Rua sighed. There'd be no arguing the point with this NPC, would there? He typed up a quick response.

I'll be the judge of how capable he is. Are you forbidding me from filling him in about you as well?

- Rua Dragonheart

Audra and her companion halted their conversation to stare at Sera as if she had grown several heads. A few others milling about did so as well. "... the hell are you talking about, crazy?" she asked, arching an eyebrow at the bard.

Behind her, Fille could only shrug in confusion.

Tsuminar


"Character assassination in a more figurative sense?" He hazarded, eyes narrowing. "Useful when done right. But do we have the power to kill him in such a way?" And here--the kicker. Theoretically, he and his small network might be able to pull it off. With an emphasis on the might. Dare he reveal that? Did she already know and this was merely a test to see what he would reveal?

"Rather, what would you need to pull off such a feat?"


______

Rogueport

"It's an expression," Sera said, taking in the gazes of the warehouse denizens. Had she touched a nerve?--how? She blinked a few times in puzzlement. "You're a thief. -its. . ." She shook her head, smiling. "A way to try and make you feel nice. Calling you out as a sort of first among equals."

"That makes... no sense," Audra said, shaking her head slowly. She suddenly snorted. "As if anyone could really control these lazy bums."

She waved her companion away while she pushed up on the crates she sat on, sitting forward. "So, Sera, you have any idea what you're singing tonight?" she asked.

Ah! Terror and trust had loosened her tongue, and now look! Give the creature her mask in exchange for its help? It would leave her vulnerable, for the mask dealt with the undead’s visual and extrasensory perceptions, and the reeking wrappings’ protections against the other four senses wouldn’t be much use if they could see her plainly as she was: an ugly, obese human girl. But at the same time, she had already realized the worth of this creature in this strange and hostile city. Could she lie? Assert the mask’s mundane nature and claim it was worth less than the cracked rubble under her feet? No, she had already admitted that it kept her safe.

She could swear to hand it over after the creature had helped her, but Branwyn was loath to do this. She had loaded the mask herself with enchantments, status effects, and charms after purchasing it from an all-too-realistic Halloween costume shop, and even if her survival didn’t currently depend on its continued use, she wasn’t keen on handing it over to this disgusting abomination after investing so much into it. Even if the actual corpse-flesh was disgusting and puke-worthy, it was still going up on her wall as an academic memento of this expedition.

There was only one thing to do. Her family, politicians and royals all, were accustomed to making false promises and lying through their teeth. This was her heritage, and it was one she was proud to carry. “This mask?” Branwyn touched the corpse-flesh with a finger. “I bought it from an old sage in the underground markets of Minervum, the City of Wisdom. It is the Missing Mask, and anyone who wears it just blends into the background- they become completely unremarkable, so it’s like they go missing from the earth itself. It’s very powerful- and very old, too. I don’t know who made it; it may be as old as Thebas itself.” She paused for a moment, letting her spun tale hang suspended in the night while she thought. This creature seemed bound by its word, so the pact she was making would need to be worded carefully. Finally she said, “I’ll give it to you if you can show me everything I want to see and lead me safely out the city.”

A PM returned for Rua at once.

"Our bargain applied to all individuals. I hope you do not think you can break your word with me as you did so carelessly with Ms. Valdez. It is likely for the best, though. This man--Orup Mepple--knows these jungles very well. For as useless as he looks, he may increase your chances of survival, just don't grow too fond of him. What has he told you, so far?"

---

"Stamaria is a model of efficiency," Elle'n responded. "It is both its greatest strength and its greatest weakness. Pius is too prideful to assume I can be a threat, so he will dedicate only one man to it, for now. By hiding in your shadow, I can be invisible to them. I know enough about Stamaria and about Pius to eliminate him, I believe, but it must be precise and it must be purposeful--the right man must take his position. For this, I need intelligence I cannot get on my own."

She paused there, batting down an ounce of frustration that attempted to rebel against her serenity. When she was a part of Stamaria, information was a resource you could take for granted. They had more eyes than any other organization in the world, contrary to what the White Lions believed, and it was simply a matter of making sense of it. Now, she was back to square one, and it was annoying to say the least.

"You don't have the kind of clearance I need," she picked up again, after a moment, "unfortunately. We'll need to obtain a physical tap into a mainframe, which means breaking and entering. No fewer than three men, no more than five. I know one person capable of going with you, but that would mean we would need at least one more."

---

Skild watched her with perfect focus, his attention completely enraptured by her tale. Was she telling the truth, or trying to trick him? Ohhh, he couldn't tell! She had tricked him once already, but all he could think about was how much he really wanted that mask, and her story just made that so much worse. Keep it together, Skild! He would need all his wits to deal with this one, yes he would.

"Very powerful and very old, you say? So is Thebas. It may protect you for a time, but you'll need my help to get much further," he said, wagging his finger at her now as he gained some steam. "Maybe you think you can take advantage of Skild--use him up and then take that mask back--nope! If you want me to trust you, you have to trust me first. Take that mask off and lock it here. When we finish, you give me the key. Korresh won't attack you if you're with me, mask or not. Deal?"

Rua sighed at the response. He had figured that might be the case; EP wanted him and him alone to find him and claim the Arcanum Relic he claimed to have.

And that, right there, worried him. Why him? Why did he want Rua specifically, and for what purpose? He had done little that was truly noteworthy, nothing that made him stand out above the other players, unlike the White Devil, or the Four Gods of the Earth. What made him so special?

Grimacing once more, Rua formulated his response and sent it on its way.

Fine, I'll keep my mouth shut. Orup's told me nothing that pertains to you, as far as I know. We've only discussed a couple liches, and that he doesn't know where the one I was researching was hidden at.

- Rua Dragonheart

Her breath came quick and fast, almost in time with the frantic convulsions of her heart, and her body shook as it struggled to extract the necessary oxygen from the shallow gasps to animate her many quivering layers of fat. The tension in the air reached up and grabbed at her throat, throttling her, constricting her airways, and Branwyn leaned against the chimney, her body shaking and her legs suddenly unstable. She hoped this movement was taken as a cool gesture rather than a desperate attempt at steadying herself, but….

The creature was done talking. It was her turn now. “Korresh?” Her fat wobbled with fear at the sound of the name. She struggled to sound dignified, rather than afraid, when she said, “I have no intentions of seeing him. Nor anyone else, for that matter. No one but you. I-” her voice tripped, caught by something she couldn’t identify, and she swallowed as her heart beat faster and her body chilled from icy sweat. “How do I know-” the shrill screams from the damned humans drilled through her brain, disrupting her thoughts, sweeping her up in a maelstrom of terror. Their screams were a torment, and her eyes stung as her throat constricted and fear, grief, and horror battled in equal measure within her.

It was too much. “Oh God,” she said, turning away and leaning fully against the chimney. It was all whirling, whirling around her, through her, all of it, all at once. The screams, the monster, the shadows, the fog, the wails, the laughter, it was all so real! What was she doing here, surrounded by blood-thirsty terrors? “Oh God.” Why had she left the safety and security of Minervum? What madness had possessed her and driven her here? Had she come here to die?

“No!” She wasn’t sure whether she was talking to the monster or herself. “I’m not taking it off!” Hysteria crowded into her voice, making it rise in pitch and volume, “I can’t!”

Rogueport

"Are they really lazy?" Sera asked curiously. "One would think a lazy thief would not be a very good thief."

Realizing a bit belatedly that she'd missed Audra's question outright, she stammered a touch, "W--well." And then she caught her balance and smiled warmly. "That's rather up to what he, she, or they want to hear. Now isn't it?"

______

Tsuminar

"You don't want to come along on the little jaunt?" Larent asked with a touch of amusement.

"He says there are other temples, does he? Interesting. This was hidden from me but makes the most sense. I do not know the name of the ruler of my temple--he is known only to me as The Master--but I do suspect he is, in fact, a lich. He is both very powerful and very old, but he can be beaten if we join forces against him. I told you before that I have access to immense knowledge, only I am blind to my immediate self. Any information you can pry from Orup Mepple will be invaluable to us both, as I may search for them in archives across this globe and form a cohesive opinion that will aid you. Anything he knows about this area, about these temples, I must know as well. Do you understand, Mr. Dragonheart?"

---

Elle'n kept a close eye on him. He was sharp, she'd give him that. For all his feigned coyness, this was a game he had experience playing. "You'll need someone on the outside, even if things go well, and especially if things go poorly. It should not surprise you to know that my strengths fall outside of field work." More importantly, she wasn't about to put herself in a position where Shepard could betray her on the spot.

She had cards left to play, and he was going to borrow her deck. That was all well and good, but he would pay the entrance fee.

---

Underneath his mask, the frustrated and impatient expression that Skild secreted transformed into a most sinister grin. He could feel her terror, and he craved to exploit it. If her wits were this easily overrun, then he could win this fight with a drop of intimidation. Oh yes, it would be good.

The child-like figure took a moment to meander to the rooftop's edge again, gesturing out across Thebas and beyond expressively. "You'll never make it without me. One word to Korresh and poof! You won't even make it to the gate in one piece. Maybe you think you can hide up here for a time, but how long is that? Take take take your time, but when that sun sets, your life turns to dust."

He didn't like it all that much--he wasn't a fan of deceiving his companions. He also didn't have much choice but to follow through with the demands of EP, until he knew what he was getting into. Hopefully before it was too late. Rua quickly formulated a response and sent it on its way.

Fine. I'll gather what info I can during the day and send it to you at nightfall. Is that acceptable?

- Rua Dragonheart

... wait, how did EP know they were talking about temples? He never mentioned the word in their correspondence so far.

"Well, I have it on good authority that she likes some tawdry tales," Audra remarked with a shrug as she walked between and past Sera and Fille, headed for the door to leave. "Let's get a move on, ladies, if we act quick we can irritate the mayor even more."

Rogueport



Sera frowned in confusion. "Why---is irritating the mayor seen as a good thing?" She asked slowly, befuddled.


_______

Tsuminar

Something about her tone stank. Obviously, using each other a bit was part of the deal. Perhaps she viewed it as a pawn/master relationship, rather than a potential partnership.

"The other hand, however. That puts you in a supremely elegant position to betray me. Isolated from the operation as it were. As you said . . .your record speaks for itself." He ended simply, eyes glinting with dangerous light as he looked to his potential partner.

"Because it amuses me, of course," Audra remarked as she pushed open the warehouse door. Fille could only sigh--that was just like her friend.

"You promised," Branwyn said, her voice shaking and quiet, "you promised you wouldn't hurt me. Are you a liar as well as a killer?"

Rogueport


Sera's frown deepened in time with Fille's sigh. "Just for the sake of amusement? I--guess I don't get it." She finally ended lamely, following the woman through the warehouse door.

"Quite sufficient. The more we both know, the more we can help each other. Rest well tonight, Mr. Dragonheart."

---

Elle'n gave Shepard a belittling look, reaching inside of her sweatshirt and pulling out a rectangular device. "Betray you? I've recorded this whole conversation already. If I wanted to destroy you, I have plenty I could send to Pius already. Might even buy me some measure of protection from him, if I needed it. You knew that this was a risk going in though. You'll just have to make yourself too valuable to get rid of, won't you?"

---

Skild's lips quivered at that for just a moment. So she'd caught onto that, had she? Dirty, nasty, rotten outsiders--always up to no good. Couldn't that awful voice in his mind understand that killing her was for the greater good? She was a cheat, here to lie and deceive only. Surely ending her life would service the world immediately.

"I said I wouldn't hurt you--didn't say I'd keep you alive. Not yet, anyway. You may have tricked me once, but that's all you get for free!"

He wanted that mask too bad to let it slip through his fingers.

The message box quickly disappeared, leaving Rua alone with a sleeping man, a bored dragonet, and his own darkening thoughts. More and more he was growing uncomfortable with the quest that Oracle had sparked. He ran one hand through his hair and sighed. Tonight was going to be another long night, it seemed...

The three of them stepped out of the warehouse, where evening proper had finally descended. The only avaiable light was coming from the torches set across the warehouse walls and here and there on braziers throughout the shanty town, as well as the illumination emanating from the open doors and windows, brought about by electric bulbs and candles.

Audra took a few steps forward and halted, stretching her arms upwards and swinging them out with a satisfied murmur. The thief took in a deep breath and smiled.

"What're you grinning for?" Fille asked sardonically. "This place smells like fish."

"Better than smelling like a refuse heap, isn't it?" Audra shot back.

Rogueport


Sera breathed in slowly, nose wrinkling. "The smell. . . one could grow accustomed too, I suppose." She said with a soft lilt, tilting her head to the side. "The sky's beautiful, though. All the stars."


_____


Tsuminar


"And we were off to such a rocky start." Larent said with a shrug and a wistful tone. "Just remember, after they kill me. They'll eventually kill you too." He spun on his heels, heading back for the elevator.

Provided nothing else curious or interesting would take place, Orup would gently snore his way through the night, finally cracking his eyes at first light the next morning.

---

Elle'n returned the device to its place, watching Shepard as he appeared to make his way for a departure. "Giving up already?" she asked, somewhat bemused. "I had hoped you were made of sterner stuff than that."

Tsuminar


"As I had hoped you were. It would seem . . . we are both fated to be disappointed." Larent called out, voice half carried away by a gust of wind. Gears were already spinning in his mind, working out how to survive the impending debacle.

She narrowed her eyes, watching him closely. He was smarter than this, but she hadn't yet figured out his game. "Were we?" she replied, a genuine question in her voice. "You knew how I operate long before you came up that elevator. I always keep a gun under the table. Trust alone is not sturdy enough to lay the foundation for a monarchy."

Tsuminar

Here he spun, eyes narrowed by the barest fraction of an inch. His voice snapped out like a whip, now carrying perfectly fine over the occasional gusts of wind. "If I cannot trust you. You cannot trust me. Two such partners will ever be at odds, in such a situation. Trust is perhaps the single-most important quality a force, even such a theoretical force as ours, could have. Trust alone?" He shook his head. "no. But trust must needs be a major component of any such endeavor. We don't have that. I don't feel like killing you, right now, so the best option is to leave and see if you hang yourself along with me."

Elle'n couldn't help but crack a smile at that. He was a fiery one, she'd give him that. Folding her arms, she shifted her weight to one side, eying him up and down. Everything came at a cost, especially people. "I could have just not told you," she reminded him. "It wouldn't take a detective to uncover I'm not much suited for field-work. But very well: name your price."

Edited by Ribitta on November 25, 2014 at 21:04:55

Tsuminar


"Kindly give enough time to form an opinion before you betray me." Larent replied with an even tone. Idly wondering how far it would go before she betrayed him. But then. . .that was the game as they played it, wasn't it?

Edited by Ajax on November 26, 2014 at 5:16:34

"Yeah, you don't see many sights like this in our world, that's for sure," Audra agreed, looking up at them. "Game world vibrancy has its perks. Well, let's go, girls. I think he went this way..."

Audra took off at a casual trot that was easy enough for the other two girls to keep up with. It wasn't long before she had left the still-active market, and headed deeper into the shanty town. Rogueport was still alive, and looked like it wouldn't be turning in for the night any time soon, if at all.

"Betrayal implies I strike first," Elle'n responded. "Which would help me not at all. You're quite right, I do much better having you as my parole officer than anyone else. This recording isn't so I can betray you--it's so you won't betray me. Truth be told, I probably don't need it to get Pius riled up. But you've had three weeks to have an opinion on me, so, no, I will not 'kindly' let you drain all my patience. I will, however, recognize that, yes, trust is critical, though in this case I hold that it does not necessarily mean mutual kindness. Rather, if I can snap your neck, you may snap mine. Name your price."

Had he gotten so far, in his mind, to think about what sort of blackmail he'd like on her? She'd also recognize her offer was an unusual one.

Rogueport


Sera followed along easily enough, eyes darting this way and that, child-like awe clear in her expression. "Without all the murdering and other stuff, this could be a remarkable place to live in. I just get the feeling I wouldn't really . . live long."


_____

Tsuminar


Aah, so that was her game. That was her insurance against him betraying her. The thought---almost made him smile. What would she think if he refused? "Nothing." He finally said. How would she handle it? Time to watch and learn.

"You learn to adapt if you're intent on staying here," Audra said. "Most people don't like sticking around, so they don't bother."

"And you were intent on sticking around?" Fille asked.

"Eh. There were circumstances," Audra admitted. Fille waited a moment, but her friend offered nothing else as explanation. She fought the urge to sigh--she knew pressing the matter would only get Audra's back up.

So her instincts had not failed her, then. This time she wore her smile on the inside. Her gesture had been really only that--a gesture. If he wanted to destroy her, he had all the power in the world to do so the moment he was working alongside her. But by offering it, she submitted a small piece of herself to him. It was the closest thing they'd have to a bow; it seemed he understood that, though she guessed he still had motives deeper than she could guess yet. It wouldn't bother her, though, not now.

"Very well," she said at last. "You'll run this operation, then? You can have my woman, my intel, and my surveillance, but the rest is up to your discretion."

The threats, the implication of inexorable impeding death, was too much. No Relic was worth this. Let the heroes and crazy people do stuff like this; Branwyn wanted out. She was a princess, not a knight- what was she thinking, coming here and just expecting a Relic to conveniently fall into her lap? It was time to cut her losses and run. She may have lost both time and money to this fool's errand, but at least her life would remain intact.

"Okay," she said, "alright." She held up her hands in surrender. "You're too clever for me, and Thebas is just too dangerous for the living. I get it. You want the mask- I want out. Safely out- I want to leave Thebas and not be troubled by it or its occupants again. You see me out the city and I'll give you the mask. I'll have no need for it outside these walls. I'm an accountant, for goodness' sakes. What need have I for magic?"

Tsuminar

Larent didn't bother to ponder it. Either he was heading up another step, or straight to a shallow grave. Uncertainly would only, ironically, ensure the grave. "I can run it. Three days and we'll have a tap on the mainframe." He said with simple assurance. "Will your woman know how to contact me?"


_____


Rogueport


After a good fifteen minutes of solid walking, the trio of women finally arrived at what appeared to be perhaps the most reputable, or at least startlingly clean drinking establishment in the city. A brightly lit, almost thoughtfully created sign glimmering above the armored door proclaimed this particular establishment to be "Hell's Heaven". And in much smaller letters just underneath "Est 1973 BCWTHN?"

"Bee--Cee---double uuu--?" Sera stared at the sign with mixed amusement and consternation, trying to understand what it meant. A pair of burly guards, one to either side of the door, both shared a leering smile as they took in the three. At least until they saw Audra, their smiles withering away as they opened up the door. "Ee's inside." One of them rumbled, keeping his gaze averted.