Try Hards II

Aldean: Human male, shaven head, dark eyes, sturdy build.

Dire Wolf: A large white-furred dire wolf.

Ferawyn: Short, red haired sylvan elf

Garak: Grey-skinned Arvek Nar wearing Serriel's symbol.

Kiroth: A Dark Haired Well Built Man

Lothos: Human male, dark hair, regular clothing, no armor.

Renfrey: Half-elf with a black braid and short beard.

Stjepan: Big, blonde jotun.

Zoob: Bright green gobber with big ears and giant gun.

This is a continuation of http://tenebraemush.net/index.php/Try_Hards_1

For the wolf and Renfrey, the two of them have been selected and petitioned by the Guild of Explorers to offer additional assitance, and thus, they should be coming across the scene fairly quickly, being told to be... watchful and polite in so far as possible. The man does respect the wild things and truth seems to be of high value to him.

Everyone else is still seated at the table made of earth elemental, with the chairs made of earth elemental, while Sunder Rendfoe is listeing to each person speak in turn as they give their peace.

Stjepan's accusations leave him looking somewhat unsettled for a time before he says, "War. Things happen in war. That never changes, I'm afraid." His eyes turn towards Aldean. "Tricks? WHat tricks?"

Dire Wolf could easily be sought, or simply interested, due to the elemental aspect of the Shaman's alleged power and weapon? Initially, she has no comment. Recently, words with humanoids only accentuated their idiocy. Maybe they still work fool to fool, though, so she gives them a moment.

Renfrey rubs his chin, afteral at the end of the day does Renfrey not sometime take what he wants when he wants and is this war not that on a bigger scale? He's not the quickest tongue around but far from the dullest mind. He ponders a responds deeply before commiting to an argument.

Garak is still seated atop a warhorse, it paces ever so slowly behind some of the other party members who chose to take a seat at the chairs and table created by the shaman's minions.

All trace of smile is gone from Aldean's expression. "Ye know o' Masterly, Arendt's right hand, aye? Tis he an' Arendt as is mastermindin' attacks on diplomats from Alexandria, Rune, an' everywhere else ... an' lookin' ta pin it on Alexandria? Them assassins as went after yer top officials, including Arendt his own self ... ain't Alexandrian at all? Likely they be Masterly's own spies ... wit' Arendt's knowledge? That there be a Charnese man hired ta disrupt the summit in Stormgarde ... an' ain't none know who hired him? Got me suspicion's though."

He leans back, just a little. "Been tracin' yer lord's man a bit, ta learn more of him. Seems everyone who knows a damned thing of him be dead ... funny that. An' Arendt knows o' these things full well. Participates even. Ain't figured yerself fer someone as'd stand fer murder an' pinnin' it on an innocent."

Kiroth remains silent as he just listens to the others speak. He has his hands folded out in front of him as he absorbs the news. He gives Aldean a look that says he will come speak to him later. He looks back to Sunder Rendfoe to see what he has to say.

Zoob nods at Aldean's words, thinking about them. "What drives you, specifically, you and your rocky friends here? Why are you doing this?"

Dire Wolf's ears perk at this news. So the fool Arendt has those close to him who work against him? She finally speaks, adding to the other's question. "Why aid one doomed to fail? His own allies seek his fall. Why involve Ea's earth? There are true threats to it. Petty squabbles are only a distraction."

Renfrey furrows his brow "I don't think thats difficult, Dran fights right? So Ardent provided another enemy to fight to keep everyone united. Aldean's right though, don't know if Ardent knows but there are people taking advantage of it and him and he's gone and attacked one of the few folks who aren't a part of it in Rune. He's got plenty of enemies and he's made one of Rune he didn't need to."

Lothos is just letting the others talk, he figures Aldean has the highest chance of actually making a convincing argument.

"Those are serious accusations. What proof have you beyond your word? Any?" Sunder Rendfoe leans forward, listening to each person in turn. He does not look pleased, or trusting necessarily, but mostly displeased. A nod towards the wolf, and it's arrival. "His own allies seek his fall?" he queries, wantng more from her. He does not seem concerned about the fac that a wolf is speaking, at all. It' slike the most normal thing in the world to him. Renfrey too is eyeballed. "Rune has always been an enemy," he informs him.

"Some of it be me own guesses, based on what I've learned," Aldean answers. "Some be in the Vardamen's records. Some be the tales o' them as was nearly crossed by this Charnese fellow. We be still tracin' him. As fer murder an' pinnin' it on an innocent? That I know fer certain. There be a magic as'll show such as meself ... aye', an' Masterly too ... what's gone before in a spot ... or from an thing or a man as saw 'em happen. Saw him see them as he accuses ... an' drawin' his plans," he explains. "Them as was accused was in Alexandria when it happened an' can account fer themselves. "What he be plannin' -- that I still be seekin'." He keeps his expression open.

Dire Wolf tips her muzzle at Aldean to indicate him to the shaman. "His words make it seem so." A light snort follows in lieu of a shrugging gesture, "I don't care of Arendt, Rune, or Alexandria. Squabble, war, cull each other.... but not now. Heth spoils huge tracts of land, unchecked. That is a threat to Ea, itself. While nations challenge one another, his power grows and spreads. What does it matter who succeeds when all they earn is destruction?"

Stjepan leans forward on his elbows. "This is not Masterly's only game, either. There are other irons in his fire. This much I know, even if I cannot prove the worst of what I suspect."

Stjepan adds: "That, of course, is the game: to do things without affording others absolute proof."

"What /is/ the worst you suspect?" Sunder asks Stjepan threafter, glancing towards the others. He eyes Zoob, "Fair point about your cousins, though I understand your people have become much more civilized in recent years." The way he says it indicates he thinks that's a terrible thing. a nod towrds Aldean, though, and he adds, "Charn?" he asks, "Tell me of these murders," he adds.

Garak guides his horse partway around the table, until he's almost opposite from the talking wolf. It seems less like trying to avoid the creature and more a flanking maneuver. Though the horse might be thinking more about the former. "Arendt's actions and his words are clear, to all in Alexandria."

"Alexandrians are not Dran," he huffs to Garak.

Having been sitting back with her tree this entire time, Ferawyn simply listens to the talks, since she's not very skilled at politics at all. She's a tree-hugger.

Renfrey looks at Aldean "Its Masterly's agents some folks and I tracked under Alexandria and we do know he is up to no good there. If Masterly and Ardent are in bed, Arden't is going to have more than just Rune to worry about soon." he says with crossed arms.

Zoob listens wide-eyed to the revelations all round. "My people? My people are whoever has the same goals as me, not people I happen to be related to. I don't take orders from anyone I don't trust and respect, personally."

Stjepan folds his arms across his chest. "Trying to get assassins into the Summit; Masterly has friends, or at least puppets, among the dwarves."

Lothos has been quiet, still listening to everyone talking about stuff which he only knows part of.

"The assassination of the Grey Gorse? The assassination of the Alexandrian diplomat, las' summer? Ye ain't know o' that?" Aldean nods to Stjepan. "Like I said ... ain't got no proof beyond me guesses ... but knowin' them as is accused ain't done it, an' knowin' none other as'd dare ...." He spreads a blocky hand. "Consider ye. Pinnin' it on Alexandria discredits Alexandria, which be to Dran's benefit in gettin' 'em outta Rune. Why wouldn't he fake his own assassination ... an' pin it on them as is inconvenient to them. Remove one as is inconvenient ... and do the same?"

Kiroth remains silent as he just listens to those who know the situation better speak. He lean forwards a little.

Dire Wolf spoke her mind, and now listens as Sunder asks others for details she does not know.

Listening to ALdean, Sunder nods slowly towards him, mulling it over. "You spoke of mass graves earlier," he says to Stjepan, as an aside, wanting to hear mor eabout it. "Such is war," he adds, "But you semed to imply something more sinister. Naturally, I would expect Alexandria's representatives to have their own spin. Tell me, comrades... what do you know of honor? How do I know you speak well and true?" He folds his hands together in front of him, elbows on the table. It's clear that what's been spoken so far is beginning to weigh heavily on his mind. Some of it, after all, is no doubt going to make quite a bit of sense to him.

A nod towards Aldean follows, though, and then he grins at Zoob ferally.

Ferawyn makes a bit of a face as she looks up towards her tree. The tree looks back at her, and she looks back to the meeting.

Kiroth looks to the others and clears his throat, "If I may speak on that."

Stjepan nods once, curtly. "I did. Before I understood any of the picture laid out. We travelled to Arendt's home village, and found a mass grave there. We learned that Arendt and friends had been dealing with the dwarves since a young age. It has raised serious questions for me about Arenft's motives -- someone who tries to erase their past has very little to promise the future." He looks at Kiroth, and growls. "Can you let me speak for myself?"

Zoob shrugs, ears waving with the movement. "Honour? I mostly do what I think will please Angoron, protecting the weak and suchlike. That's what strength is for."

Kiroth looks to Stjepan, "I was not trying to speak for you I was merely asking to have the floor."

Garak adds, "A holy warrior of Daeus us a fine choice to speak of honor and trustworthiness."

Aldean looks over at Stjepan, one eyebrow climbing towards the beginning of his hairline, mobile features registering interest. "Aye? I be after sharin' an ale or three wit' ye later, mayhaps, if ye be so minded." With that, he turns back to Sunder. "We've them among us as can tell when we speak lies, mate, do they but listen." Aaaaaand Kiroth speaks up. "Aye, ye'd be right fer that." A flash of a wide, cheeky grin. "An' them as be like him, whose god tosses 'em overboard be they ain't honorable. Like yerselves, we work together, an' a man as tells lies ain't no good ta work with at all."

Stjepan grits his teeth, muscle bulging in his cheek. Then, he looks towards the centre of the table. "We all see honour in our own ways. Mine is rooted in my veneration of the Patron of Heroes as the protector. Also," he leans back, "life is far fucking easier if I don't have to remember what lie got told to whom." He shakes his head. "No time for that shit." A glance to Aldean, and he nods. "Sold."

"Trust is earned by actions, not words," the white wolf shares her view of the topic, as asked. This could explain her sparing use of them.

"Ha! It sounds like in ALexandria, the left hand does not always know what the right is doing," he says, laughing, as Aldean and Stjepan prepare to exchange notes on the matter. He nods towards Kiroth, "You may now speak as well, friend, if you're done telling me things I don't need to hear." A grin follows at him.

Zoob chuckles. "If we all agreed on everything what would be the point in living? Contrast and disagreement make life worth living, they provide colour and magic and something to do. And in this case, we all agree that you probably shouldn't be doing what Arendt says, he's a bad bad person. I think that says something right there. Not sure exactly what though."

Lothos smirks faintly, then shrugs, finally speaking after a while. "I'm sure your not just going to accept our word about Arendt, or any of this. But, at the very least, you could delay your attack to look into this perhaps? See if what we say is true. Look at you, its not like anyone could stop your army anyhow, a few days, a week, what would it hurt?"

Kiroth shakes his head a little bit and focuses on the task at hand. He takes a deep breath before he speaks. "To me honor is that no matter what code you have that you live it as true as you can. Part of my honor is to speak as truthfully as I can."

Ferawyn remains silent on honor. Honor means little to a druid that lives in the wilderness. Honor gets you killed in the wild.

Stjepan shrugs affably: "Alexandria has a lot of hands, not just two."

At that, Aldean simply chuckles and nods to Stjepan. He quiets, though, to let Kiroth have his say.

"So, Arent came from a place, you say, and there you found it sacked. Surely, this could have been at the hand of his enemies, yes? Why do you believe htat it was Arendt's men again, exactly? And, it seems a lot of your anger traces back to Arendt. Mmn. Consider my caution raised. I appreciate that you agreed to speak, openly, to me at the behest of Rune. I had planned to tear their walls down and open the city to Arendt' army, but for now, I will wait. Wait and see what the man presents when I speak to him personally."

Renfrey stays quiet, he is not the one to talk about honor.

"S'all we can ask, mate," Aldean answers agreeably. "Jes' think on who ye might be servin' ... an' the wolf ain't wrong 'bout Heth bein' a problem, too. This whole war be useful to him, ye know. Look at Dragonier, would ye know what Heth seeks." He nods curtly to Uneth. "Ye seem an honorable man. But ... if we ain't got more ta say, then best we be off, aye?"

You say, "Maybe ask him what his plans are for dealing with Dragonier, and why he seems to not be concerned about the army of wights on his border. That seems to me to be a much bigger problem than anything else."

Stjepan nods once, curtly. "Agreed, and well said." A pause. "And be careful when you present your case."

"Ha! Dragonier has /always/ been the plan. Conquer Rune, then strike down Heth. Remake the north. Arendt believes that with Rune's magic at his beck and call, /all/ things are possible. ANd he is not wrong on that front." He lets out a chortle. "Arendt is a brilliant warrior and tactician... and leader. He is dangerous and much of what Dran wants in a leader by all appearances. What you say casts a shade on that."

Lothos chuckles, "Too bad Rune and Arendt can't ally against Heth...at least for a while. Then fight each other afterwards. Better two full strength armies, than two armies suffering from a battle between each other, the victor at reduced forces."

You say, "The problem is that Rune's magic is mostly the wizards, and you'll have to kill them to take Rune. Rune's magic isn't a resource you can bend to your will through conquest, you can just destroy it."

"Some of them, anyways. Wizards aren't exactly known for their moral backbone when you strip them of their fancy, phallic towers," says Sunder. "Who do they think they're kidding, anyways?" He lets out a loud laugh. "They're nothing compared to the mountains of ANgoron," he tells Zoob.

Dire Wolf remains quiet, though glances to Zoob and then Lothos as her prior voiced statements are validated.

Zoob shrugs. "They're wizards. I assume they'll just teleport away if things get rough. You may have honour but I doubt that Rune sees this the same way you do, they are just trying to survive. And Angoron is about protecting the weak, who exactly is Arendt protecting here? He's sending his troops against horrors they can barely comprehend to avenge a slight dealt by someone else completely different, in pursuit of a goal that I don't think is achieveable. Rune can't be controlled through force of arms, not the parts that make it useful anyway."

"Seen one drop a volcano?" Aldean asks, casually, putting hands behind his head. "That an' they be vindictive little fuckers. Cross 'em an' they'll make yer life torment even do they pretend to obey ye."

"You look vaguely like a chipmunk when your cheek muscles bulge like that," says Sunder, amused, to Stjepan. Then he nods towards Zoob and says, "I think he's less interested in the wizards and more interested in waht they leave behind, a great deal of which will be magical in nature. But if he can cow them into submission, so much the better. Look at what leaving wizards to their own devices has done? Nothing good, I tell you, nothing good. They need... oversight. That, I think, is what he believes." HE shakes his head, then continues to add, "But you have spoken well, each of you, and have given me a great dal to mull over." HE runs his hand down the table, thoughtfully. "I believe wisdom is required."

Stjepan grins at Sunder. "Would that I had dinner here already." He nods to him, leaning back, folding his hands on the table.

Lothos nods, "Well, thats likely the most we can ask of you. Time to consider and find truths." He slowly stands up, making a bow. "We respect you taking the time to speak with us."

Kiroth looks to Sunder, "And what makes you think that Arendt would be a better steward of the magical items that the wizards have then the wizards themselves. Arendt would use the wizards, their magic and their magical items to just bring more war. Arendt has made an enemy of them when perhaps if he were more truthful in his wish to take on the undead dragon he might have gained more allies. The undead dragon is too much for one nation to take on alone. I am glad you will reflect on this. Thank you for speaking with us." He stands and looks to the others, "If we are ready to leave?"

"Glory is not always to be shared," says Sunder to Kiroth, quietly, "And the wizards, well... I think we know what we think of wizards. I sympathize with his position, even if much of wht you said remains concerning." Sunder rises to his feet, slowly, the earth trembling beneath all of you as he does.

Zoob steps back from the table with one last pat. "Thanks mister Elemental, you make a good table. I bet you make a good everything else you want too."

Stjepan rises after Sunder rises, making room for the elementals to reform. He nods. "It was good to talk to you, thank you for taking the time."