Within the city, of Zerdargia, in the new restored part of town is a luxury inn which wealthy travelers might want to stay in while transacting their business with the dwarves of the city.
You see first a magnificent facade of the finest marble in Telath. When you enter you see that the interior walls are made of the finest jasper and the floors are marble. At the front desk a tiny halfling woman wearing a long gown of green silk is here to serve your every need. The restaurant to your right has golden arches over the entrance. The entrance is framed by green silk curtains tied back with golden cord.
Posted over the desk is the suites available for rent. The suites are:
The lapis suite - decorated with semi precious lapis with malachite ceilings. There are two rooms, one with a queen size bed, and the other with handmade furniture including a sofa and chair upolstered in blue velvet. There is a separate bathroom with a large marble tub. There is also an ingenious toilet made of marble which is emptied daily.
The moonstone suite - decorated with lovely moonstone walls with malachite ceilings. There are two rooms with a queen size bed in each room. There is a separate bathroom with a large marble tub. There is also an ingenious toilet made of marble which is emptied daily.
The azurite suite - decorated with lovely azurite walls with malachite ceilings. There are two rooms one with a queen size bed and the other with handmade furniture including a sofa and chair upolstered in emerald green silk. There is a separate bathroom with a large marble tub. There is also an ingenious toilet made of marble which is emptied daily.
The turquoise suite - decorated with lovely turquoise walls with malachite ceilings. There are two rooms. One with a queen size bed and the other with handmade furniture including a sofa and chair upolstered in turquoise blue silk. There is a separate bathroom with a large marble tub. There is also an ingenious toilet made of marble which is emptied daily.
The cost for a suite is 100 crowns a night.
The lovely halfling says to you: Searle, my name is Kami, how may I serve you today. If you are staying here we have four suites available. If you are only eating in our restaurant our hostess Esmeralda will seat you in our restaurant and give you a menu.
Esmeralda is standing by the entrance to the restaurant. She is dressed in a lovely green silk gown with bare feet. Her feet are very beautiful for a halfling with bright red toe polish and fine silver hair.
Tenth Brightening of the Fifth Cycle of the Month of Immanis in the Season of Winter, Era I of the Celestine Mandate, Era XV Post Fractum.
The strange trio made it into the Malachite Restaurant. There was the towering Legion officer clad in black armor with his long red mane falling down his back, there was the hardened NCO with his armor similar to the first man and his beard carefully taken care and there was an old Kemite with a mysterious gaze.
Choosing a table near a quiet corner Eyvind took the menu while listening what the men who came with him had to say about the theme they were discussing. After choosing he took some letters from the pounch he had on his belt, they resembled rolls of parchments and handed them to Tarfuss.
Secrets :
To: Jerojima Riishi, Lord Daiymo the Sunnlord
From: Eyvind Redbeard Avornmagor Björnsson, Provost of the Ninth Imperial Legion
Ref: The New Kingdom
Serale Your Grace. You may not know me, but I used to be the man commanding the war effort in Eastern Sheria and for that I thank you the reinforcements sent by the city of Zinn'Sunn. Although the war ended in a strange way, with the declaration of an armistice. I hope the troops returned well and the return journey didn't have many problems.
Refering to the title of the letter. I will be direct and honest, I don't like the idea of seeing the Empire disappearing to give place to the appearance of a Kingdom ruled by creatures coming out of myth and legend. Who are the Ancients to proclam things in an Empire they abandoned long ago? Who are they to nominate the Regent their representative among mortals? Yes, that is what Milo L'Evienne was nominated to do, even if it wasn't said or refered to in the Herald. Every Kingdom needs a King, thus the name and if the former Regent is a Prince then only one of the Ancients can be the King, otherwise it wouldn't make any sense.
As I said, I stand for the Empire and above all for the People and I will not allow strangers who abandoned the People to rule again, be it with help of mortals or not. I come by this mean to ask for your alliance with the Empire, to stand by its side to the end and once we vanquish this evil from the face of Telath, Zinn'Sunn will be offered whatever gift it wants, be it independence from the Empire or other thing.
I am aware that the Empire itself can be prejudicial to a portion of the People, that is why once this threat is finished all those who want it will be granted freedom.
Signed, Eyvind Redbeard Avornmagor Björnsson, Commander of the Black Shields.
Secrets :
To: Lord Thane of Mystique
From: Eyvind Redbeard Avornmagor Björnsson, Provost of the Ninth Imperial Legion
Ref: The New Kingdom
Serale Your Grace. You may not know me, but I used to be the man commanding the war effort in Eastern Sheria.
Refering to the title of the letter. I will be direct and honest, I don't like the idea of seeing the Empire disappearing to give place to the appearance of a Kingdom ruled by creatures coming out of myth and legend. Who are the Ancients to proclam things in an Empire they abandoned long ago? Who are they to nominate the Regent their representative among mortals? Yes, that is what Milo L'Evienne was nominated to do, even if it wasn't said or refered to in the Herald. Every Kingdom needs a King, thus the name and if the former Regent is a Prince then only one of the Ancients can be the King, otherwise it wouldn't make any sense.
As I said, I stand for the Empire and above all for the People and I will not allow strangers who abandoned the People to rule again, be it with help of mortals or not. I come by this mean to ask for your alliance with the Empire, to stand by its side to the end and once we vanquish this evil from the face of Telath, Mystique will be offered whatever gift it wants, be it independence from the Empire or other thing.
I am aware that the Empire itself can be prejudicial to a portion of the People, that is why once this threat is finished all those who want it will be granted freedom.
Signed, Eyvind Redbeard Avornmagor Björnsson, Commander of the Black Shields.
Secrets :
To: The Ruler of the Sacred city of Ethgan'tor.
From: Eyvind Redbeard Avornmagor Björnsson, Provost of the Ninth Imperial Legion.
Ref: The New Kingdom
Serale Your Excellency. I hereby come to, in the most humble of ways, ask for your help without however not offering help and promises myself.
Refering to the title of the letter. I will be direct and honest, I don't like the idea of seeing the Empire disappearing to give place to the appearance of a Kingdom ruled by creatures coming out of myth and legend. Who are the Ancients to proclam things in an Empire they abandoned long ago? Who are they to nominate the Regent their representative among mortals? Yes, that is what the former Regent, Milo L'Evienne, was nominated to do, even if it wasn't said or refered to in the Herald. Every Kingdom needs a King, thus the name and if the former Regent is a Prince then only one of the Ancients can be the King, otherwise it wouldn't make any sense.
As I said, I stand for the Empire and above all for the People and I will not allow strangers who abandoned the People to rule again, be it with help of mortals or not. I come by this mean to ask for your alliance with the Empire, to stand by its side to the end and once we vanquish this evil from the face of Telath, Mystique will be offered whatever gift it wants, be it independence from the Empire or other thing.
I am aware that the Empire itself can be prejudicial to a portion of the People, that is why once this threat is finished all those who want it will be granted freedom.
P.S.: Excuse my manner, Your Excellency but I am but a rude soldier who seeks the best for all.
Signed, Eyvind Redbeard Avornmagor Björnsson, Commander of the Black Shields.
As Kami approached the men, the 2'11" halfling carried a small stool. Pausing before the men, she set down the stool and climbed up so she could see the huge humans. In her hands she carried the parchment containing the menu.
"Would you men like something to drink before dinner," she asked.
Tarfuss took the documents from Eyvind and secured them. He had a general idea what the contents were, but didn't read them. He was the messenger, after all, not the recipient. If the Vagaran wanted him to know the details of the messages, he would tell him. Of more immediate concern to the bearded Legionnaire was the halfling asking about drinks - this was of Vital Importance and he grinned broadly for the first time that evening, perhaps for the first time in several days.
"Drinks? Ha! You have to ask?" He took a quick look at the menu and then continued, "Normally I'd go for the stout, but I've never been in Zerdargia before, so I'll try the Zerdargian ale - and the steak - cooked VERY rare, if you'd be so kind"
He knew she'd only asked after the drinks, but he was hungry and couldn't see the sense in prolonging the anquish of an empty belly any longer.
An incline of the head acknowledged that Kitsumi had indeed heard of such beings, albeit accompanied by the particularly incredulous smile of someone perhaps humouring another for a moment – but willing to see where it went – as Eyvind talked of allowing them to do anything. Granted he had certain advantages over Eyvind when it came to knowing about the Aelyrians...but even if he hadn't been where he had been he would be wary of them from his dealings with Mekare and what he'd heard of the ancient Wessex before time and in rumour... and from his experience with Aerienne.
That one had nearly cost him his life, it had in fact after a fashion as he had travelled his entire form through the trans-corporeal. But it had worked – after a fashion. Enough thoughts on the past though. Gliding at Eyvind's side with his horse trailing Kitsumi remained thoughtfully quiet for a long time, his eyes on Eyvind as if trying to tell the type of man he faced. In reality he thought he might already know...but Kitsumi did not so the pause was warranted, even though the real reason was Duncan's own distraction.
“I think I am but a scholar of history my son. An old man who has seen to much... That history tells me too much about those Aelyrians also. Although the question I would ask above all others is what needs have they for the likes of us? And how can even, forgive me, one such as you – a mighty general – stop them from doing as they wish?”
He shook his head, apparently troubled as they arrived at the tavern and remained silent as they went inside. Allowing Eyvind to take up the response once they had seated themselves within.
As to what he thought about Eyvind? So far, so noble and so stupid perhaps to risk the anger of such beings. What they might do against illogical humans was...questionable at best. This was not to say he did not agree with Eyvind on the basis of not wanting to submit to them; but he had a great deal of other things to think about than standing outside the throne world with metaphorical placards in the hands of the Imperial Legions going 'Out! Aelyrians go home!'...
Which, truth be told...seemed to be on the surface the sum of Eyvind's options when dealing with them forcefully from what he had seen of their raw potential power. Application however was another matter. But on the surface, placards it was.
__________________ For CIR SoF for moderators
Credit to Janis for the quote.
Status: Caughtupish, PM me if theres something I'm missing.
"Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone you may still exist, but you have ceased to live."
-Mark Twain
Location: Aelyria Prime, Jade Legion Barracks and Taralon, Darkblade Fortress
Posts: 1,541
The Vagaran smiled to the Halfling while taking the menu list. Tarfuss' idea of trying the Zerdargian Ale was more than welcomed and the irony of having a dish with the same name of his title was too great for Eyvind to resist.
"I would like a Zerdargian Ale as well and a Redbeard Steak, please."
Turning back to the older man the Officer couldn't avoid shrugging.
"There isn't much a man alone can do against such beings, at least if they are as divine as we were taught to believe for so long. To be honest there isn't much an entire Imperial Legion could do, but if I could successfully gather all those who don't want to be ruled by these...creatures into a coesive group. Then we would stand a chance in case the Ancients became hostile to our declarations, which would be simple. Be gone of our affairs.
If they refused we would march on Prime and take their representative on Telath down. I don't know if the man is good or evil as I never met him before but he is clearly lost in his own mind since he seems to have accepted willingly this change of things and this...usurpation."
Tarfuss conceded, in his mind, that the Vagaran had good taste, in food and drink, at least, since he had ordered the same meal as he did. Good bloody red meat and a nice drop of ale. It made the hours of sitting atop that horse freezing his family jewels off worth it.
He didn't disagree with Eyvind's estimation of the fall of the Empire and the rise of the Kingdom as a bad thing. These creatures had no right. On the other hand - the practical hand - he wasn't really sure that anything they did could make a difference. Could they take the man in Prime down? Maybe, but he was fairly certain that the Winged wonders would replace him soon enough and retaliate. Their defense of the Empire might wind up being little more than a grand and futile gesture.
Typical of Tarfuss, however, he kept his thoughts to himself.
And if they refused...we would all be killed. Duncan amended silently in his head. He'd thought the man smarter than this; but he was determined, perhaps there was some association between determination and loosing all sense of perspective? Then again, he hadn't been to Throneworld, it was easier to delude yourself about power you hadn't witnessed first hand.
Truly as far as Duncan saw it they would need some magical secret weakness as seen in terrible enemies in stories to do anything about the Aelyrians at all. Admittedly it wasn't stopping him from looking and waiting and considering how he could do something about them without that...but that was the cynical view.
“I read something once.” The Kemite said carefully at last, eyes on his hands. “It said that the Aelyrians had two sides, that they saw mortality as the path to their salvation.” Things he had heard not read.
“I fear if that is true, nothing we can say will stop them doing what they think is right.”
That was the crux of it. After the Rykra the entire Aelyrian world had been everyone's version of 'what we think is right' vs everyone elses. It wasn't clean and tidy and was decidedly messy, only now one of the players held an impossible trump card in a suite no-one else knew existed.
__________________ For CIR SoF for moderators
Credit to Janis for the quote.
Status: Caughtupish, PM me if theres something I'm missing.
"Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone you may still exist, but you have ceased to live."
-Mark Twain
Location: Aelyria Prime, Jade Legion Barracks and Taralon, Darkblade Fortress
Posts: 1,541
The Vagaran's face turned red in a sudden strike of rage and the hit the table with his mug spilling part of the content. His icy blue eyes were brilliant and his mouth kept shut in a thin line. After a moment to cool down he spoke.
"What they think is right? What about what we think is right? Don't we count? Don't the millions that live in the Empire count?"
He took a long sip and placed the mug back on the table, slower this time. The rage was dissipating.
"Tell me more, about this path to salvation. Please. And excuse my behavior."
Kami returned to the table with the steaks and placed them before the men. She had been standing in the corner curious as to why the soldiers were here in Zerdargia. So it seemed, they were also talking about the subject of the new kingdom. Kami was a good listener, and she had heard dwarves talking about the same thing. After the empire had done nothing for Zerdargia and some political types in Zerdargia were thinking the same thing. Why should the new kingdom be accepted at face value. Even though the Governor had annointed the new kingdom, and the former regent of the Empire, it didn't make any sense to many dwarves that some creatures from without the Empire had come back to claim the throne. Though you could not tell from her attitude of subservience, she was quietly taking mental notes. There would be a lot riding on this huge human's back if he was overheard plotting against the kingdom. However, as an enterprising halfling, like most were, she was wondering how much the information she now had would be marketable ... that is before the huge Vagaran human stood up and announced to everyone his intentions. Too bad she thought, many crowns could have come her way without much effort at all. She set the steaks on the table.
The Malachite Inn was easy enough to find. There it was in the new restored part of town. It was obviously a luxury inn. The exterior was likely the finest marble in Telath. When he entered, Oinos saw that walls and floors were done in the finest stone. Ordinarily he was not impressed with stonework, the forest was his forte. This structure was an exception. He considered it magnificent.
At the front desk a tiny halfling woman wearing a long gown of green silk who seemed ready to help him. He saw the entrance the restaurant to his right. Posted over the desk was a list of the suites available for rent. The suites were obviously intended for clientele much wealthier than Oinos.
Walking up to the Halfling woman, Oinos said, "I need a table for myself and a lady who will be arriving later. Something quiet with candle light." He appreciated extra touches more than did the average Dwarf. Oinos added, "While I'm waiting, I'll try the Zerdargian Ale and see if it lives up to it's reputation. You might leave me a dinner menu."
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