Arc 3 - Glimmers in the Dark (Main Roleplay)

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

The short tiefling would walk back, again letting his tail erase his trail. Before, sitting down on one of the steps and waiting for the others.  

[PupSage]

"We can't really afford 2 days to indulge my personal desires. We could probably afford a few hours though. If I could find some ritual components I can send a message that way. I was a bit more worried about them not coming inside of here last night than I was about catching up." She will sigh, take a few bites of food, and say, "Mindflayers and Devils are already going to be a pain as is. Factoring Arian forces with some kind of giant machinery is going to just make things worse."  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

Raising a finger Ruin would state, "We have a Vivian, who wants to go into dangerous places, and she can fly and go invisible... AND your brother is just in the east block. A simple letter saying, 'meet up in the center of the town,' and something to prove she is with you should work." Ruin would give a shrug as he continued, "Just a thought, but he could travel with us to 'flayer city and lead the rescued to safety. Though the other nine would have to go back to the new settlement, alone."  

[Rain Yupa]

Tearing off a chunk of bread from the loaf he was holding and chewing thoughtfully for a few moments, Revenge would swallow and subsequently ask: "Why would we deviate from going to the citadel first?"

After Kuori mentioned taking a few hours, Revenge would follow-up with a new question. "Well... it sounds like time isn't quite of the essence, but in short supply. Would having a forward scout go towards the Illithid encampment to survey things while you prepare be conducive?" His tail would swish slightly, as he looked from one party member to another. "Though it does escape me who would be best equipped for that..."  

[PupSage]

"Yeah, we can go send them off. Ardath had mentioned that Grazak & Lazadhan had survived too, so I guess I was just hoping to see them or at least say hi, but even if they are being slowed down, the more time that we have without Aria breathing down our necks, the better. And if they arrive while we are there, the distraction could be useful. I am not exactly excited at the prospect of heading into a mindflayer encampment with possible Devil activity involved."
She will set down her cup, "We head to the East district barracks, then meet Lydia elsewhere and head to the path she is talking about. With any luck we can pick up some useful information from the clan on what exactly we are about to get ourselves into."  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

Quote:

"Ah, that depends upon how you travel. With a brisk pace and someone who knows the way, you could reach the city gates in the better part of three days. Though, by faster means, you might be able to complete the journey in just two. I'm afraid the path is a little too perilous for horses and you will find nothing like that left in this city at this point. Though, I do have some connections where I could arrange alternate forms of transportation."

"To survey the flayer city, alone?" Ruin would answer Revenge. "I'll volunteer, on the grounds I don't like Kuori's brother. But that is still 2 to 3 days of travel alone in dark and unfamiliar terrain. I don't think it would be a smart plan."  

[PupSage]

"While we all know that you have a death wish, given your Purple Worm and Fomorian experiences it is really annoying having to save you. I'd rather not split you off on a suidice mission."  

[Kowsauni]

Vivian, taking a moment to pause from devouring breakfast, would look up and speak. "Yeah, I could scout the place out, no problem. But, uh, I have no idea how to get there. I would need someone to guide me, and it would have to be someone who could fly like me If I am going to get there before you guys."

Lydia, who must have been eavesdropping on the conversation, would suddenly comment. "I might have such and individual working for me who could do such a thing, but, she is currently out scouting for me. When she returns, which should be shortly, I can ask about her taking your companion ahead to the city."

Lydia would then regard Vivian with renewed interest. "So you can fly and turn invisible? Those are some rather impressive and useful skills. I might have work for you if you are interested. I can be a bit dangerous at times, but the pay is good, and I do my best to take care of my people."

At mention of high paying work Vivian eyes would light up, but she then glances over at Ruin and responds. "I am definitely interested in your offer Lady Lydia, but right now I am under contract with these guys. Once I finish my work with them we can definitely talk though!"  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

Ruin stood up and walked over to the table. Setting the goliath made filled waterskin by Vivian's plate. "Say that you want to take Lydia's offer and our contract will be voided. It is your life, your choice."  

[Kowsauni]

Vivian gives Ruin a grumpy look. "I'm not one to welch on a deal. I gotta have some standards! Besides, you guys saved my life, so I at least owe you this much. I will see this through until or contract is up."  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

"Integrity is a good trait to have. That and a smart head will see you far." Ruin would smile back at Vivian. "Speaking of our deal... Now I don't like sending you so far without backup... but, Revenge has a point."

"This isn't a dictatorship of any kind, if you want you can back out. If you choose to go with it. Here are a filled waterskin and 4 days rations. That should be more than enough until we meet up again," he stated leaving the waterskin and rations beside her plate.  

[Kowsauni]

As everyone eats the breakfast and prepares for the journey ahead, a cloaked figure enters the lobby and approaches Lydia at the desk begins to talk to her in a hushed voice. Now, this occurrence has already happened a few times since the party had come down to the lobby, but this time Lydia approaches the group with the hooded individual. Everything identifying about this character was obscured by their baggy robes, except for one small detail. Out from underneath the robes poked some small, furry clawed feet.

“Everyone, I would like you to meet Pomona. She is my eyes in the sky, so to speak, and who has been tracking the movements of the soldiers for me. After she has rested a bit, she has agreed take your companion ahead to scout out the mindflayer citadel, but first, she has some information to share."

Pomona would step forward and remove her hood, revealing a pair of large brown ears that matched her dark skin color. Her dark raven hair stood in stark contrast to her acid green eyes. As she spoke, small fangs could be observed in her mouth. “Hello everyone! Lydia doesn't usually introduce me to her other clients so you must be someone special! Like Lady Lydia said, my name is Pomona and I help her keep track of everything taking place down here in our neck of the under dark. I've been tracking these soldiers from the surface for days now and they are hauling some strange equipment with them. Well, now they have stopped moving, and are starting to set this equipment up. I don't know what to make of it, but it looks something like an archway.”

Pomona

 

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

"50 to one odds, It is a gateway," Ruin spoke, "They are expecting a large donation from the Underdark."

Turning to Lydia, "and by donation... I mean they will be taking people and monsters by force, or worse."

"Romana, where are they?"  

[PupSage]

"Yeah, like the one they had set up in that town. Not good. And not good for your people either. If they went through all of that effort to bring it down here, chances are they aren't disassembling it. And Aria has a deep love of capturing things they view as monsters and doing terrible things to them. Once we save our own we should handle that. Though we don't exactly have the magical firepower that is best for that kind of stuff. Big booms ... or rather, small, controlled booms."  

[Rain Yupa]

"How far away are they setting up this archway?" Revenge would ask Pomona. "And... hold on..."

Revenge would look about. "Excuse me, Miss Lydia. Do you have a piece of blank paper and a bit of charcoal to draw with?"