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Palatial Problems; [GRP] - Indo, Jessie, Degan, Laneer
Topic Started: Mon Sep 13, 2010 5:37 pm (996 Views)
Laneer
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“Absolutely not,” Laneer nearly spat out the words as he swiped the surveyor’s lens from the young boy who ran past him. “Tell that sham that he will not take a single length across this plot until I have returned to my station.”

The boy dug his heels into the ground and spun around to face Laneer with confusion and fear marked on his features. He looked at his empty hands briefly and exposed dark stains of dirt and the green of shredded plant.

“Sir, my master grows impatient! He says that each hour he is delayed is one more lash to our backs. My master makes good on his promises, sir,” the boy explained his dark circumstance.

Laneer’s gaze tightened as he looked to the boy for sincerity. With a quick motion of his finger the boy turned and lifted his tattered shirt to display his scars. Most traveled from his right shoulder to his left hip, and one was obviously recent.

The boy looked over his shoulder in embarrassment and Laneer signaled him to make himself decent once again. Laneer had been continually shocked at how far men had fallen since his return. He had spent too many hours in heated argument with Bancroft, the architect hired to settle the roadways and raised decoration across the palatial gardens. He brought with him six children, none which he claimed as his own, and too often did Laneer watch them work themselves to the brink of unconsciousness while Bancroft supped.

Laneer drew in the two armed escorts that had so far accompanied him during his escapade around the palace grounds and gave them their first real order, “You are to accompany this boy to the surveyor’s tent and keep the peace while he and the five other servant boys collect their possessions. Should Bancroft object, inform him that they have been conscripted by the Master Thaumaturge and that he will be paid their value when I have finished this special assignment. See them to my chambers to wash and rest, then look for me near the site of the southwestern tower.”

The young boy surged forward and hugged Laneer’s leg. The old mage reacted only slightly, slipping his hand over the top of his journal that he kept lashed to the back of his thigh. His always-just-too-tight leathers complained against Laneer’s skin as he was forced into an awkward stance.

“Sir, no one is permitted to travel without escort on this site,” the taller guard stated firmly through the grill of his steel helmet.

“A special escort has been assigned to me for this project,” Laneer commented matter-of-factly. He looked past the two guards to see the approaching silhouette. “And it seems they are prompt, as is to be expected.”

“Yes sir,” the guards acknowledged Laneer’s order as they dismissed themselves to accompany the boy. The boy looked back with a thankful smile to Laneer, a glimmer of happiness cutting through the grime that covered his skin and lips.

“Your presence is most aptly timed,” Laneer spoke loudly so that he could be heard from a distance. “Tell me, have you been sent to investigate Moreland’s fanciful claims, or have I sent my escort away for no reason?”
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Quinn
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The dwarf planted both of his hands on the table, staring at the designs and charts that adorned it. Jessie pointed to a few relevant blueprints. He nodded. This was like her experiences in the Undercities a month back, one of the many middle managers on rearming the military in the newest armor designs. Except now she was overseeing the construction of a grand structure. It was sort of fun, other than when the dwarves required her to translate from dwarven into an entirely different language to buy some precious stone from an entirely different plane of existence. Who ever had that crazy idea? Marble from Celestia, ridiculous!

"So, the Celestian arch over the main door will be carved with the six knights who ascended, with the centerpiece being the female angel, Dela." Jessie said, moving a large graphite drawing in front of the dwarf. He nodded and adjusted his glasses, a slight jingle from his belt of tools as he moved up and down.

"I got it, Jessie. But don't yeh think we can do the angel's name better? Do some of that fancy celestial calligraphy for me." The master mason said. Jessie grumbled and drew her brush and ink from her calligraphy set. She began to work, going through the first few characters with the flair she had been taught to do. The aasimar went through each curve carefully, before someone rushed into her tent spouting about a hundred words jammed into one. Her brush went stray.

"What is it." Jessie snapped. The boy jumped, eyes wide.

"Master Moreland!"
"Yes."
"He's he's... Well he's. Talk to the Thaumaturge!"
"Of course. I, the manager, have so much to do with security." Jessie stated. She included the extraneous line into her design. A small set of hands began tapping on her desk.

"I imagine there must be some reason you persist."
"Well there was weird stone!"
"Weird."
"Evil."
"Stone cannot be evil. But I suppose if we want to check stone for nasty enchantments, I'll bring him the manifests." Jessie suggested, finally calming down. She blew on her paper carefully, before anchoring it with a figurine. The aasimar started off.

"Just leave her name blank, I'll finish this up tonight." Jessie said. The master mason nodded. The three of them left together, but the boy quickly dragged her in the Thaumaturge's direction, before pointing him out across the field. She moved forward, drawing out the full list of stone they'd ordered. Jessie took a moment to re-read it, her own rudimentary knowledge falling flat the moment she read through the celestial stones. Moments later a second set of footsteps joined her. She looked up, it was Indomemar. He was a trustworthy fellow.

"Some boy informed me there's evil stone about in Moreland's section, Master Thaumaturge. Here's everything I was told to order. Anything with a checkmark next to it has been received." Jessie explained. The Thaumaturge was relatively intimidating, if the rumors were true of his full capabilities. Currently, however, he was just another cog in the human machinery building an over-priced and over-engineered palace.

"If you want to find out what Moreland ordered, I'd need to check my files, this is a copy of what I sent to the men in charge of purchases." Jessie explained. She glanced over to the man beside her.

"Greetings, Indomemar." Jessie offered.
Edited by Quinn, Wed Sep 15, 2010 3:46 am.
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Indómemar
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Running around a palace was a far cry from the filth of the slums that he had become accustomed to. Everyone was well-groomed, well-paid, and in far better health. Indo had forgotten what it was like to be in the city proper, and an obvious glimmer of hope for Taras' restoration showed in his every mannerism and expression. He had almost forgotten his underlying troubles for the time being.

It was fortunate for him that the city's fledgling government sought to first recruit former soldiers that still held organized guard positions around the city's remnants. It was the best documented source of proper training, and saved them a worthwhile amount of gold and time that would have otherwise been spent training new soldiers for the military.

Recruiters had come to the refugee camp to speak with the leadership, and eventually Indo and several of his comrades were invited back into the city. They housed him in the servant's quarters of the partially constructed palace, and afforded him many luxuries that made him feel as though the palace was built for him. He had taken a proper bath for the first time in years, and was maintaining a clean-cut appearance, complete with a shave and a trimming of his hair.

The nearby plot of land opposite of the Palatial Gardens was scheduled to become a city square, and the commodities were already flowing in so that their fragrant goods might be waved beneath the noses of the wealthy and spur them to plan the building of a marketplace among the governmental sector. Teams of dancers and artisans made frequent visits to the palace as well, establishing the demand for a theater house.

All of these distractions filled his mind as he made his way toward his latest assignment, but he did not tarry. Arriving precisely on time, his charge greeted him.

"Yes sir, I have come to escort you during your investigations," he said cheerily as he came in range. "The name is Indómemar, sir." They had scarcely started discussing the task at hand when a familiar voice graced his ears.

Jessie... A smile parted his lips when she finally greeted him. He tried to be inconspicuous about his admiration for her and the skill with which she handled her business. He simply nodded his head appreciatively.

"Shall I make post here while you look over those records, or will we soon be parted to investigate the south western tower? I imagine we could all walk together and accomplish both tasks at once," he offered.
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Degan leFleur
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"I guess we are ready to leave now?"

A deep voice seemed to break through the din of hammers and other tools before it vanished into the racket of the city. If you followed the voice one would find himself looking at the palace wall, where a man had put down almost an hour ago. His back against a recently build wall and the rest of his body in a nonchalante posture. The upper half of his body seeking shelter in the shade, protecting him from the sun and the almost giving the impression that he did not want to work up a sweat.

The guitar that he had been playing ever so nimble the moments before now rested loosly in his hands, the wood displaying obvious scars from intensive useage, each scratch on the light colored wood capable of telling their own story. His eyes rested on the party of three that had gathered beneath him, ready to set off on their task. Degan, the name of the man who looked down with a slight hint of arrogance in his eyes was the forth addition to the party, hired by the bennefactors of the palace to help out in anyway he deemed possible. He had opted to turn away and leave the mission he had been given, but the scent of money had been slightly stronger than his own will.

He gave a soft pad on the wooden guitar after he'd put it down, almost like a farewell to a dear friend before he dropped down and joined his chosen companions. His dark hair was moving along in the breeze, his arms slightly upward to somewhat keep his balance before he hit the ground. The sound made from his feet hitting the earth was clearly heavier and louder than his posture would give away though no apperant reason could be found to explain the abnormality. The scales on his forearm though would uncover the truth faster than he wished, his hope was settling on his speed in pulling down his sleeves after he landed. He had no intention of giving away his origin, not many would be overly joyed by the fact he was a dragon in the first place.

A few steps brought him closer to the people who'dd acompany him on this mission, each having their own reason for tagging along. The long dark coat that covered his body seemed to fit him perfectly, though a bit worn and dusty at some places it offered him enough protection to keep his secrets to himself. The sunlight that now touched his hair as he left the cover of shadow cast by the wall seemed to heat up the glint of purple that had been covered by black hairs before. He was a wanderer, a traveler of the lands, accepting work if the pay was right.. atleast that was the cover he had been setting throughout the years. Some with knowledge of assasination could perceive certain skills and features of a trained assassin, though retired and abillities rusted they still were incorporated in every move he made, the end result of reppetitive training.

"My name is Degan, I'm the fourth and final member of our little party" he said as his eyes scanned the three around him, taking in as much as he possible could. Some things might become usefull if they got caught up in imminent matters.
Edited by Degan leFleur, Wed Sep 15, 2010 2:29 pm.
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Laneer
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Laneer watched the two figures approach with a half-aware smile. He had not been granted the names of those who would join him on this special assignment, but he had been given a number. Three in total would accompany him, two of which were arriving at that moment. The taller of the two companions, a young man with dark hair, walked strongly and exuded the air of a warrior. The shorter member was a young woman, and quite a sight to herself. Laneer’s smile gained focus as he let his eyes dance across her features while she spoke of paperwork and files.

“At least someone still appreciates the power of a straightforward answer, good on you lad,” Laneer commented to Indo as he finally decided to look down at the paperwork that had been brought to his attention. “However, we have no reason to delay.”

“After all,” Laneer added, “I sincerely doubt anyone could get away with ordering something named ‘evil stone,’ and even if they had jotted it down, I doubt the sluggards at procurement would approve the purchase.”

The eccentric man held his chin with his fingers and bent down overdramatically to inspect the documents closely. His eyes squinted and he peered through a single glass monocle at the scribbled text and carefully checked confirmation markings, each new line scrutinizing each individual shipment of stone, wood, and even several varieties of nails brought in from at least five different blacksmiths. Most items were painfully mundane, but a few exotic morsels caught Laneer’s attention. One shipment of stone was sub-noted with the word Celestia, while several scribbles spoke of other rarities that would truly be a worthwhile addition to Laneer’s research.

“Astounding!” Laneer almost shouted as he stood straight and returned his hands onto his hips. “I thought the supply office was simply incompetent, but now I think they are intentionally ignoring my requests for better materials. Thank you, lass, I will speak with them about this outrage once I make sure the tower is not on its way to growing a mouth and eating the workers.”

As Laneer made his grand announcement a fourth figure dropped down from above. The old man reeled backward and reached for his journal, slipping it out of the straps on his thigh and holding it in front of himself with both hands like a fly swatter.

“Great ghosts, boy!” Laneer stammered during the man’s introduction, “Do you need to climb back up there and fetch your manners, or do you make a habit of perching over people like some sort of odd fowl?”

As Laneer chided the man he felt his muscles relax and loosen once again. His weight, which had retreated entirely onto his back leg, evened out and his knuckles regained color after loosening their grip on the thick, leather-bound journal. Laneer squinted again and began to take in the details of the surprise visitor. He was not thrown by the man’s appearance. He had seen gloomy individuals abound in these dark times. It was something not necessarily that he could see, but perhaps instead something that was being hidden from his sight. Laneer let his throat cherish sweet silence while he roused his intellect to piece together what he was sensing.
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Indómemar
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Slightly startled, Indo instinctively put both hands on his spear when a man dropped down on them from somewhere above and approached them purposefully. He relaxed when the man introduced himself as the other accompanying guard, briefly eyeing Degan up and down to size him up. He appeared to be a new recruit to the guard, perhaps temporary. He did not have the air of military training, but he did seem disciplined and precise in his movements. Indo nodded respectfully as the man stated his purpose, and suppressed the grin that tried to creep onto his face at Laneer's reaction.

"Alright then, that completes the detail," Indo concluded as though he had just realized it, a hint of fading confusion in his expression. He had mistakenly assumed Jessie was the other guard; one who had taken on additional side duties due to her multitude of valuable skills, and he was slightly disappointed to learn otherwise. He glanced at her hopefully for a sign that she would not be quickly leaving them to return to wherever it was that she had come from.

"The South West Tower is on the other side of the palace, a few minutes' walk from here. That's where Moreland has reported suspicious sightings, of whose nature I am still uncertain." Indo looked to Laneer for guidance. "What exactly is it that we're investigating, sir? I was hurriedly assigned this task, almost against Moreland's wishes, and was not given any details."

At the meeting, Moreland had been making wild claims that Indo had not heard clearly enough to understand, but one of the officers volunteered him for the assignment, referencing something about Indo's recent experience with the undead. Moreland seemed caught off guard by the suggestion, but all of the other officers had apparently heard enough of the story to loudly agree upon Indo's credibility. Had he not regarded Moreland as an utter fool, he would be more fearful of the job that awaited him.

He then wondered how it was that Degan came to be assigned to his detail, given his suspected mercenary status. The thought faded from his consciousness almost before it had even developed, tucking itself away into the dusty back corners of his mind.
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Quinn
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Jessie blinked a few times, she'd appeared to have walked into a proper meeting. She did not know the fourth man, but she had seen him around. A mercenary, much like she was when she didn't have a steady job. No shame in the career, at least if one took it honorably.

"I'm not a member of your group, actually. I'm just a manager." Jessie explained. The aasimar actually had work to get to, much of it was relatively minor but it was still work. She stood about waiting for the actual fourth member of the group, who arrived in such a rush she collided with a nearby pillar. Nelti. The tiny woman, just shy of Jessie's shoulders, looked around in a panic.

"I'm s-s-s-so s-s-sorry I'm late!" Nelti squeaked, flicking black hair from her eyes. Jessie's experiences with Nelti were limited, but the creature was an expert swordswoman. She was calmer on the battlefield than she was with normal conversation. Jessie patted her on the head before bringing her close. The tiny woman passed Jessie a note, a nearly eloquent statement of Nelti's wishes.

"Yeah, I'll take your place, Nelti. Have fun." Jessie said. Nelti handed the blonde a few coins and darted off. Jessie indicated towards the tower, and set off. She had work to do.




Nelti clambered up behind one of the great statues in the primary dome, and began to read. The industrious dwarves nearby wouldn't bother her, even though they were making a tremendous clamor removing the scaffolding from the ceiling.




A few minutes later their group had arrived, and found themselves staring at a large black archway. Jessie blinked a few times, mentally going over her plans.

"That's the stone from the Abyss, definitely. Note the high gloss and slight yellow glow. That's from some of the unique properties of andrakite. More importantly, I purchased this in one piece, there's a whole middle section they cut out that wasn't included in my plans." Jessie explained, repeating what she'd learned of the stone before ordering it. The unique properties involved a magical connection to where it had been mined. It however did have an odd, inexplicable beauty to it. She studied the words inscribed into it before the meanings came flooding into her head. Difficult to translate, mostly because they'd butchered the grammar, but Jessie was certain it had to do something with the fall of the gods. Odd thing to discuss in celestial.

"So we've got to find Moreland, interrogate him about the whereabouts of the stone they cut out. If he doesn't know, the manager for the south west tower would know. If the manager doesn't know, then we've got to go level by level and find the actual evil stone I got bothered about. This stone has no aura about it, other than the clear lack of dwarven artistry." Jessie explained. The seamless blend between white marble and andrakite was a nice touch, of course, but mages made things too easy. Jessie stepped through the archway, and into the south-west tower.

(The idea is the group will try to locate the unused stone, which I imagine got carved and enchanted to a state where it has become "evil" stone. Or it can be a twist and have the archway the 'dark portal' or whatever we had going.)
Edited by Quinn, Mon Sep 27, 2010 3:59 pm.
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Degan leFleur
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- One day earlier -

On the outskirts of the city was a encampment, several large fields had been occupied with tents of all sorts and sizes, inhabited by important leaders, mastercraftsmen and constructionworkers. The larger tent that stood between them was not hard to miss, even if one wasn't looking for it. The tent was used by leading people to take decisions about Taras and the flow of goods that went into the city. Although today was just a bit different, several important guardsmen had taken the tent in use for a different kind of meeting, one that was involved in the deployment of the guard and the distribution of important defensive tasks.

Mr Moreland, the man who had ordered the meeting, eventhough it was to further his own plans, came out of the tent in a hurry. His was face set like dark thunderclouds on the verge of engulfing the sky in their darkness. Not even a goodbye or a nod toward fellow captains could be heard when he walked straight past them and headed to his private tents while maintaining a firm pace.

With a thud he dropped into a chair behind his desk, brooding on the outcome of the meeting, his eyes like an full glass of water overflowed with thoughts and anger, even a stranger could read what mood he had obtained in the tent earlier. 'Why did that Indómemar have to be there, messing up my plans like that. Screw the bastards who voted for him to investigate the palace, i'll even the score sooner or later'

"Wise to assume it did not go as planned?"

A man stepped out from the shadows behind Moreland to only reveal little of his identity. The mocking tone in his voice weighed thick uppon the words with the intention of welling up irritation. A sincere smile flashed through the shadows as the man noticed moreland tensing his muscles when the voice broke his silence.

"Do not tempt me, Lefleur" Moreland responded, the semi-succesfull attempt to sound controlled failed big time as his voice raised the volume by itself. For seconds it remained silent between the two men, apart from the sound of a strong liquor being poured into a glass. "I've got a mission for you, i'll pay you double the usual money if you're willing to take the job. I need you to go to the palace tomorrow, there a group of people will meet on a mission to investigate the build of the palace, or so they say. Now it came to my ear they are troublemakers with no intention of making the build go smooth and deliberately working against the construction. What I want you to do is meet with them, I'll arrange for you to put on the list as a fellow guardsman assignt to their investigating mission. Distract them long enough so I can replace their positions with men I can trust and support the rebuild of Taras. Keep an eye on the guard called Indómemar, he'll cause trouble if he finds out I sent you to keep them walking in circles."

"Double pay it is" and with a small nod he disappeared into the shadows once more. Degan had no feelings what so ever about this whole construction, sure, it gave him more work, but the money, the money was the only reason he had come here. So this double wager was a most interesting reward for a bit of lying and walking around, ok, he didn't trust Moreland all that much, but he he gave him his money when the time was right so there were no questions asked in that regard.

------------------------------

- Present time -

A smug smile appeared on his face when Laneer's reaction turned out to be so amusing that he had no strength to keep his face straight. The thick leather book that he held above his head in a desperate attempt to defend itself was a ridiculous sight to be seen. 'scared, wont expect much from him' he already labeled the man in his head based on his first reaction. Though at second glance he had the aura of a wise man, having endured different situations and thoughend by life itself it would be a decent partner to travel with. "Hello to you to!" he said to Laneer as he came into the circle.

The other one who had said to be Indómemar was a addition he had to watch, eventhough he was warned for the man he had seen it with his own eyes now. The automatic hand to his spear on the slightest unexpected movement showed he was well trained in combat, ready to fight before a foe showed itself. He replied the nod by Indomemar with a nod of his own, faking the respect as well as he could. He had none of his own by all the things moreland had said about the man so keeping up a mask for now would be the best.

The female addition to the party had been no addition at all, atleast, untill she had traded places with a nervous looking girl who ran up to her. After the passing of a note and saying she would take her place the final group had been formed. The woman had said to be a manager, he had seen her around this day, walking across the palace-courts. It made it difficult for Degan to determine her role in the whole play.

Meanwhile they had arrived at the tower, the woman had started to explain what exactly their mission was. Retrieving some kind of stolen stone, seemed silly enough on it's own. When she dropped the name 'Moreland' his eyes shot from the archway to the woman, his brain functioning on full power to think of a way to keep them from interrogating Moreland about the theft.

"May I suggest going to the manager first, where near the south-western tower already and if this 'stone' is really this important to be found i suggest we don't lose time by walking across the city to find this Moreland character" Luckily he had lied so often in his live that it became like a second nature so he made sure to keep his voice in check while hoping they'dd buy into his first lie of his plan to keep them busy.
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Laneer
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Laneer seemed un-phased by the brief encounter with the small girl who had actually been assigned to the task. He would drag anyone in the vicinity with him so long as he did not have to waste any more time. Laneer disliked the hand-holding decree that kept armed guards at his back for every moment that he walked the grounds. His job was to ensure the security of the estate and he felt insulted that the area was still considered dangerous. As if the pompous fools who ran the guard understood what was or was not safe anymore. They held a master thamaturge on their payroll and Laneer scoffed at them for not appreciating the boon they had received when he accepted the position.

He daydreamed about some of the items he had seen on the supply list as the group pushed into the tower. He cared little about many of the exotic oddities that drew his eye but he was particularly intrigued by one half-removed comment regarding primal fire. He had not experimented with the soupy substance from the plane of fire in a long while, and his old theories continued to leak back into his head. Then, as Jessie began to describe the strange, dark archway that loomed over them, he could not help but put his memories aside to inspect something curious.

As she spoke he peered at the stone closely, shifting his monocle over his eye to get a more detailed look at the cut of the stone. It was glossy and yellow, and Laneer squinted at a sharp edge that spiraled up the structure. He let out a heavy breath as Jessie finished and Degan offered his suggestion to accost the manager.

“This is obsidian from the inner crater of Therab,” Laneer gave Jessie a correcting look. “Look at the lines where the stone was shaped and you will see that it shatters like glass. Nasty stuff, really. I would not recommend it for children, to say the least, my dear. The yellow haze is a bit off-putting, I agree, but it is simply light reflecting off of sulfur crystals that have been exposed on the surface while the stone was processed. It’s a relatively rare formation, but nonetheless pinpoints it to the inner crater, which has unique cycles of extreme heat and cool that permit the crystals to form.”

Laneer glanced at the floor and quickly snatched up a small sliver of broken stone from the un-swept ground. He held it to his nose and inhaled sharply, making an immediate face of disgust, “Sulfur, indeed! It’s a pity, really. The money you must have spent on this glorified goblet would have furnished my new workshop quite handily.”

Laneer crossed his arms and tapped his foot as he thought for a moment. His eyebrows rose as he came to a conclusion and stated, “I am sure the manager has been questioned many times since the original accusations of the evil in this tower. I have met several of the oracles that are kept on staff for such interrogations and I can tell you that they are thorough. Moreland himself has no doubt been under watch as well.”

He walked confidently toward a mostly finished stairwell that led underground into the base of the tower before turning back to the group to continue, “Waste your time asking questions if you like, but my assignment is to search the tower for evidence of the accusations and to put the worker’s fears to rest. You received the same orders, so join me! If fortune does not smile upon us during our investigation then there will be plenty of time to pursue other strategies.”
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Indómemar
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Indo followed the detail in relative silence, letting the experts handle their business while he kept his eyes open for suspicious activity around the tower and its grounds. He couldn't help but wonder why they were sitting around looking at some allegedly "evil" stone, what could be so dangerous about lava rock?

He used to think mages were crazy, superstitious fools to be ignored when they threatened to hex you on the street for giving disapproving glances toward their ether-burnt robes and overgrown hair. He had eventually learned that it wasn't all madness, there was indeed arcane power pulsing through the veins of mankind, but he had little concept of its potential. Their task reminded him of checking under his sister's bed for imps when she was a child - there were never any to be seen.

Degan suggested they follow the chain of command regarding inquiries about the missing stone, and Indo agreed that it was the proper thing to do. "If Moreland sent us here to investigate this I would say it is safe to assume he doesn't know the stone's whereabouts, making the manager our first contact." Wasn't that part of why they were here in the first place? But Laneer insisted a partial investigation had probably already been done. It irked him, tarnishing his opinion of the Thaumaturge. It was likely that Jessie had been asked to investigate the stone precisely because people like to skip steps in procedure, missing critical details in between that could point to its location. But he was here as a bodyguard, nothing more, so he didn't push his opinion and continued following at the rear of the entourage.

He mulled over the nature of the sulfur-infused obsidian. Why would anyone cite his recent experience with the undead as valuable for tracking down the paperwork on some piece of rock? How did it tie into the larger investigation of trouble within the tower? The details of their assignment did not add up, but he was not one to speak up until he was certain he had a legitimate concern.

Last to descend into the base of the tower, he checked behind them. Most people were busy with construction and detailing, bustling back and forth. That was, everyone except for two unknown members of the guard who stood together in silence, watching Indo's detail enter into the base of the tower. Noticing they had been spotted, one of them lit a freshly rolled cigarette and exchanged words with his partner, signaling for them to rejoin the rest of the busy crew. A moment later they were gone, and Indo was left feeling unsettled.

"Best we close this door behind us, we want to keep a secure perimeter so that we know the areas we've checked stay uncontaminated for the duration of our search. Further into the tower then, yes? Shall I watch for anything in particular while we are here, Master Thaumaturge?"
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Laneer
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“I suppose finding a demon or two would be evidence enough,” Laneer said with a smile as he turned to look back past Indómemar to the doorway that now looked like a non-descript pane of light to his rapidly adjusting eyes. “Though, if you happen to spot something less obvious I am sure we can work with that just as well, my boy!”

The circular stairwell was short and barely completed a full rotation before Laneer was spat out into the unkempt basement. The stone walls valiantly held back the damp soil beyond but they too had become wet. The air was dense with humidity and Laneer felt his leathers begin to stick to his body uncomfortably. He gazed across the room and became too distracted to even acknowledge Indómemar’s decision to close the door behind them.

Laneer’s eyes glistened by the flickering fire as sporadically set wall torches maintained only the most modest amount of ambient light. The burning oil let off an oderous smoke that assaulted the nose before wafting up through eight thin ventilation shafts that tunneled outward from the tops of the walls, four to a side down the fifty foot length of the room. His thirst was palpable as he squinted and tried to spot the treasures that might be kept at the foot of the tower. Even as he gazed across seemingly multiplying piles of building materials and loosely draped canvas he wondered what secrets he could uncover. He could think of no better place to hide an object of value; it was dark, secluded, and inconvenient for thieves. If Moreland had spotted something out of the ordinary, Laneer did not doubt it could be plainly hidden in this very room.

“This may take awhile,” Laneer said out loud to anyone that was listening, “do you see anything that looks particularly evil so we can figure out where to start?”

The thamauturge bent down curiously as he wiped away a new layer of dust from a light colored stone. It was granite. How disappointing. From there he tugged at a dark sheet and exposed the side of an iron chandelier which sat ingloriously, waiting for the ceiling construction to be finalized. This could take a very long time indeed.

He wondered if he was wasting his time. With the size of the underground room, the limited entryway and the sheer amount of clutter it almost seemed impractical to conduct this type of investigation. As he dug through uninteresting bit by mundane junk he considered ordering a clean-up crew to conduct a full inventory under armed guard. That would be remarkably more efficient than wasting the valuable time of the Master Thamaturge! Each passing minute was another that he could have spent rallying support to get his workshop better outfitted.
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Indómemar
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Indo's eyes scanned the room in which he paced, looking for signs of recent activity. Given the fine layer of dust that coated everything, it would be fairly obvious if anything was disturbed recently or on a regular basis. Unfortunately, the only traces of activity he noticed were their own footprints.

"Nothing evil yet, no, sir," he responded humorously to the Thaumaturge. "However, I would suppose we start by looking for signs of the area having been recently disturbed. Tracks in the dust, displaced mud and water, an area cleared of cobwebs" he paused and glanced at the stone Laneer had wiped earlier, "or clean objects in an otherwise filthy setting."

Having crossed the length of the fifty foot room, he observed a hallway passing to the left and the right that lead deeper into the bowels of the half-built tower. "This room looks as though we are the first to disturb it, so if there is something down here it was brought in by another entrance. I propose we split into two groups to cover more ground in less time. Be cautious to preserve the scene near anything suspicious you might find," he said to Jessie and Degan. "Which of us would you care to have escort you, sir? I presume the two you do not pick will take the path opposite of the one you'd like to inspect."

OOC
 
Laneer and I will carry on this topic in the absence of the other 2 RP partners we started with. We will assume they have left the scene using the exit I provided above. Anyone who wants to join in can post in our plot page for this RP. This is a rebuilding Taras GRP, so more are very welcome!
Edited by Indómemar, Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:48 am.
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Laneer
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“Flawless, my boy!” Laneer said loudly, his voice being eaten by the thick walls. “Well planned, indeed!”

Laneer paused to turn over a discarded candle tray to reveal only floor hidden beneath it. He was growing bored without any immediate surprises. As he dropped the tray back to the floor with a sharp clang he stood and stretched, feeling the humid leather pull at his shoulders and arms as he did. Disgusting basements. At least mages kept their cellars dry.

“Very well, come with me lad,” Laneer said as he walked up to Indo and motioned with an open palm. “You should make for good conversation if we are to be cursed with finding only the usual and expected for some time longer.”

The eccentric wizard looked back at the others with a glance, then toward the second hallway. “The mortar between these stones is porous, unsettlingly so. If you come across any troubles, screams will not be heard past any corners. Be careful,” Laneer said. Then, to destroy the rare, coherent moment of his conversation, he added, “But if you do come across an otherworldly beast, try to bait it back to me so I may examine it without any unnatural holes stabbed into it.”

With his need stated, Laneer began walking into the left hallway. Laneer believed that when in doubt he should turn right, but Laneer was never in doubt. He wondered if his newly acquired servant boys would agree to making him a meal and preparing a hot bath before he offered them their freedom. That would be an appropriate luxury to make up for pretending to be a sewer rat in these dank tunnels.

“Lead the way m’boy!” Laneer added as he started to gain distance.
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Indómemar
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With a nod toward his reluctantly departing companions, Indo took his place ahead of Laneer down the second hallway. It looked as though there were no lights further in, so he grabbed the brightest torch off the wall he could spot. It burned much stronger than the others, its flame bringing more beaded sweat upon his brow than the humidity had managed to surface. It was times like these he wished for his father's chest of magical trinkets; he was sure it contained an ever-frozen shard of ice that he had used many times as a child to find relief from the sweltering heat.

They moved further into the tower's dank basement, the scent of mildew growing strong in their nostrils. His eyes soaked in the details illuminated by the torch's light, but none of it seemed significant. They turned a corner at the end of the hallway and continued on into nothingness. The triviality of every pile of refuse and unturned stone was so insignificant that it actually became increasingly meaningful to the guardsman - there simply wasn't anything here.

"Master Thaumaturge, if I might be so bold, I believe we are on a wild goose chase. The tower cannot be that large, and if there are clandestine deeds taking place they are certainly not occurring within this coffin for construction materials. I fear Moreland may be afraid of little more than shadows."

His last words seemed directed at a store room on one side of the hallway they traversed. His head briefly poked in alongside the torch, and he had nearly written it off as secured when he heard an unfamiliar voice come from within.

"Hold it right there!"

Quick to action, he raised his spear tip from the ground to midriff height, prepared to rip it through the gut of any man who had the misfortune of engaging him in a race to arms. His eyes frantically searched for the source of the voice, but settled only upon rolls of tapestry and piles of disused sconces. Drawn to a faint light from above, he glanced upward and nearly gasped in surprise. A ventilation shaft lay directly above them, presumably leading to the upper level. It was from there that the voices were tunneled down to greet their open ears. He motioned for Laneer to come closer, but to stay silent so they could listen.

"We're not going anywhere, our orders were to stay and watch that senile old tinkerer to make sure he doesn't find anything!"

"Moreland doesn't need us to watch that worthless 'thaumaturge' if he's got Degan planted there! Let's go back to the Southeastern tower where he's really working on it, they'll need more inner circle guards to relieve the watch soon."

"Ach, fine! They'll probably be too late to stop him by the time they scour the whole tower anyhow. Sundown isn't that far off; let's go."

Indo gave Laneer a knowing look. They would have to leave Jessie to her own devices in order to escape Degan and reach the opposite tower unnoticed. He was confident she could handle herself should he become hostile.

OOC
 
Random fact, but I put a little detail into the torch Indo picked up because I'm using this to explain how he came across the Beacon of Eternity in his inventory. It's a magical torch that never goes out, so Laneer might take interest in it should he notice. It doesn't need to be significant to the plot, but it can be if you're inspired to make it so.

We can cut-scene here and raise curtains at the right location within the Southeastern tower, with perhaps a small recap of how they'd managed to get there unnoticed. Then it's time to stop the baddies! :w00t:
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