Cities from the Sky

[phaedrusxy]

Tomas stares over the edge with a vacant look on his face. "Sure, we'll go... not that it will do any good. It's only a matter of time till all of Adenia winds up down there."

[Nanshork]

Fritjof nods.  "We work well together," he says, adding to himself At least some of us. 

He is indifferent to what is happening now that it no longer has an effect on him.  Even the wasted life is meaningless, it isn't as if he was going to be able to sacrifice these people for power anyway.

[Risada]

Damn... The research, if finished, would help to avoid such tragedies from happening. Yet, those in the circle seem to not care that much about what happens... As if they had other plans... Regardless, maybe I can do some 'work' on my own... Thinks the arcanist.

With a serious face, Brennus observed each and every piece he could see from up here, as if carving them in his mind. After the people started showing interest in the guard's offer, he speaks with a solemn tone.

"It's not my way of doing things, but I guess I could hear what they want to say."

[VennDygrem]

"I go where there's pay. Surely my last employer died in the collapse. Besides, he was dumber than a horse's ass, and about as capable in a fight. I'll see what work this guard wants done tomorrow. At the very least,  it's a free meal."

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It seemed that no one knew Cade before meeting in the marketplace, so his comment earlier about having been hired and brought to this city seemed kind of out of place. Rather than go back and remove that, I'm changing the terms of his employment now.

[Stratovarius]

The company was feted upon their arrival, if that is the proper term to be used to describe a hearty but dull breakfast of oatmeal leavened with a few mostly-fresh fruits. There was, at least, a rather large amount of interest from the guards who were eating at the same time as the company, but that interest confined itself to long stares and muttered asides to one another.

When the food was cleared away, a junior officer, his insignia still new enough to gleam with polish, came to lead them to the room of the senior mageguard. This only drew yet more curious looks from the onlookers, and more than a few faces closed up into angry expressions as a result.

The commandant was still in the same armour that he had worn the night before, and it showed in the marks of soot and sweat that streaked every item in his attire. Even more apparent than his outfit, however, was the stench that rolled off of him in waves, the musky odour of burnt ash, the tang of salt, and the copper scent of dried blood all combining to fill the room like a living creature. Certainly, it assaulted the members of the company when they entered the room.

Despite his appearance, the mageguard was clearly in fine spirits, smiling and whistling to himself as he watched the new arrivals. Waving them into seats scattered about the room, he stretched, then sat up more erect in his chair and cracked his knuckles. Then he spoke.

“I'll be brief, because I'm hoping I can convince you lot to help me rescue the city. Or at least keep it in the air a few more years. What I need is magic. Specifically, enchanted items from the height of Hania. Everything the old arcanists crafted was designed to have magic poured into it, the same way one would pour water into a cup. But we've learned how to pour the magic back out again, into the spells that hold Adeinia in the air. It's not perfect, but it does what we need it to.”

He paused, running a hand through prematurely thinning hair. “I need you to retrieve some for me. As much as you can. Demons below, I need you to retrieve far more than you can, but anything would help. You interested in being good souls?” A chuckle. “Well, no, probably not. But you might be interested in being rich souls.”

Taking a swig from the cup that sat atop the desk in front of him, he began to flip a coin from one knuckle to another. The lustre on it was that of high quality gold.

[phaedrusxy]

Tomas, recovered a bit from the shock of the collapse, sits for a moment quietly digesting what the man is saying. "So you want us to try and find ancient magic items, and bring them to you so you can drain their magic to power the city's flight enchantments?

Sounds like quite the task... I'd imagine most things like that aren't just lying around, and whom or what-ever has them probably isn't going to be willing to part with them... seeing how they're basically irreplaceable...

So... that must be some hell of a reward you're offering."

[Nanshork]

Fritjof remains silent, keeping his thoughts to himself for now.

[Gazzien]

The Heginyn nodded in agreement with Tomas, listening and waiting.

[Stratovarius]

The mageguard grinned. "See, we've got a pretty good idea that they are just lying around. The problem isn't who or what, it's where. The items are in a fallen skycity, one from which we've never had any reports of disturbances or the like. The problem is it moves."

He held up a hand to forestall incredulous looks. "I know that sounds strange, but the skycity fell onto a glacier. Between that and the century or so of winter storms, we don't know where it is any more. So you might have to deal with a pissed off winter wolf or two, but there aren't exactly going to be Hauthar poking around. Even those cold-hearted barbarians don't brave the blizzards that far to the north. So, dress warmly, bring lots of food, and it should be a cakewalk."

[VennDygrem]

The Biyou crosses his arms across his chest, then idly taps a thick, dull talon of his index finger on the tough scales on his arm. "I don't believe in cakewalks. However, I do believe in working for honest pay. So, tell us- what is the payment for succeeding in this task?"

[Stratovarius]

"Ah yes, the question that shows where your true interests lie. Never mind helping a city stave off destruction, saving innocents, or preserving a way of life. No, it's cold, dark-hearted, lucre that is all that drives you onward. Still, I had in truth had such base expectations of your kind. You'll receive twenty percent over market, and a thousand gold per person hazard payment. The city leaders are desperate, and need magic far more than they need money."

His face grew dark and unpleasant. "If you even think about haggling, I'll have you stripped of everything you own and sent down to the farms to serve as criminal labour. We've already given you a fair offer. Don't test our generosity."

[phaedrusxy]

Tomas tries to defuse the tension a bit "Sir, I think you misunderstand my friend, perhaps due to his kind's reputation. We are, after all, literally risking our lives to save the city. I don't think anyone would even think of undertaking this mission, which honestly sounds almost suicidal, for gold alone. As unpleasant as such discussions of things like compensation may be, they are a necessity for such arrangements, are they not?"

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Not quite a bluff, so maybe diplomacy might be more appropriate, but he obviously isn't as altruistic as he's trying to sound. So... Bluff

Rolled 1d20+7 : 13 + 7, total 20

[VennDygrem]

The Biyou's amiable mood darkens, but he resists giving in to rage and proving the man's prejudices. "Sir, I am not the one who attempted to lure rabble from the street with the promise of, how did you put it? Being not 'good souls,' but 'rich souls'? I wouldn't dream of questioning your rate. I save my dreams for the fun stuff. I'm only interested in honest work." He grins, pleasantly enough but for the sharp, inhuman teeth.

[Stratovarius]

The mageguard seemed somewhat mollified by the statements of the Flonha. "True, true. Even the weather alone is difficult and dangerous, which is why our people do not venture out of their protected valleys. There are too few of us as is. So, please excuse my testy words. It is a most trying time, as you witnessed firsthand."

A thought occurred to him then, crawling across his brow. "You may not have quite the appropriate traveling garb for the far north. If so, it is possible that we might have some cold weather gear that is appropriate to you. Provided you agree to take the engagement, that is. We also have a few other items that would be gifted to you to assist in the journey."

He listened quietly as the Biyou spoke, his face turning livid, the blood draining away as anger suffused it once more. "I made no promise of gold last night, nor of any reward. Your nature is clearly what inferred such statements. No doubt based upon your history." The mageguard clearly cannot tell one Biyou from another, nor possibly even a Biyou from another race.

[phaedrusxy]

Tomas glances angrily at the Biyou then quickly turns back to the mageguard and says "Thank you Sir for your generous offer of cold weather gear and supplies for our journey. I cannot speak for all present, but I am willing to take up this quest under your terms. If any others are not, they should speak up now or forever hold their peace." As he says the last, he again looks at the Biyou, hoping he can take a hint...

(click to show/hide)

Bluff to send "secret message"

Rolled 1d20+7 : 4 + 7, total 11

to Venn's character to be quiet.

[Gazzien]

Aodhan shrugged. "Looks like we get to experience a blizzard all together."

[Risada]

...

Brennus heard all that silent. Digesting each and every word. After a while, he speaks to the mageguard.

"I am willing to join this mission... but, dear sir, would you mind in telling me how such information was discovered? Not that I am doubting you, please don't get the wrong idea... But this theory... Was it tested before? Any kind of backlashes due to different types of magic? What about the energy it will provide? How much time each relic will  give to the city, approximately?"

Clearly the arcanist got quite worked up at the theme...

[Stratovarius]

For the first time in the conversation, the mageguard appeared rather uncertain of himself.

"I'm... not actually sure. At least as to how we discovered it in the first place. It certainly works, though. We've drained every item in the city, and it's made the skyfalls less frequent."

He sighed, then scratched at his chin. There were dark spots under his eyes, becoming more prominent as the conversation wore on.

"Less frequent certainly doesn't stop them from happening though. And as for different types of magic, well, that's a laugh. You're amongst the people who discovered Lledrith. There might be a few religious types around here devoted to him, but every other person with a hint of talent is a Hanian arcanist. It's possibly the only reason these cities are still floating."

Anger, mayhaps fueled by memory, washed his gestures, and he clutched at his cup angrily, the liquid sloshing.

"But if there's one thing we can't stand, it's those blood soaked worshipers of Drancedigaeth. I'm sure those bastards engineered the collapse just for their scum ridden cur of a deity. How better to feed him death, and break Lledrith's hold on power? You find anything of their sort, you break it, you hear me? You shatter that foul curse and you purify the grave of my forebearers."

[VennDygrem]

Cade takes his companions' hints, and remains quiet, his own fury simmering softly underneath his pebbled-hide. He did not want to give the satisfaction that the guard sought of 'putting down some nuisance.' Besides, there would be time enough later to dream of the mageguard's death. Perhaps even time to see it realized. Later, though... after he was paid.

[phaedrusxy]

"Of course, Sir." Tomas says solemnly, a bit disturbed by the man's outburst. Not being a religious person himself, he found the heights of emotion that they could get worked up to unsettling, and felt this man must not be entirely mentally stable... Of course, he is under a tremendous amount of stress as well...

Do you have information about where we should start our search? And are you to arrange transportation for us? Or are we to provide for that ourselves?