March 16th

Roll Deception to not appear impatient...

The guard explains to Advoc a few things, which Advoc fails a few rolls at given Disadvantage in the current situation, so no further plot threads in that direction unfold. The guard does seem rather happy when told he can go though.


Radnaal's response is going to take more thought.

If i may, Arch, i'd like to put some RP into that interaction rather than just handing over the letter.

Ahem..

*When Higaide meets Radnaal, first thing will be to ask if there's somewhere they can talk in private. Then he'll tell him the situation.

"A few days ago, while trying to rescue one of our negotiators who got abducted by some unknown party, we stumbled across a good thirty people wearing Alluvian military gear, prowling the Veil. It was suspicious enough that we reported it to Lady Lightmane's liaison - one Ursolan of Prowler. The man has apparently now fled the city, but not before leaving us a message saying there's a plan in motion to depose Lady Lightmane and take over Holtburg."

I'd very much like to stop the post here to let him digest it and hear his response, but i know we're in expediency mode, so i'll just pretend i did that and go on.

"Zeiss is not keen on the idea of letting that happen, and even though i'm not from around here, neither am i. Maybe it's this damn war that's just been getting worse and worse, that's getting to me, but i can't just see this one coming and not do anything about it. So..."

*Higaide pulls the letter from his pocket.

"This is Zeiss, probably telling you what i just said. I wanted to be the one to deliver it."

*He hands it to Radnaal and awaits his reaction.

The Lord Elf has almost no reaction to the news that Lightmane has been deposed other than a faint sneer that lasts barely a second before you continue on. He will ponder your words and the letter in silence for some time before shaking his head. "I will not join your crusade or coup. I am not interested in political gains or righteous causes. If you wish to take the workers here, feel free.." he waves his hand dismissively. "But I will not be joining you."

"I'm not gonna take workers that haven't seen combat a day of their lives - i might as well just put an axe to their heads myself."

Higaide's tone subtly indicating he wasn't all that pleased that Radnaal thought so little of him as to just use innocent people as cannon fodder.

"Let me ask you, though: what is it about Lightmane that you think so little of, that you'll risk having some new guy take her place by force? For my part, i'm not so comfortable with having some unknown quantity barge in and take charge, especially with all the backstage maneuvering that's been going on to push this war, and make it bloodier by the day. For my money, this is another scheme by the Vyeotians or the Pinnacle or whomever the crap is trying to bring discord into the world."

Higaide's question is honest, since he doesn't much know about politics. There's a bit of a motivational edge in his voice, but that just him being earnest.

"She's a politician," he replies calmly. "A highly ranked politician in a Kingdom designed around machinations and monetary gain as its primary goals. You don't get to that sort of rank without being the type of person I don't particularly care about associating with. Don't mistake me, I'm sure she's a politician. But that also means whomever is replacing her is also a politician." He shrugs. "They're indistinguishable."

Higaide considers his point.

"Maybe so, but if this is part of the same scheme i've been coming across ever since my party almost got tricked into slaughtering a Gnoll community back in Al-Erat, i'll take a regular politician over one that's part of an agenda to plunge things into chaos and misery any day.

I don't know if you know about the Alluvian Official that got assassinated in Sho a few days back, but whoever did it tried to pin it on us. Zeiss just went up to his room and BAM, dead ambassador bleeding on his rug. And that's just the latest in a long line of strings someone's been pulling to get everyone on Dereth killing each other. Remind me to tell you about it sometime, if i live through the next few days."

Higaide gets up to leave, but then stops short of the door and turns around.

"By the way, i get it. You have this community here to take care of, and don't want to do anything that might jeopardize their safety. I've met people like you before, and i've admired all of them, though i always thought that wasn't for me - until Zeiss shoved me in charge of that motley crew you met the other day."

He chuckles, despite himself.

"I've never wanted to be in charge of anyone, ever. It's been a struggle just to keep it afloat, and i'm sure i've screwed up more than once already. The problem is, when i go and talk to them, most have this skeptical look, but you can tell that underneath all that there's this tiny bit of hope that just dares peek through all the dour and gloom and cynicism, and all the crap these people have gone through, that just maybe this time, this guy in front of them won't let them down. And that's all it takes with me - now i can't abandon them.

But i also know that if i just sit by and let everything slide down into chaos like it has been, soon it'll get to the point where i can't help them at all. So i gotta do something, and this one seems pretty clear-cut to me. Maybe that's just because i'm stupid and naive, but then it's been a very long time since i've seen any wise man lift a single finger in all this mess."

If Radnall doesn't say anything more, Higaide is just gonna nod at him and take his leave (sorry, Zeiss, but that was all i had).

Suddenly Radnaal kills Higaide!!

Well that was quick.

Zeiss will pay for Higaide's funeral and wait for another player character to show up at his doorstep to join the adventure.

Is this because of the gameplay thing?

*ahem* The Lord Elf considers Higaide's words seriously, but shakes his head sadly. "If things could change, I would wish you luck," he says simply.

Higaide can't suppress a chuckle.

"Thanks."

He takes his leave, and will return to Holtburg as soon as possible.