Conquest of Avalon [IC]

[Kallimakus]

The conflict comes to an end. C'taapath has dropped the unconscious Onyx and discarded her. Averack keeps Morder paralyzed with his disgusting tongue as Mylura bargains for the lives of her comrades. Two for two. She offers to revive the two minions of Averack in return for the lives of two of her comrades. In addition to that, you are to negotiate transferal of territory for you with someone that can actually make that offer.

Upon some study, you determine that Morder uses his gauntlet as a spellcasting focus and remove it, intending to send it away with Mylura. She in turn mentions that the revivals are tied to Morder's life force until the formerly dead recover their own. She also answers the questions that Dominus asks about Avalon, not evading but also not offering anything further. After you are done for the moment, she gathers up the still unconscious Onyx and makes to leave.

As she leaves, two things strike you as odd. Firstly, there was a woman with the group that took no part in battle. Second, until this night, the group was accompanied by a halfling that Dominus had pegged as a sneaky type in his growing file of notes on people he might exploit. (which I assume he has).

[BananaPhone]

Ravenna


She had been in the back the whole time and had said nothing at all. Her actions had not betrayed her, though certainly her inaction proved her to not be an ally of her associates whom all plunged forward into battle with the newcomers.

As the violence unfolded, Ravenna observed with detached interest the way a hunter would the routine and technique of fighting animals. A tongue paralysis here, a multi-armed horror there, the sorceress flicked her lips when it all came to a conclusion with a literal deal with a devil.

"Useless cretins..." she uttered softly under her breath, shaking her head in disappointment.

"Well they didn't put up much of a struggle..." Ravenna spoke up, her smooth voice sliding out from under her cowl while her tall, slender frame was garbed in rich purple cloth that hugged her silhouette beneath the wind.

[Gunhaven]

Averack Kromash - Welcoming Committee
For a moment the Mohrg doesn't seem to respond, instead looking towards the forming gatehouse. Then a group of humans and zombies approach and they have a quick hushed conversation amongst themselves, Morder first carried and then escorted once he's bound and triple checked, as the entire group makes their way back to the tents. Only then does their commander seem to register the new voice. His voice was tired with a tinge of disappointment as he called out "Tonight must be the night we get a bunch of visitors. Why have you come to my camp?"

[Kallimakus]

A week passes. Averack's minions, brought to life in the wake of battle, recover over that time, vitality slowly returning to them. Dominus and Averack have an opportunity to interrogate their halfling captive over the week, though he is ultimately given over to Dominus's pet wizard, who puts him to good use. The wizard himself has more than rebuilt his forces, but with the strenuous "peace" with Avalon, he does not wish to disrupt the schemes of his Master by acting out of turn. Elsewhere, Dominus's minions and scrying suggest that the nomad warchief has rallied more forces to his banner. Indeed, it seems that his power has only grown since his interaction with Dominus. They have also spotted other creatures spying on the nomads. They are fairly confident that these creatures are Spyglass Archons, sent to monitor the nomads. There is never more than one at a given time. Finally, as the week approaches its end, you get word from your scouts that the negotiating party arrives. A messenger arrives that same evening, carrying a written note telling that negotiations may proceed tomorrow at noon, in neutral territory outside your base of operations. You are to deliver Morder, unharmed, as proof of your good intentions. In return for the people of Avalon choosing the location, you can select the rules. How many representatives will be allowed? Will there be bodyguards? Weapons?

He will be wanting the answer sooner rather than later.

Spoiler: OOC

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You have been joined by a Vampire and a bunch of undead cronies at the camp site.

There will be lead-in to Averack's personal goals in potential future related to that.

Spoiler: Geography and organization of Avalon

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Divided into four sectors, and further into outer and inner sectors. The Northern sector, where you are, is called Armatura, after the largest city. The regent of the city is Lord Cassander. He also holds the position of Dodekatheon, and likely will be the one to negotiate the contract. Armatura has a simple policy of tolerating low-grade crime. A mafia of sorts operates there. The Malkin. The authorities believe that they managed to wipe out the criminals a few years back, though it is unlikely. After all, this would be the sixth time in the last fifteen years. The Don always comes back stronger. The halfling was once a member, but he was convinced of the error of his ways.

As far as noble houses go, he is not that familiar. It’s been a while, but there was a rumour that house Dormus was dabbling with dark arts. Mage-Lord Egott is all too eager to learn forbidden knowledge. He is seeking the Archive, wherein the natives have sealed away knowledge too dangerous for masses.

There are also a number of lesser feuds and ambitions, but Dominus’s experience tells that these are less than likely to be of interest here. As far as other criminal groups go, there are lesser thieves’ guilds. Mostly these are not really ambitious groups either, because they are eliminated the moment they become a nuisance enough to warrant the effort.

His direct superior was Cir. Who is dead. So, his next in line is Cyrene, the confessor.

Regents:
Cassander, Regent of Armatura
Belisarius, Regent of Northern reaches
Walpol, Regent of Obelisk
Minerva, Regent of Eastern reaches
Sofia, Regent of Illumium
Daniem, Regent of Southern reaches
Irascus, Regent of Evergreen
Potemkin, Regent of Western reaches

[Gunhaven]

For that week Averack puts a hold on transitioning the teams. Instead each platoon stays where they are with an understanding that things would be adjusted once this whole mess is sorted out. The first day the zombies are kept within their tunnels as Morder is placed in one of the tents and under constant watch, he was allowed to converse with his captors and they were allowed to tell him that they were a group of individuals simply trying to make a living in this land. He wouldn't learn numbers beyond the size of the platoon from what he observed and could deduce from the supplies left behind, which Averack made no attempt to hide. The second day the zombies were finally put back to work on the gatehouse and the basics of a wall around the areas the plateau could be potentially scaled. Humans continued to supervise them, as they normally did.

When the messenger arrived Averack left to inform both C'taapath, Dominus, and the newest addition of the newest development. With them he said "I suggest we all go since we all have a vested interest in the outcome. They can bring a similar number of representatives that will be armed as we will be. We have until noon to work out our specific interests to discuss, which I recommend we do now versus at the meeting. The stronger and more concise our demands the better it will be. Does anyone have objections?"

[Genth]

"I have nothing to demand of them. But I shall come. For the moment, the gift must fester within them, and so I am at your disposal, Warlord." C'taapath replies.

[Xenopax]

My demands are simple. A soul tithe to Hell. I don't care where it comes from. Criminals, Innocents, its all the same.

[Xenopax]

Spoiler: GM only

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I begin setting up shop in a cave. Hellhounds to guard it (paid with me promising to let them go wild in te material). After I finish the summoning of the Hellhounds I'm going to send imps all over the forest to guard and spy. Every week that an imp does something worthy of attention I release it into Human summoning form (it has to provide the human)

[BananaPhone]

Ravenna


Ravenna's needs were very little. She barely slept, she barely rested, she simply subsisted off of the occassional pint of blood that she managed to siphon away from a sleeping soldier before she made her stealthy escape through the cracks of the tent flaps.

So far, her "minions", such as they were, had drawn considerable attention and curiosity. Their undead nature was not so certain, as the towering behemoths were all dressed in a patch-work collection of clothes and armor that disguised them as anything other than enormous humanoids covered in steel and brandishing spears and shields. Fortunately, there were not many of them, only seven that could be seen, but their towering height and menacing image gave one the impression that they didn't need numbers on their side. Her wyvren, however, could not be hidden so easily. The large, winged beast was kept mostly within an enormous tent where it resided in silence until called upon. Undead as it was, it had no need for sleep, rest or sustenance.

When Averack drew together the cohort he planned to take to meet representatives of this "warlord" that was causing problems, Ravenna was present. Tall and graceful, her alabaster skin spoke of her unnatural state as the rich, black-and-purple finery she wore hinted at the prestige of her birthrite.

"Simple sustenance, and dominion over their deceased," Ravenna chimed in, her smooth, ethereal voice at once pleasing and unsettling to hear.

[Gunhaven]

Averack nodded once and said "Very well, it sounds like we have an acceptable stance on taking their criminals for blood, soul, and labor. We will all go, my cohorts will help maintain the prisoner exchange, and by this time tomorrow we will have an acceptable treaty for all parties." He sent the messenger away with their own demands for armaments and participating members after another moment of delay in case there was further input. He then informed his men of the plan and finally told Morder about his eventual freedom.

[Kallimakus]

The messenger, nervously, asks for confirmation that the negotiations will involve all, no restrictions for wither side? He also says that he will relay your preliminary demands to Avalon.

Morder has been largelly resigned, though hearing of his release, gives a resigned sigh. His superiors are still unwilling to make sacrifices. So weak. Still, he says that he will honour any agreement, as long as it holds.

Unless you have something to say, you have something in the neighbourhood of twelve hours before the meeting if you wish to prepare (having had a week that you were aware that a meeting was coming, but no details.

[Xenopax]

Dominus sends spies to scan the forest and nearby areas for any forces that could be in hiding.

[Kallimakus]

Dominus' spies uncover a small force camped in the ruins of the first village to fall victim to the nomad warchief. As before, they are forced back because their presence is discovered. They have reason to believe that the people of Avalon use their own invisible outsiders as guards. Concrete numbers are hard to tell, but they have several fires going in the night, suggesting some dozens all told.

Next morning, the messenger returns to lead you to the location of the negotiations. He is stuck walking, which will likely determine your pace.

The site itself is a clearing, with a large pavilion of white and red set in the middle. You can see perhaps twenty warriors bearing the same colours in two groups waiting for you, and your guide tells you that the negotiators are inside.
Unless you choose to attempt faster travel, it takes you three hours to reach the site.

Who do you take along?

[Gunhaven]

Averack Kromash didn't have a means to travel faster and honestly didn't see the reason for it. Krak and Koresk flank Morder with Kromash in front for the entire journey which continues when they finally get to the meeting place. There's a brief pause when the other force presents itself but he gives a crisp salute and heads inside with his own entourage following shortly behind. They then wait for indication to discuss terms patiently, doing their best to be as understanding with the natives lest they have to fight again.