a good idea to expose that well to anyone more than necessary and so he shook his head kindly. "Sarry ol' chap, bot dis es gonna be very risky an' me need tuh ensure et goes tuh plan. Per'aos yuh cun 'old op de fort 'ere?" He suggested as he then turned and left. "Be safe, oh-key!"


~~~ In the Room of Requirement ~~~

Still picking the occasional fragment of webbing from his fur, Winston grinned at the group. "Time tuh start makin' someting wid et." He announced.

"You might want to get that stuff off first..." Suggested

Cedric

, looking at the state of his fur. "...We don't know what affect that stuff might have during crafting... not to mention this place?" He added, gesturing around them at the very magical room they were in... suddenly questioning the wisdom of even starting such a process in here.

The ferret took a deep breath and nodded as he continued to wipe the webbing off with the occasional wince as it plucked at his fur. "Yeah mun, me will take et outside me tink." He looked at the ingot setting there begging to be crafted into something spectacular, wondering if they would actually have the time needed to make it into anything... "Per'aps we cun jost use et as et es... Dis once. Farjin' et intuh somet'ing might take mar time den we 'ave." He explained conversationally as he went to the door to the

Room of Requirement

and opened it to lean out and deposit the webbing outside. It was then he spotted the smoke... it was green... It was suspiciously like the stuff that had knocked Felicity for six deep in the sewers below Rharne during the Fire in the Dust.

"Is dat..?" He began before Felicity herself jumped in to interrupt him... "Yes! It IS, Winston, we need to leave." The ferret could hear some voices outside and there seemed to be quite a few.

Why did everything always happen at once, a city can never have the common decency to only burn, no... It had to burn and be under attack by slimes AND have mages stealing people... No, beings from another land could not just visit for a cup of sugar... No, they had to visit and bombs had to be found AND people had to be trying to to set him on fire.

He turned, politely but firmly pushing Felicity from his body as he began to address the room. "We need tuh leave, NAW. Dem's a bonch af peapal outside. Take de ingat an' see ef yuh cun use et tuh disable de cannan balls. Tell Vivian wat's 'appenin'..." The smoke began to lick at the door as a voice called in from outside... "Timur..?"

"I knew it!" Exclaimed Felicity, though no one could here her at this point as she glared at the approaching smoke. The memory of what that stuff did to her last time gave her no desire to remain and be exposed again.

"OK, how?" They asked as they grabbed the ingot.

Winston focused for a moment as Timur started to shout threats in from outside as it became apparent something was going on inside. Using his Telka City Gate power, he created a portal to Rharne and ushered his companions through. "Goh-goh-goh! Quick. Take de ingat. Tell Vivian. Send 'elp."

"But..." The young lab assistant attempted to challenged the ferret as he pleaded.

"De gate es closing, quick, please go. Me will be fine! Sart de cannan balls."

A voice came from outside,

suggesting that they were going to set fire to the shack

. "Goh!" He insisted as he pulled on his pack. The group were adventurous scientists all, but combat enthusiast not in a single instance and as they watch the portal close behind them, guilt immediately began to rise on their minds as they set about finding Vivian, the armoury and attempting to send help to the ferret..

Joe

appeared beside him, invisible and waiting for anything his companion needed. He made his way towards the door to the shack, waftnig the smoke away as he went. They were NOT being smoked out yet, but if he ignored them any longer they would be.

"Oh kaaay! Me cooooomiiiiin'!" He yelled out to the mage as the door opened and he poked his head out. "Oh Timur, nice tuh see yuh." He said with forced ambivalence. "Me jost need tuh..."

But the mage was not buying his attempt as deception.

"Sorry Mister Miller. A greater obstimite is too great a thing to waste on the crafting of your trinkets. Such a thing can reshape the world in its wielder's image. I'm going to have to ask that you hand it over."

The ferret desperately wanted to put on his suit, get supplies, something, anything... But alas there was not time for that. If things escalated, then it would be combat and capture and he was no good at them things. Talking however, he wa eminently good at that. He hated when people lived down to his expectations though. It would have been so nice if the mage were as pleasant as he sounded... He did sound pleasant though... If deception was not going to work, perhaps charm might? After all, everyone has an agenda, right? Maybe he things he's the good guy?

"If you don't, well. I can make life very uncomfortable for those you care for. You have family, a daughter. It'd be a shame if she were to incur our organization's wrath." So saying, he produced a mirror, which showed. "I'll give you only one chance. Hand the greater obstimite over, or we make you and your family our very special interest until further notice. Fail, and take shelter again in that portal, and our intent will be sealed. The choice is yours."

"Oh-kay-oh-kay, me gat noh beef wid yuh..." He began as his companions and everything that Rharne needed to put the cannonball problem to sleep vanished, for now. Now he just had to find a way to buy some time... or perhaps some loyalty.

Coming out of the shack, empty handed, his fur still a bit of a mess he smiled, making eye contact with some of the people with the mage. "Hi yuh..." He began, doing his best to ensure that everyone there saw him as nothing more than an unthreatening one foot tall ferret. "...Me name es Winstaaan." He looked back at Timur. "Dis es a shame, innit Timur?" He began, tapping into his quiet genuine disappointment in the mage. "Me wuz 'opin' we cud be friends." This was true of everyone the ferret met and no less true of the mage. "Es dere no chance dat cud still 'appen?" His question was open, he was trying to engage the crowed as much as just the mage. He was not talking directly to them, yet, but he wanted to begin building a rapport with Timur's crew as he cloaked his demeanor inside his conversation with the mage.

"Oh, yuh should 'ave seen et Timur." He said,, with a little wonder in his voice. "All de runes an' tings..." He stated going into a little harmless but interesting detail about the process he had just been through, hoping to bait the mage into showing a little interest, perhaps taking the ferret's open nature for granted.

He turned references to his companions into attempts to build rapport, every time looking to the people with Timur as they spoke

.

"Bot yuh see, me 'ave dis arrangement wid me datah yuh see. She es de most preshus ting tuh me..." He was a bleeding heart now as he spoke. Not expecting sympathy, but if there were any in Timur's crew with children, he was going to try and pluck at them strings as an 'in' to their motivations. "bot she made me sware, see? She's soch a lovin' caring girl, she made me pramiss dat me wud never put odda in 'arms way far 'er, see? Bot... Me es a fadda right? Me cannat see 'er come tuh 'arm right?" He said, hopefully prompting some though in Timur's people but specifically trying to convince the mage to try and convince Winston that his betrayal of Angela's trust was justified. "Dere 'as tuh me a way we cun 'elp eachotha right?" This was another open question, lay before them all within the conversation with Timur. If it meant anything at all, the conundrum was genuine. It was a question that kept him awake a night. He might well be certain he'd do the right thing and in fact almost certainly would not certow to terrorists... but that didn't mean it was not something that haunted his conscience.

Why were they here? Really? Not because the mage paid them, or blackmailed or perhaps brainwashed them... No. Each one of those reasons required some other, deeper, reason to work in the first place. If you want for nothing, then you cannot be blackmailed. If he could not mke Timur doubt the reason he were here, he might be able to turn Timur's crew. Lackies would often follow the herd, particularly if self-interest was the goal.

"We both 'ave arganisashuns wid goals, right? My one takes people and gives dem new lives. En far away lands, with equal rights an' all de apatunities them need tuh be 'appy an... Free... Tell me....

Wat es et that yuh truly desire?

"

"Money..? Freedam..? Safety? Isonomia affas dis an' will never put yuh ar yuh loved one's endanga. Tink about et, tink 'ow et wud feel tuh be happy..." With this, he use Saiore's Telka's Gift of Cheer, banishing negative feelings like sorrow, anger, and fear and perhaps loosening any hold over the crew and Timur himself in favour of chasing their joy.

He was not offering a bribe, not as such, but he was also not not offering a bribe that should any one of them, Timur included, could consider, might give them a better life. Winston's offer was genuine. His desire to help, to know what they wanted and to try (if it was within his power to do so) and get it for them was true! But he could not simply give them the power Timur currently requested... But as a person with intimate understanding of 'wants', the ferret knew that power was usually only a means to an end...

Action summary

• Uses his City Gate power from Telka to send all his companions with the exception of Joe back to Rharne City.
• Tells them to:
  • Disable the cannonballs with the ingot.
  • Tell Vivin that he's in trouble.
  • Send help.
• Tries to buy time and get information by talking to Timur.
• Tried to 'connect' to Timur's crew to bait them over the turning against the mage, if the mage himself does not reconsider his evil ways, using:
  • Socialisation (GM).
  • Heart's True Desire
    .
  • Storytelling (Expert) - To support his attempts to 'paint a picture of a better life'.
  • Gift of Cheer from the Telka Mark - To try to dispel some of the negative feelings that might be motivating the people in this moment.

All template credit, love and admiration goes to Kisaik

[Dandelion]

Dan ate with the quick, neat, efficiency that was a legacy of many arcs where both food and time were in short supply and he couldn't afford to waste any of it, not the food, and not the time that might be spent on something equally urgent. Food was fuel though, not to be scorned, so he ate every bite he needed.

As he ate, he considered the answers that his questions were getting. Clearly, the ships and the people on them were not from Rharne, nor from any of Rharne's regular trade links, or Agnes would almost certainly have recognised their language even if she couldn't speak it. The winged man had pointed up when asked where he came from. Maybe there was a flying city somewhere, like the floating, flying, ships, in some place that Dan hasn't yet seen. And probably will never see. It wasn't as if he had the ability to fly, after all.

He chewed and swallowed his last bite of flatbread, and then took the strange silvery cloth that was handed to him. He rubbed finger and thumb across the material to try and figure out what it was made from, and then spread it across his knee and studied it for anything remotely recognisable. He understood written words better than spoken ones. Even when he didn't, he could often fudge his way through a lot of Common writing by spelling out strange words on his fingers in the signed alphabet. Which, of course, converted the whole word to sign and allowed him to recognise it more easily. But, obviously, that method relied on him knowing the alphabet that the words were written in.

Summary

Dan eats his meal, considers the possibilities of the answers that he is being given, and studies the silver cloth.

"Signed words" Spoken words

[Revan Blackhand]

121 Ashan 724

Revan wouldn't blame Willow for her failure to keep him from moving away because it seemed that only his mind was moving. It was hard for him to tell and he instinctively thought to assume his crystalline form so that no one would recognize him wherever he was dragged forth. He didn't really perceive the loud sonic boom above them that stole Willow's focus. The candle was all he saw and all he wanted to see until suddenly he was somewhere else.

Somewhere he recognized despite having avoided it will all his willpower. He was in Skywatch Keep. In the Sky Quarter... with people he didn't recognize. How had he gone so far in such a short time? He hadn't, had he? It was all just in his head. He saw the guard and the white haired woman with blood coming from her lips. He bore witness to the bloody shackles on the ground. A prisoner being interrogated perhaps? Who was she? It didn't matter. He didn't like that she was bleeding and the Lightning Knight was doing nothing to help her. It wasn't altruism that made him feel that way, he just didn't like blood. Blood always gave away what he was after a few trials- necessary as it was to spill blood sometimes.

'I trust you've found your tongue now.'

'It will do.'

They didn't seem to be aware of him but Revan didn't know how to escape this projection he'd allowed to consume his focus. So instead of escape, he listened to what they said. So long as he wasn't notice, he couldn't get himself into any trouble... right?

Well... then he was noticed. Lord Vuda's man? Revan had never heard the name but it seemed he was meant to fill that role. So perhaps the candles had been set out intentionally. A secret meeting while most of the city worried about the rumors of flying ships? Clever. Sneaky... and yet Revan had wandered into it. Whoever this Vuda was, Revan would have to figure it out later.

When the Lightning Knight dropped his illusory disguise and revealed a rather dapper old man with a yellow crystal, Revan found himself almost immediately drawn to the object. His eyes locked on it and the wizard seemed to notice. He taunted Revan with the gem and the Yludih felt compelled to do what he had said. Careful what you wish for, sorcerer.

However, he couldn't shake what he'd just heard. "A Yludih?" Revan repeated. "And what would make you think that?" If he had been seen through so simply, there was no point in keeping up appearances. However if the man was just hazarding a guess, Revan had spent his life pretending to be different humans and wouldn't break from the lie now.

The woman snapped at the warlock for speaking with Revan and so Revan turned his head slightly to face her, though he doubted that she'd be able to tell. It seemed that they were both perceiving each other through the candle they were looking into. Fortunately for Revan, the warlock was quick to make a more proper introduction. He was Tobias Acothley and the woman was the Witch Doctor. Even with his lacking intelligence network he could recognize the significance of the latter's name.

Sensing he was among potential allies and not enemies, Revan let his facade drop a little. "This one is Revan and he will help as he can." He introduced the face they were meeting, not the Yludih who wore it. The warlock went on to explain that as soon as their meeting ended, a bombardment would strike Skywatch Keep. Revan wasn't sure what he meant when he said that he'd infected some Lightning Knight Guardian's at the tournament but he had a feeling that for his part, that wouldn't matter until it did.

Many options flew through his mind when the Warlock offered him a target. One looming target sprung most clearly but Revan wanted to take it himself. He wanted it to be his work that broke open the greatest vaults and plundered their wealth. Using this unique opportunity would be... cheating in his opinion. He stole because he wanted what someone had more than they did, or to prove a point but not because he had opportunity.

So what to do if not break open a grand vault?

"I don't know what you mean by... infected, but I saw a shipment of medicine arriving. I could have plundered it but it may benefit you to destroy it entirely if you think it would help those you targeted." Revan suggested first. He was looking to show some sense of loyalty by suggesting a target to aid them rather than himself. "As for what I'd wish? Blow open Domum Kassaili. I've heard good things about what they have in stock. I wouldn't mind taking a closer look."

Actions

[Gennadiya Lyosha]

I am a damsel

locked in her tower,

but I am my own capture.

No one else has the

strength to lock me away.

You though have the key

to free me from myself

DATE

Walking into her library Genna felt refresh and she prepared for the meeting at the Last Drinks Inn and Tavern. To those who didn’t know her well they wouldn’t realize that she was prepared for a conflict. Her leather armor was on, but she was wearing the robes of her order, white, over the armor making it hard to tell she was wearing it. In addition she was equipped with other items she had collected over the arcs. Her earpieces of understanding where secured on he ears and her veil of sight was secured into her hair with Hair clip. She had her a bag over her shoulder holding other items as needed including her Emergency medical bag, gate rings, Ilaren Token, and her dragon scale. She also had her war fan if it was needed.

She found Michial in the library shuffling through the paper work with directions for the order members both here in Rharne and also in other locations. She wanted the Rharne members to keep working on keeping people calm, but she also sent notifications to the other orders spread through out the world to make sure they were aware of the visitors. “Any questions.” She asked.

“No. Though please be safe.” He said.

“I will.” She said and then approached the last of the issues. She paused and pulled out the halo orb to check in with Winston since the party was original his idea, as well as because frankly his project with the most powerful well that had, well she felt like it was one she needed to actually have some idea about. She made the call to see what would the update was before she went and joined the those traveling to the Inn.

If she didn’t hear anything from Winston Genna walked out and mounted Shal and flew him towards the waiting area where the others were gathered. Genna would take her mount with her, but she would travel with the whole group.

Actions

Collect supplies for meeting
Send instructions for Order to work towards calming the population.
Have Michael send instructions to the other branches
Check in on the well/canonball project.
Join the group going to the Inn.

~NPC~

Pablo

Lilabell

Koyla

Michail

Nayeli

[Vivian Shiryu]

Vivian got the report that the strangers were trying to communicate, but that it was currently down to pantomime. She shook her head at that, but couldn't really fault the attempt and gave the order for the knights to try and explain what the prison was and that it was their territory through pantomime, but to avoid and hostile gestures as best they could. Then she got word about the meeting and where they wanted to hold it, and sent that to Tristan and Genna, the former because he was the only one with any real communication with the ships and the latter since her attendance might turn out to be helpful, depending on how the meeting went.

When she got a letter from Tristan, she pondered it for a moment, then wrote a response to him.


Tristan,

The strangers looking for Dragons might explain their interest in the prison. We had a visit from one of them some time ago, though it didn't stay and so far as I know, there's no other traces of Dragons here in Rharne. That said, the Council has agreed to meet with the visitors. I'm currently planning to attend. Thank you for helping with communication.

Vivian



She dispatched the message and stood up to inform the rest of the command about what was going on and that she was intending to be present at the meeting. Before she could get any of that out, however, there was a loud booming sound as the building rocked as thought it were under siege. Vivian, who had earned her command during a siege, rolled her eyes and picked up her sword, belting it into place. "Of course they'd be aimed here. Why not?" she growled under her breath. "Get the knights deployed, make sure any areas with sensitive information are secured. Wherever they hit could be a distraction for something else. I'll go ahead to where they hit and see what I can do. Send word to Urien as well." she ordered, her tone calm despite the situation.

Once she was sure people were moving, Vivian took a shortcut to get where to where the strike had happened. Namely, she jumped out a window, then used Ride the Lightning to get above the Keep so she could see where they were hit. She frowned briefly when she saw that it was the dungeons. Perhaps an attempt to break out the Witch Doctor? She use Ride the Lightning again to get directly over the breach, then used Lightning's Fall to get down to the ground quickly, landing with a concussive impact.

As she assessed the situation, a light blue aquatic armor formed around her, her lake Diri Fins taking on the form of the Spiritborn Armor. After a bit, she sighed as she drew her sword. "Husks. More of Acothley's trash, most likely." she said to herself, shaking her head. There was a mixture of anger and annoyance in her tone as she said, an indicator that she really didn't like Acothley, but she also didn't seem to consider him a major threat. "And of course, he's already gone, if he bothered to show up at all." she muttered, before activated the Blade of Lovalus and got to work on eliminating the moving Husks. Vivian had fought undead before, and they were rarely a threat, especially with Blade of Lovalus meaning every attack she made came from two angles and Three Sheets to the Wind making her far faster than most people, but that didn't mean she dropped her guard, and indeed, Fins also formed a shield for to use as well, something she put to work whenever she approached the Husks, using it to ward off their attacks.

Off Topic

Send orders to try and communicate with the strangers at the prison.
Let Tristan and Genna know about the meeting and thank Tristan for his help with communicating.
Gives orders to secure any sensitive information in Skywatch Keep after the cannoning.
Goes to start dealing with the Husks.

Abilities used.

Ride the Lightning: The Adored is able to travel along any bolt thrown using their Elemental Manipulation, ending where the bolt impacts or at their Elemental Manipulations maximum distance. Alcohol intoxication diminishes the power of this ability.

Lightning's Fall: The Exalted is able to fall from great heights by turning into a bolt of lightning and traveling to the ground as the bolt, landing at the ground with a concussive impact.

Blade of Lovalus: Lovalus values healers and protectors, but there is always a place among her Wardens for warriors, those who can seek out evil and destroy it at the root. Vivian is one such and the power given to her by Lovalus shows the Induk's acceptance of who and what Vivian is and highlights her place amongst the Wardens. Based off how Vivian used her Grand Warden powers the first time she merged with Lovalus, the Blade of Lovalus allows Vivian to create an aquatic after image of herself that emerges from Vivian when she attacks an enemy. The key is that the attack the after image uses will always be a different attack from the one Vivian herself used. A slash where Vivian thrusts, or a diagonal swing where Vivian used a horizontal one, thereby turning each single attack into two separate attacks for the opponent to deal with. The weapon used by the aquatic double mimics the sharpness and solidity of whatever weapon Vivian herself is using. It does not flow around joints or any other of the like. This power can be turned on and off at will.

Spiritborn Armor: Due to the bonding between the Warden and their Diri via the Heart of Lovalus, the Diri now gains useful ability of growing and shape-shifting into a suit of armor for their bonded. The Warden can still hear and speak with their Diri but they will become a suit of armor that is almost a second skin across the Warden’s entire body. The Armor will appear like plate mail that is crafted from raw spiritual ephemera often possessing icy embellishes around the helm and shoulders depending on the tastes of the Warden. It will possess the strength to dull physical strikes and reduce the effect of magical attacks by half, making the Warden far more resilient in combat. After five bits the Spiritborn Armor will begin to crack if continually attacked. The Warden may take cover for another five bits in order to give the Diri time to regenerate its strength. This will allow the armor to continue functioning for another five bits before requiring time to recharge. If continually attacked for over five bits the armor will begin to fracture before shattering. If this happens the Diri will go silent, unable to be contacted for at least three trials. During this time the Warden will have a great deal of difficulty using their abilities, some may even be impossible to use. During these three trials the Diri is healing and recouping its strength. The Spiritborn Armor may be dismissed at any time prior to it breaking and the Diri will take their original form. It takes one bit for the Diri to transform into the Armor.

Three Sheets to the Wind: The Adored is blessed with further increased physical capabilities. When the Adored has had little to nothing to drink, they're able to not only react at greater speeds, but also cover short distances in a flash. They are now able to both move out of the way of arrows and bolts, and catch them out of midair. The more the Adored imbibes, the more they trade their speed for strength until all speed is lost and replaced with strength and toughness. This allows them to hit with tremendous force and become better able to take a beating. Their strength allows them to shatter stone and crush metal, and they become highly resistance to any bludgeoning or unarmed attacks.

[Seira Shiryu]

After returning from walking her dog, Seira looked over the potential song ideas she had written down earlier. With flying ships as the subject, most of the ideas she had come up with had been adventure type songs. Some of her song ideas were geared towards the type of adventure ideas that might be popular in a tavern. Ones about traveling across the skies in flying ships to find the best alcoholic beverages in the world only to find that they were right here in Rharne, for example. Other ideas were geared towards songs that children would enjoy. She even had one idea for a romantic ballad involving two lovers, one cursed to remain on a flying ship for the rest of her life after a poorly chosen wish and the knight who fell in love with her when he saw her on the ship as it flew overhead. That last idea might even appeal to the Shadow Walkers if she turned it into a tragic love story. But most of the ideas she had come up with were for pure adventure songs that she felt could be enjoyed by a wide variety of people. As she looked through the ideas she realized that a single idea like flying ships could be used in many different genres of songs or stories. Each being vastly different while still being about the same thing at the core.

Her thoughts came to a screeching halt when a loud booming sound shattered the peaceful silence. Within a matter of trills, the cats who had been in the room with her had vanished; no doubt racing off in terror to hide from the offending noise. Taerin reacted badly too, yelping in fright, and diving under the desk she had been using. Seira tried to sooth her, but her mind was whirling in confused alarm.

What was that?!

There was no way for her to know for sure. But it had been big, whatever it was. And the possibilities that filled her mind weren't good ones. She kept her tone calm and soothing for Taerin's sake with a force of will despite being far from calm herself. Fortunately it worked, and Taerin calmed.

The booming sound had been close, but not in the immediate area. Seira could tell that much just from having heard it. Knowing that, she was pretty sure that it had come from the Sky Quarter. Where her mother worked. Dread sent a cold chill running down her spine. The booming sound could have come from an explosion, or possibly a building collapsing. It the former, there could be a fire too. People would be hurt, and in need of help or rescue. One of those people might be her mother.

Whether Seira was going to go to the Sky Quarter in an attempt to find out what had happened, and to help where she could wasn't even a question. She was going. Seira quickly grabbed all of the herbal remedies, and bandages she had in the house, stuffed them into a backpack, and made her way to the Sky Quarter towards the building where her mother worked.

Actions

Seira hears a loud booming noise coming from the Sky Quarter from her home in the Glass Quarter. Worried that people might be hurt and in need of help (her mother possibly among them), she grabs the medical supplies that she has (simple things that might commonly be kept at home for self care in modest amounts) and heads to the Sky Quarter to see what happened and if she could be of help.

[Pig Boy]

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Tristan:

Chester purred as Tristan communicated through their link. The poor duke to Chester's mind seemed to be all over the place right now, and Chester was candid enough, and confident enough to let him know. "My dear former Duke, Tristan. These people won't know who on Idalos or what you're talking about if I relay such a message to them. Instead, I will tell them there are some who have been touched by dragons in other lands. And perhaps even in this one that we're as yet unaware of." So saying, Chester did tell the reptilian humanoids. To which they answered in their strange language.

"We know there is an effigy bearer and a dragon-bearer besides, residing in the city, if not close by." The reptilian humanoid had a shadowy scale-pattern with some green trim around it. His hair was dark as sable, and his horns like onyx. "We will expect their arrival at the chosen meeting place."

This said, they had nothing further to say to Chester, however much he tried. And the Diri was reluctant to press the issue. So it appeared he was best to rendezvous with the rest at the Last Drink.



To Tristan, the Thunder Priestess remarked. "I assure you, Ilaren is quite concerned with the issue and is doing all she can to support Rharne in this dififcult time. But I will keep your echo scroll and report back if she authorizes me to inform you of her activities, supposing she entrusts them to me."



Back at the prison, Tristan directed Chester to ask why the prison was significant to them. They looked at each other in consternation, "He was here, and we want to know why." Was all they said, and nothing more however pressed.



Hallowswift furrowed his brow at Ebony's questions. "I'm aware that my daughter was caught up in the business surrounding the return of those dragons." The professor said, and then grumbled, "Elisabeth didn't share much, but I reckon it must have been harrowing, if she was so silent on the incident. I only heard about it from second-hand sources, that Elisabeth had been in Rynmere."

He looked up at Ebony when she invited him to join them, and smiled in a way that related exhaustion, "Aye, I can come. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity for a linguist like me."

So having said this, they all gathered at the Last Drink, having an escort on the way there.



Netzach:

OOC

The disguise is noted, however Netzach is a novice at deception, stealth, and cosmetology, so he's likely to be fingered/noticed/identified if anyone with a modicum of awareness notices him here and will recognize him if they see him elsewhere later.

Netzach had a decent plan, but if he wished to hide he wasn't well prepared for that act. Tobias understood this, and knew that Netzach had his token that he carried with him. A trinket that also held several different magics in it at the same time.

Tobias let him be there for a moment, but the second he noticed Vivian's lightning form arcing through the sky, that changed things. He pulled in Netzach through a portal, which opened up behind him. He was pulled through it, and into a bright white room, filled with sterile light that wasn't glaring. Yet, it might have been a disruptive change from the dinginess of the rubble he'd come from.

"So you see, this one has a nose for trouble." Tobias said cheerily behind him.

The witch that accompanied him, with dried blood caking her lower lips, frowned. "Who is he? You'd better have good reason for his presence, Tobias I swear... I've had my fill of compromised company."

"Worry not." Tobias said, "He owes his allegiance to power. He's, well, like one of us. Or may someday be."

The witch seemed unimpressed, crossing her arms as she waited for something.

"In truth, I'm surprised you managed to sniff out my scheme to the site of its execution. Your grasp of ether and knack for finding trouble are positively inspired." Tobias patted his shoulder.

Then he opened up a porthole, to view the scene that was unfolding as Vivian arrived in the scene. "Now, let's watch... You'll enjoy this, my dear." He directed the last bit to the woman that he'd dragged out of the dungeon, who was as yet unidentified to Netzach.

"But where are my manners, Netzach... This is..."

"The last name he'll hear if you say another word, Tobias."

"Very well. She shall remain anonymous for now." The mage winked at Netzach, and then gestured toward the viewing portal. Where Vivian was unleashing her considerable power against his thralls.

Interesting enough, Netzach still felt the link to his own husks, if he wished to take hold of them.

Winston:

"It gives me no pleasure to threaten you or yours. But you do not understand, I feel, the consequence of what you are handling." Timur said, an urgent breathless tone about his voice, "The very great things it can do, in the right hands."

Timur sighed, as he stood ready, but held up his hands to allow Winston the stay of passage. Anyone less socially talented might've been burnt to a crisp by now, but Winston had a way about him, that even a hardened mage-spy like Timur paused. "Runes? What are you on about? You're saying you've already spent the well..."

"That's a terrible shame, but whatever you put it into still contains its power. What did you make?"

The ferret made his speech, trying to open up negotiations of a sort, if only for information on Timur's perspective. Not expecting this, but that Winston would come out with some deadly weapon, with it blazing. Timur and his fellows ready to confront whatever it was, and destroy it if need be. Instead, he came with words and peace. An unusual switch.

"I represent the Citadel in Etzos. Our people, we need the power of that well. We need..." But here, Timur shook his head before sharing further. However it was enough to share his motivations at least. They were tied to terrestrial loyalty, which was perhaps something that Winston could work with.

Winston could tell, his, Timur's, intentions weren not at all malicious, however his manner was brusque and barbarous. Still, he had good intentions toward his own, which Winston gathered was all that mattered to him in this moment.

"There are sources of power that should not be squandered, or wasting away in containment somewhere, when there are people in need. Are we not agreed?"



Dandelion:

Cloth of silver, that's what it appeared to be made of. Some form of spun metal cloth? Dandelion coming from humble beginnings might not have encountered it before, but he had surely seen silver. This was as silver threads made into cloth almost. A strange parchment that held equally unfamiliar runes and sigils. But there was a small number of inscriptions on it that didn't appear to belong to the original typography of the note.

It'd probably been scrawled on after the note had been made.

Meanwhile, the runners that Dandelion had sent had yet to return to Rosebay, but were surely on their way back from warning the authorities at Storm's Edge, by now. It would probably only be a few moments before they arrived.

Sure enough, on the horizon Dandelion saw them approaching, on horseback, with a few Lightning Knights accompanying them, bearing weapons and looking very angry. At what? Dandelion couldn't tell. But it was his role to diffuse whatever violence might visit his humble settlement of Rosebay, if indeed the Lightning Knights sought to do so.



Tobias waited patiently while the wheels turned in the Yludih's mind. "Hmph." When he finally shared what he wanted to blow up, which safe he wanted to crack, Tobias gave him a look like he was truly disappointed.. "Oh, a common safecracker then. Very well."

"Nothing would gladden me more than to deflate a posh shop on the edges of the Glass Quarter." Tobias said, and then grinned, "But I wouldn't defecate the same place as I eat. Conventional wisdom, you understand. I must insist that you shove off and not bother me with your inane ambitions, yon upjumped street rat. Begone, Yludih. We'll deal with you later."

This said, he was ejected from the vision he'd experienced, and fell back on his behind as he arrived back where Willow had been. Who'd been wondering what had happened to him, and if he was having some sort of fit, since he'd been stuck still as a statue for several moments before she noticed.

No other meteoric cannonballs fell on the lower city. However, in the Sky Quarter, the falling missiles were very visible even where he was.



As Gennadiya flew toward the Last Drink, to meet with the group along the way to the crossroads where it was set, she noticed a dark flier beside her snake-like mount. Pink hair flew behind the flying woman, as her shadowy wings carried her forth toward the Last Drink. She appeared to be moving in the the same direction as Gennadiya, as it happened.

It was then, she recognized her. It was the woman from the Gestalt Dream. Batly. Or Doctor Bubbles depending on who you asked. She waved at Gennadiya. The emotional magic that the naer woman possessed let Gennadiya know she should be at ease. She shared through a emotional link an assurance that they were of one purpose there.

Whether Gennadiya wished to believe those impulses or feelings, however, was her own to determine.

At any rate, Batly didn't disrupt her travel through the air, and just followed along. Until Gennadiya arrived at the Last Drink.



The situation by all accounts was still tense, but stable enough at the Prison, with neither party moving to threaten the other, yet. Even so, the Hyludin at the prison were unwilling to move from their station. They would resist any attempts to change their position.

All other messages were well executed, to the letter of Vivian's intentions.

Vivian approached the husks with her weapons and a combination of divine and arcane magics. But just as she got within range of fighting them, she heard a whistling of a missile moving through the air far overhead. Then the cannonball drove itself through the husk, causing a plume of dust and rocky shrapnel from the street cobbles to fly in her face. Much of her armor dealt with the damage that otherwise would've been done. But still it was difficult to see and breathe through the chalky dust it'd kicked up.

Husks of dead lightning knights approached from behind. As someone experienced in fighting against necromancers, Vivian would be used to dealing with fallen comrades raised by the same. Yet these were freshly killed in some cases, and hard to identify which might be genuinely trying to seek help or claw her eyes out.

Yet Vivian was sharp of eye and had good judgment. She knew these were merely husks by looking at them. "Her sword cut through them. But no sooner had her sword destroyed them, than several more cannonballs fall nearby, creating more fast-moving exploding shrapnel. And also dust. The entire street where she'd landed was now a mist of earthen detritus, sweeping through.

She had only her ears to trust to the finding of more husks, if she intended on following the same tact of slicing them open.



Seira:

The Sky Quarter was comparatively smaller in area than the lower city. It was, afterall, occupying the summit of Rharne's mountain. Yet it was still big. But even someone on the ground like Seira could see the plume of dust and fire rising from Skywatch Keep.

Seira made her way in that direction, and as she did, Netzach's husk would notice her making a beeline toward the danger. Yet it was prone, and not moving just now. Whether Netzach wished to do anything about this, was his own to decide.



The Last Drink:

There was a moment of awkward pause as those who were set to arrive at the Last Drink did so, arriving on the backs of their swift flying mounts, or otherwise sped along their way with the rest of the convoy heading out to meet the Hyludin delegation there.

The Hyludin merely stood by, inside the Last Drink, while the Qi'ora owner looked on in suspicion. Tristan had told his death diri to check for anything unusual related to the concept of death along the way, but couldn't really find anything unusual that stood out. Death existed everywhere, of course, but there was nothing that popped out as unusual. People had died on that crossroads, it was clear, but it would take some sifting to find anything of relevance to this situation, and even then there was no guarantee. So the diri of Death was busy for a while, sorting through all of the information it had to while Tristan and the rest prepared to talk to the Hyludin, who were really just waiting for the others to open up negotiations.

Batly, or Doctor Bubbles, or the naer with the pink hair, greeted Gennadiya as she touched down. "I'm afraid I'm as ignorant as the rest of you about these people, but... I just had to investigate when I heard of them. I've been in touch with the Shadow of Courage, through dreams, and..."

As soon as Doctor Bubbles entered the Last Drink, the Hyludin all stood stock still, and shocked as they looked at her. Shadowy wings folded behind her backs, cute little shadow horns protruding from her temples. And illusionary shadows coloring in the otherwise shadowy form she'd adopted with color to make her appear as she was when not shadow merged. Many of them knelt, a few others came forward.

"An Effigy Bearer!" Said one, who only Tristan could understand, by dint of Chester's arrival moments later.

[Winston]

A better life

~~~ With Timur ~~~

When the mage, Timur spoke of the power of the well, the ferret shook his head. It was not a denial or argument. It was a gesture of some regret as he accepted that Timur was obviously desperate and desperate people were not always rational... Even if they were manipulatable. "Timur, me fine fellow, af carse yuh are right. Bot me don't tink anyone truly onderstands dese tings an' as much gud as me share et cun indeed do, cun be outstripped by de monumental evil it might alsoh doh." He searched the man's eyes for recognition for a moment, as if pleading for reason just for a moment. "En de wrang 'ands."

When Timur asked what he had made Winston smiled, sliding into a rather juncturposined posture of excitement given the weapons held all around him. Moving forward very gently, harmlessly, making no offensive maneuvers, he engaged the crowd, using the conversation with the mage to stay their blades and open their minds.

"Oh, yuh shud 'ave seen et..." He said, holding the assertion with baited breath and awe. He started telling the story, not so long or wasting so time that they would be pressed to just cut him short, but long enough to help him make a connection with them and promote the idea that he was a harmless eccentric, which was not to far from the truth. "Me neva worked soh moch powa befar. Et almost 'ad a life af ets own. Et STRUCK out at os, fighin' tuh make et's own way intuh de world. De floor thrummed wid de enargy as et wus shaped an' fastened intuh de ingat. De glow af et, de feeling an de back af me arms... *sigh* Me won't eva forget et... Bot et's a ting tuh make safe odda things now. Now, et won't eva be a threat tuh a single soul..." His tone suggested that if ever it was, he'd not bare it. He had been trying to build emotion, stirring it, good or bad, creating a mist that could be shaped.

When the mage mentioned Etzos the ferret almost forgot himself as his face lit up for a moment as if that was the best thing he'd ever heard.

Timur's words: "We need..."

Winston finished the sentence for him... "...help." He took this hook to dump all the emotion he'd been staring into as he smiled. "Power es noh gaurentee af 'elp, Timur. Dis es nat de way? Don't yuh see?"

Finally there was Timur's final statement as Winston looked around the party of brigands that now surrounded him. Any one of them could swing at him at this point... He'd have little to nowhere to run or hide. But he was exactly where he wanted to be... Right in the middle of somewhere that made his captors feel safe. People that felt safe could invest their attention of other, more productive thoughts.

At this point, a voice came from his pocket... It was Genna. "Oh, sarry. Dat's jost someone me shud... Jost turn dat aff. Ef dat's Oh-key? Ar we cun jost ignar et?" He'd turn it off, using the button to disconnect the Chii well, or he'd leave it, whichever was going to create less friction.

"Me think we doh agree, yes. Great an' onparalelled good... Ar onspeakable evil, me friend. Me know you know dis tuh be true. Et es exactly because af et's potentual dat me cud nat jost let et sit dere en starage, wating tuh be turned to flaying de life frame de innocent af Idalas. Our friends... Family... Children... Bot... Yuh Etzos does nat need dat powa. Me know we are all wanting de same ting really. Etzas need's 'elp. People, gud people, willin' tuh fight far et, like yuh... An' yuh..." He said, making eye contact with a few of the people around them that he felt he was making a connection with. "Me already workin' wid diplomats fram Etzas tuh bring yuh some 'elp. Fud, people, farms, safety, equality... We are all already an de same side, don't yuh see? Yuh jost need tuh LET meh 'elp. Let me doh wat me need tuh do wid de well, tuh protect Rharne tuhtrial. Et will only be de beginin'... Wateva 'appens 'ere tuhtrial." He gestured to the patch of ground on which he shared with the people around him in order to be clear he was referring to their choices, here and now in this glade. "Me won't stap. Me won't relent ar declare enemies where friends could stand... Ef yuh strike me down an' take me stoff tuhtrial, me will still fight tuh get back an me feet soh dat me cun come trough for Etzos an' get 'elp tuh yuh 'omeland." The ferret was a pretty competent lier these trials, working a bluff with some success most trials, however totrial was not a trial he'd need that skill. There was not a single hint of deception in his words, no alterior motive. He believed every word. If they succeeded, he'd get back up and help Etzos whether they made themselves enemies or friends becuase an open hand asking for aid will never be turned down.

It was clinch time. He knew he was either likely to walk out of here with them or be calling on anything Saiore had to offer to keep him alive. "...Ar, yuh cud let meh goh an' we cun return tuh Etzos an' REALLY provide de tings et needs beyand raw powa. Fud an' safety far yuh son's an' dattas. A future dat will be stable an' strang. We absolutely DOH want de same ting, see? Join meh, won't yuh? 'elp me 'elp yuh 'omeland. Please, we cun achieve soh moch mar tugedda den apart. Me know et." The plea was categorically not only to Timur. If this did break down into violence, rallying any of Timur's men genuinely here for the side of the good for Etzos might make the difference between him keeping all his limbs or not.

~~~ With Winston's Crew in Rharne ~~~

Arriving at the Mistral Gate to the great city of Rharne, they set off into the crowd as bedlam unfolded... "Oh no!" Cried

the young lab assistant

as the smoke billowed into the sky.

"Dammit! Were to late?" Cursed

Cedric

as they looked around for a clear path to follow.

"Not for Winston we arn't, not yet." The administrator reminded them as they hesitated at the entrance to the city. "Come on! This is only the beginning. Go!"

Between them, they set out to find the guards and hopefully Vivian. They should be expecting them back up in the armory... or whatever was left of it... But they were expecting Winston, not his crew and the gate guards were going to be far to busy to listen to them right now, so they headed out to try and find someone that could get the message they so sorely needed to send to someone that could help and, if it WAS not too late to do so, to put the ingot to use.

Action summary

Here's the thread where Winston has been collabing to provide Etzos with assistance (as referenced in this post).

• Winston's Crew:
  • Arrive at Mistral Gate .
  • Attempts to contact Vivian to tell her about the ingot and about Winston/Timur.
  • Will try to use the ingot to spray (if not very discriminately) any continued offensive cannon-balls with webbing if it was not already too late.
• Winston:
  • Ignores Genna's comms attempt due to the situation.
  • Tries to convince Timur and his crew that they are on the same side:
    • Socialisation (GM).
    • Storytelling (Expert) - To support his attempts to 'paint a picture of a better life'.
    • Has used Gift of Cheer from the Telka Mark - To try to dispel some of the negative feelings that might be motivating the people in this moment.

All template credit, love and admiration goes to Kisaik