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Post by Silvia Raizer on Jun 29, 2020 22:17:06 GMT
"Ah. Well met, Justine. I am always eager to make new acquaintances." Silvia performed another of her deep bows for the lady. She looked between Justine and Konrad, sensing a story. Perhaps she would hear more about it, if she was lucky.
Turning back to Konrad, she asked "If you would like to talk about family matters, I will be happy to leave the two of you alone. I would not wish to pry."
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Post by The Forgotten God on Jun 29, 2020 22:24:03 GMT
After everyone had entered, the young woman rose and opened her hands in a welcoming gesture. “Now that we are all here,” she said in her bright voice, “thank you again for coming out to distant Valgard.” She licked the top row of her teeth before she spoke again. “Now, the reason you are all here is because my benefactor is convinced that you all have the mettle to handle a task of the utmost importance.” She waved her hand over the small circle of the table and the image of a strange building rose from the polished surface. It has rather odd geometry; a ziggurat with a minaret at each corner, shining bronze covering the tops of the towers, the bottom wreathed in Mist. “This place is called Al-Sham Baytur,” she continued, “in the words of its founders the House of the Sun. Despite what we believed for centuries, the Mist never claimed this ancient edifice nor the island it sits on. In the last year, something changed and now you see the results. The ancients believed this temple housed the power of their gods, and they stored that power inside a vault called the Gate to Heaven. Something is attempting to breach that gate, and if it succeeds we believe that the spells protecting Innuria from invasion could be breached and our borders open to invasion. If you accept the mission, my mistress asks you use a key we will provide to empty the contents of the vault and deliver them to Vittoria for safekeeping. That will presumably also entail destroying the malign force infesting the grounds. Anything else you find is yours to keep. Your rewards shall be as described in the letters sent to you, if you have a concern or wish for something else please speak to me after this meeting concludes.”
She waved her hand again and a map of some sort appeared with a green line moving into the sea and then around, farther than any map the group had seen had ever marked. “It is a journey of two thousand miles. We have commissioned a ship for your use, captained by the finest sailor in the lands and equipped as any of the fastest corsairs would be.” She stopped abruptly and looked about. “Questions?”
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Post by Dr. Archimedes Steller on Jun 29, 2020 22:33:14 GMT
Sitting in the car end of the table, as far away from Nigel as possible, Archimedes dug once again into his suitcase, this time pulling out a massive tome, which shouldn't have fit inside that suitcase, despite it's already unusual size. It was bound in leather, with golden engravings that read Codex Maximus Animalium Monstrorum . He opened it, revealed crinkly yellowed parchment pages, which smelled of dust and mold. He then rose a frail wrinkled arm.
"Ma'am, if you will allow me to question this: would you be able to provide the full name of the islands
at hand?" Archie asked kindly. "Maybe maritime coordinates if you are able."
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Post by Justine-Juliette de Vair on Jun 29, 2020 23:02:49 GMT
“De Vair,” Justine supplied, appreciating Konrad’s circumspect manner. She was who she was no matter what. She was unashamed of her father and who he had been. “Nice to meet you,” she added to Sylvia.
She opened her mouth to say more to Konrad when the strange woman stood from the table. She hadn’t even flinched when Thornheart’s glitter bomb had gone off. She didn’t have a speck of it on her either, not even in her hair. “Who are you?” asked Justine, as soon as the floor was open again. “And who is your mistress?”
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Post by The Forgotten God on Jun 29, 2020 23:06:50 GMT
The woman nodded kindly. “Due to the extreme sensitivity of the mission, you’ll be provided the location of the temple upon boarding the vessel we have secured. The last thing my benefactor needs is a dozen ships carrying mercenaries of uncertain intent descending upon the area and further destabilizing the situation. Once underway the coordinates of your destination will be freely available and upon your return you may write whatever travelogue you wish about the area.”
After Justine spoke the woman answered in her unhurried cadence. “My name is Countess Maia Athene Anagnos of Southern Vittoria, but my vulgar surname is Chevalier. My partner in this desires to remain anonymous and I am inclined to protect her security.”
Justine gains 1 advancement point
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Post by Damien Chevalier on Jun 29, 2020 23:37:34 GMT
Damien moved through the crowds to stare at the woman standing in front he winked at her again. When he spoke though he spoke to everyone in a loud clear tone. "There are four things to consider in every heist. The first thing we need is plans of the location, and island. If you can't give it to us now, we can study them on the ship. Do you have any of this information or will we need to gather it on the island?"
"Second we need to know security. Who is guarding the ziggurat and the island as whole. Who is in charge, and who are their enemies? What kind of guards do they have and how often they patrol the areas. I have a feeling we are not dealing with your standard city watchmen who don't mind turning their back for a little gold under the table." Damien turned to look the crowd as he continued working down through his points.
"Third we need an escape. I assume this ship will be ours, and our way home. Can we arrange a second ship to investigate if things go to shit, and we lost the first somehow? We will need to work out codes to signal ships and crew from the island." He shook his head as he spoke, "I hate having only one out. We will have to think on that friends." He looked out at everyone eyeing them again, taking measure.
"And finally opposition. Who else is looking for this? Are they going to get in our way? Will we need to be cautious all the way back? Who wants it and why? How desperate are they? Are we going to stumble into another party sneaking into the same target on the same day." He chuckled, "Cause I have had that happen. And worse are all the crews who think thieves are easier to rob then vaults, so wait outside to murder a skilled workman because they have no imagination or work ethic." He snorted with derision and turned back to his sister.
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Post by Geoffrey Ravenhurst on Jun 29, 2020 23:43:15 GMT
The Huntsman was thinking deep thoughts about gods and monsters while the Cunt in Exile (?) spoke surprisingly eloquently about their situation despite his strange title.
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Post by Tehol Nookington on Jun 29, 2020 23:48:07 GMT
Tehol who had stopped playing the ocarina to let the woman speak doesn't comment because he is too busy dealing with a sparkly ball of fur batting at him with it's arms trying to get to the ocarina so that Tehol would start playing again.
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Post by Nigel Thornheart on Jun 29, 2020 23:59:52 GMT
"More importantly, who is in charge of this fellowship?" Nigel inquired before any of the questions posed already could be answered, turning his attention from the 8 fingered elf woman to their hostess. "I can only assume you requested someone of my vast experience and flawless reputation to lead this foray into the gaping maw of adventure."
He motioned to the rest present and struck a heroic pose, as if to ask who was more worthy of the burden and glory that came with the mantle of leadership. The thief was already talking of retreat and would likely cut and run at the first sign of trouble, the barbarian had the charisma of a block of wood, and the doctor the constitution of wet tissue paper. The rest were a mixture of inexperienced nobles in need of babysitting, potential bed warmers, and miscellany that barely registered on his radar.
(How Do You Like Me Now?!: Nigel has a two step bonus to heterosexual women or homosexual men he’s never met)
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Post by Konrad of Wolfhaven on Jun 30, 2020 0:00:58 GMT
Konrad listened to the thief describe taking this mystical power like it was a banker’s strong box and put his hand in his chin to think. He waited to hear how the countess addressed the questions posed before he offered an opinion.
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Post by The Forgotten God on Jun 30, 2020 0:23:05 GMT
"More importantly, who is in charge of this fellowship?" Nigel inquired before any of the questions posed already could be answered, turning his attention from the 8 fingered elf woman to their hostess. "I can only assume you requested someone of my vast experience and flawless reputation to lead this foray into the gaping maw of adventure." He motioned to the rest present and struck a heroic pose, as if to ask who was more worthy of the burden and glory that came with the mantle of leadership. The thief was already talking of retreat and would likely cut and run at the first sign of trouble, the barbarian had the charisma of a block of wood, and the doctor the constitution of wet tissue paper. The rest were a mixture of inexperienced nobles in need of babysitting, potential bed warmers, and miscellany that barely registered on his radar. (How Do You Like Me Now?!: Nigel has a two step bonus to heterosexual women or homosexual men he’s never met) The Countess’s red lips curled upward in a smile. “Why Sir Nigel, you were specifically chosen for your battle prowess and experience in the reduction of fortifications. My brother can plan the extraction of the required artifacts, the Mist Hunter and the swordswomen and the musketeer will deal with any interlopers, and the captain will be in charge of your safe passage.” |
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Post by Nigel Thornheart on Jun 30, 2020 0:31:47 GMT
"What about the tourists?" Nigel asked bluntly, motioning to Konrad and Ceutinde.
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Post by Geoffrey Ravenhurst on Jun 30, 2020 0:35:51 GMT
Herneiros scratched his beard. That was a good question.
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Post by Justine-Juliette de Vair on Jun 30, 2020 0:43:16 GMT
“I think they can handle themselves,” said Justine, having a decent, if passing, acquaintance with each of them.
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Post by Nigel Thornheart on Jun 30, 2020 0:52:33 GMT
"Konrad's father Maximilian Wolfhaven and Ceutinde's husband Lilomeon were both reclaimers of renown I am proud to call peers, but as far as I am aware prowess surviving the Mists is not a trait passed on through the seed," he replied in the same blunt manner, before flashing that broad smile again. "Otherwise I can find an army of young women between Vittoria and Old Canderlin worthy of this expedition. Aha!"
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