Age of Ruin IC: Tempting Fate

[Ozzy_G]

Ah, that's true, nods Kreznaz Morl, but I have the message, so I can just read it out. Do not fear, your Kings will hear the Empress' wise words!

His bodyguard talks guardedly across the table to Verlyn. I trained at the Fallen Lotus school in Zardis, the Imperial school for bodyguards. Have you fought at any of the tournaments in Zardis?

The captain leans across to Reyhan. Well, there's this woman from...
Suddenly, the door bangs open, and in steps a tall, wirey woman in hide trousers and a wolf-skin wrapped around her torso, the head resting over hers. Around her neck is a necklace from which hang about twenty human finger bones. Her face is painted white, and at her hip is slung a savage looking bronze axe. Heya, she bellows, captain of ship! I come for eating!
She thumps down on the free chair. Fetch the ale, I thirst! She looks about at the rest of you. Kreznaz draws back, looking slightly disgusted, and his bodyguard's eyes narrow. I am Ruka Shalag of Wolf Tribe! I greet you! She laughs, though you're not sure what at.

[Lycar]

Verlyn

Ignoring the 'diplomat' for the time being, Verlyn answers the Oathsworn's question.

"Sadly, no. Not yet. But I plan on doing so as soon as I have earned the privilege. Right now I am on a quest on behalf of my House and father though. Duty first. But that is what being a noble is about, isn't it? I am afraid I'm not as familiar with the Fallen Lotus school as I would like to be. Would you mind telling me a bit about it."

Verlyn is interrupted as the wild woman enters the room though. He watches her entrance, slightly irritated at first, but with growing amusement.

Nodding at her with a smile, he returns the greeting.
"Welcome, Ruka Shalag of Wolf Tribe. I am Verlyn Felyx Stillwater of House Stillwater and these", Verlyn pauses for a short moment to gesture at his companions, "... are my companions."

He doesn't go on to introduce the others. They are all grown ups and don't need him to talk for them. Besides, they are hired help and not servants. It would be impolite to presume to speak on their behalf, even though they are of lower rank then him.

Lycar

[The Great Skenardo]

Jackel Betruger
Jackel wrinkles his nose and makes a face, but then he smiles to himself.
With an odd gleam in his eye, Jackel turns back to Kreznaz.
"So, M'lord, whatcha think about the Darven?"

[Ozzy_G]

Darven? asks Ruka, leaning across, and grabbing the glass of wine the captain pours for her. Yes, brown man, you are right, I am Darven! Of Wolf Tribe, great and mighty tribe!
Kreznaz looks with barely hidden disgust at the finger bones hanging from her neck.

[NobleSavage]

Reyhan

The smile grows from a slight tweaking of the corners of his lips to a horsey grin showing his white, and somewhat pointed, teeth. The woman was just right, injected the right mixture of chaos into the group to keep everyone on their toes.

"So, Ruka," he intones congenially, and in Dar Ven, "What brings you out here, so far from home?" If one was to be stuck in close quarters with a volatile person, Reyhan found it was best to have them view you as an ally.

[Ozzy_G]

I am going home, replies Ruka, swigging her wine as the captain pours everyone a glass. I have been on quest!
Kreznaz leans forward, trying to ignore her. So, Verlyn, why are you on this trip to some barbaric part of the world?

[The Great Skenardo]

Jackel Betruger
Jackel taps the wineglass with a brown finger, scowling.

[Lycar]

Verlyn

Verlyn smiles at Kreznaz but, seemingly oblivious to his desire to blend out the presence of the Darven woman, adresses her first.

"So you return home victorious? How peculiar. I myself am just embarking on one!"

Turning to the other noble, Verlyn goes on "A rite of passage if you will. Travel to Mount Keshra, do something to prove I was there, return home triumphant. "

"You see, when you happen to be born a noble, you have to do so much just to meet expectations. Born a noble, still a noble... " Verlyn chuckles for a moment "If you judge me by my achievements, I am afraid I don't amount to much. A Captain on the other hand..." Verlyn pauses again to raise his glass to the mokai captain "... nobody is born a captain. You have to earn that title."

" I will prove myself worthy of the name I bear. And then I'll go on an add to the fame and honour of my family."

Lycar

[The Great Skenardo]

Jackel Betruger
Jackel picks up the wineglass and swirls its contents, glowering.
Honor of your family, huh? Bet it was the honor of bein' the fastest to knuckle under to the Empress.

[Toliudar]

Dion

Dion pours herself a small glass of wine. Start slow, build up a base.

She smiles down the table at Ruka.

"So, what's this quest you just finished. I'd offer to lend a hand, but it looks like you already got a few extras."

[Ozzy_G]

The captain nods appreciatively at Verlyn's comments, but Kreznaz looks bemused.
Ruka blinks, not understanding Dion's joke, but then laughs uproariously, banging the table with her fist. The captain winces. Yes, they are fingers of enemies I slew, many skilled enemies! Her face suddenly changes from laughter to grim seriousness. I was on vision quest, sent by shamans. To meet spirit. Learn truth of spirits, understand that which is. Now I know. Now I can return, and be chief of wolf tribe. She grins again. Like you noble, yes! You also go on quest to prove you can be chief of your Davethran tribe! she says to Verlyn.

[NobleSavage]

"Mmmm," Reyhan piques an eyebrow appreciatively at Dion, "I've had friends with similar tastes in jewelry, Ruka, I'd be very interested to hear about this quest of yours. Perchance are, ah, any of those" he gestures with his chin toward her necklace, "recent additions?"

[Lycar]

Verlyn

Verlyn smiles.

"Thank you Ruka, you are most kind. I'm afraid, before I could inherit the position of Head of House Stillwater, I would have to slay about half my family. Call me soft-hearted, but I like them too much to do this. Well, most of them anyway."

Turning to the other noble, he asks "What about you? Any chance to rise in rank if you pull this mission of yours off?"

Lycar

[Ozzy_G]

Yes, says Ruka proudly. She lifts up the finger bone on the far right. This is man in Sarin. I was drunk in space between huts, no one there, he comes down and has little knife, tiny knife. She laughs. He says he will kill me if I do not give him gold! With tiny little knife! She pats her axe. I get Slays-Moon out, is my axe, I cut off his head, and I keep his finger. She giggles. Lots of more men come, they shout a lot, wave arms and weapons, I run out of Sarin, was much fun!
Kreznaz looks like he's going to be sick, but tries to talk to Verlyn. Well, of course the Empress rewards her favourites well. I am of course already in a great position, but no doubt she'll shower land and treasure on me.
At this point, the doors open, and a fat Mokai and two surly teenage Mokai, a girl and a boy, come in. The fat Mokai grins. Hello, good travellers! For your first course, I have made this fine soup, tomato and basil. His two servers start handing out bowls of reddish soup. It looks a little bit watery to be honest.

[The Great Skenardo]

Jackel Betruger
Jackel leans back in his chair, examining his fingernails, and leaving his wine untouched.

[Lycar]

Verlyn

Verlyn smiles still.
"Fascinating. So, basically, you went to another country, met a lot of people and then killed them?"

Turning his attention to Kreznaz, Verlyn asks of him "Of course. BUt.. I can not help but wonder: What exactly are you going to do with all that land and treasure? Put it in your trophy case?"

Then the food arrives.

"Ah! There comes the main attraction of the evening! One of the most basic joys life has to offer: A good meal."

Verlyn eagerly waits to be srved. He seems to show an almost childlike excitement about it all.

Lycar

[Ozzy_G]

Reka shrugs. I only killed 4 people in Davethra.
Kreznaz, still trying to ignore her, looks a bit confused by Verlyn's question. Well, the land I'd use for game reserves or farming, the gold I'd put in my vaults. What else would I do with it?
Now you've got your soup, you can start eating. The soup is not bad, but not great. It is just soup after all.

[The Great Skenardo]

Jackel Betruger
Jackel picks up his bowl and spoon and contemplates it for a moment. Then he casually looks around the table, to see how the others are enjoying theirs.

[knewsom]

Runa's eyes burned with fascination and curiosity at the new member of the table... She eyed the finger bones with respect that verged on desire. It was odd for her to see someone even more exotic than herself, and she relished this rare opportunity to not become the defacto center of attention, celebrating silently as she sipped her soup. She practically ignored the noble, either because it's nothing strange, or because he disgusted her as much as the Dar'Ven disgusted him.

"I'd be careful, Ruka... lay claim to all the lands your tribe roams, mark it well, with scent and sigil... or else perhaps his Empress will give it to him, not knowing it already belonged to you."

[NobleSavage]

Reyhan

"Yes yes," Reyhan looks around for bread to dab in the weak soup, "but what about your vision? What did you see?" His dark hair whips excitedly as the Shavaran waits the warrior woman's response, munching on a roll he must have pulled from one of his many pockets.

[Lycar]

Verlyn

Verlyn happily takes his first spoonfull of soup. But his face immediately distorts into an expression of disgust.

He carefully moves the spoon back to the plate, making sure as much of the disgusting soup as possible goes back that way. Then he grabs his cup of wine and takes a few big gulps to wash away the aftertaste.

He looks around the other dinner guests, bewildered, to see if any of them seem to show the same reaction.

To gloss over it, he answers the other noble's question "Well, I don't know what the others would do with it. But putting it to good use would be best. Farming is better then a game preserve really. And what good is all that gold gathering dust in your treasure chamber? Spend it on something, that way it goes around."

Lycar

[The Great Skenardo]

Jackel Betruger
With a suppressed chuckle, Jackel picks up his spoon and tries a bit of the soup, listening with only half an ear to the conversation. Nobles Talking, Where's my Pillow?
For the moment, the Mokai contents himself with moving his gaze from person to person, lingering a little on the more attractive people.

[Ozzy_G]

Ruka looks at Reyhan, her piercing gaze looking as if she is looking right into his soul. She says nothing.
Then she turns to Runa. Hah, if Empress tries take our land, I am chief, I challenge her! Maybe I be Empress then. She chuckles.
Kreznaz and his bodyguard do not look impressed.
Kreznaz grits his teeth, and with a forced smile, replies to Verlyn. Well, I suppose I could spend it on a celebration of some sort, a big party. Or perhaps a new steed of some sort.

[The Great Skenardo]

Jackel Betruger
Jackel chokes on his soup! Thumping himself on the chest and coughing, he turns in his seat to face Ruka A mixture of emotion is on his coffee-colored face; a little admiration, some amusement, and then something buried a little deeper.
"You? Become the Empress? Ha-hah! I'd like to see it happen."
he chuckles and cracks his knuckles.
"Oh yeah. Good times."

[Toliudar]

Dion

Dion plunges heedless into the soup, caring not at all about the quality. She is focused on this fascinating new woman, this "Ruka".

"So...you've seen the spirits - the ancestor spirits of your wolf tribe? And you went to Davethra to do so? Fascinating. And what did the spirits tell you to do next, once you return to your people?"

[Ozzy_G]

Ruka laughs along with Jackel, but she peers at Dion suspiciously when she speaks. My ancestor spirits do not live in Davethra. These were...
She drains her glass, and looks at Runa. Why is your hair such a strange colour?

[knewsom]

Runa's look of fascination turned to one of bemused annoyance.

"I'm certain the reason my hair is blonde is far less interesting than the reason a Dar'Ven was in Davethra on a vision-quest. Surely a big strong chief like yourself wouldn't mind telling such humble company..."

Spoiler

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Diplomacy time. (1d20+11)[25]

[Lycar]

Verlyn

Verlyn looks at Ruka, thankful for the distraction.

"A vision quest you say? That reminds me of something... what was it again.. oh yes, ha! My grandfather, Orin Stillwater! Once he was on a quest of his own, something about trying to win the favour of the gods to raise some comrades of him who had been slain by demonic magic or something.. anyway, so he was on this quest and he met that guy, uh.. some prince or something. He was on a quest himself, so he could become the chieftain of his tribe, once his father would... uh.. 'retire'. Anyway, my grandfather was quite impressed with his... aplomb. Yes, that's the word. A fearless fighter who singlegandedly charged the 'Tower of Madness'."

Verlyn raises his glass to Ruka. "As much as I fear that our Empress would eat your soul, should you ever challenge her, as much I am confident that you would put up a fight worthy of her esteemed majesty."

With a little sideways glance at Runa, he adds "Indeed. I would be greatly honoured if you would deem me worhty to share the tale of your vision quest with me."

Lycar

[Ozzy_G]

Ruka licks her lips with the tip of her tongue, nervously.
The door opens, and the cook returns, taking your soup bowls.
So, your grandfather went on many exotic quests, did he not? I have heard stories of him, says Kreznaz towards Verlyn, trying to attract his attention. Wasn't he a good friend of the famous Archmagus Ismal?
The cook gives Jackel a look of wry despair, as if to say "these whacky foreigners".

[The Great Skenardo]

Jackel Betruger
Jackel scratches his cheek and smiles back, although it's more like a smirk.
"Good soup. My compliments to the cook."
The Mokai leans back a little in his chair, and pulls out a battered notebook from his breast pocket. Similarly, a stick of charcoal is produced, and a few careful words written before being slipped back into the pocket.