No Plan Survives A Meeting

The Residence, afternoon

Rain patters down on the house built into the mountain, not far from the Temple of Vardama. Stone construction means it shrugs off the weather with naught to show, a resilience that matches the hearts and souls of those who live here, both permanently and those who are guests.

Seated out on the covered porch is an elegant half-elf who is gradually getting back up to full speed. A book sits in Telamon's lap, paged through slowly, as he reaches over to pick up a talltankard and sip from it. His brows furrowed in concentration and study, his expression resolute. Dressed in a surprisingly familiar ensemble -- white ruffled silk shirt, leather trousers, and boots -- he seems completely unfazed by the weather as the raindrops sprinkle down.

Pointed this way by friends of Telamon's, or perhaps just people of his organization, Harkashan has taken a cozy stroll. In a ways, he's glad Telamon isn't hanging around in the temple. In a ways, the ways of worship are quite a bit different between Sith-makar and the people near Alexandria. And it would not be the first time someone decided to get stodgy about naming.

The crimson Sith-makar lifts a hand on approach, showing he is friend. Making sure that he is well visible before he gets close. After all, with the dangers afoot these days, even a few extra seconds to spot a visitor can mean a great deal of difference.

"Sir Telamon." Harkashan rumbles, once closer by to the covered porch. He himself is wet, wearing no coverings and not particularly trying to cover himself from the rain either. It just glides down his scales without too much trouble.

"I wished to speak to you on matters of Totems and Wolves." He bids. "May I join you?"

Telamon glances up suddenly, his eyes glimmering with that faint, far-off starlight. Then he relaxes subtly, and smiles. "Of course, my friend. How is Leirune? Our... sojourn to Quelynos raised more questions than answers, but at least there was -something- we could do to guide her."

Rising to his feet, Telamon looks thoughtful. "Let's at least take this indoors. Such a discussion shouldn't occur out on a porch, even with the rain coming down." He opens the door, leading Harkashan into the dwelling.

"Leirune is well, thank you for asking." Harkashan takes a moment to look at the man's eyes. He'd seen the star-patterns many times before. But he has to wonder if it's a particular place in the stars, reflected in this man's gaze.

He waits for the door to open, and will head on inside. Seating himself if suggested taking a seat, and welcoming water if a drink were to be offered.

"I think right now, she's perhaps a bit apprehensive, since I'm about to take her into Am'shere. But I think she will make it through."

The half-elf bustles around, assisted by an unseen servitor that follows in his wake like an invisible extra pair of hands. Towels to dry the sith-makari, followed by a large tankard of clear water. Soon, the two are settled in the parlor with their refreshments, seated in front of the fireplace that banishes the rainy chill of outside.

"Am'shere," Telamon repeats. "I admit I've not been there. I've been to Mictlan, but of course that's not the same. I assume you're continuing to follow the trail left by her mother. Well... I wish you luck, and if you need assistance please don't hesitate to ask."

"Now, regarding wolves and totems... there have been some developments, of which I'm not sure you've heard about."

Dried off, drink at the ready, towels under his butt so that he doesn't drip anything else on the seats, Harkashan sits across from the fireplace. There's something rather comforting, being in a place like this with a running flame. He quiets, listening to the embers, watching the naked flame itself.

"No... this is not a trail left by her mother." Harkashan answers Telamon a bit more gravely. "I... do not recall if I told you. But I am having problems with my memories. Enough so that I've started to write things down." His brow furrows a bit as he says this. Taking a drink, fire reflecting in his eyes.

"What's more, my body's scales... they burn from time to time. When I awoke from that Nightmare, it was to an upset Rune, and a burning pillow. I am going there to seek out the Keepers and fire out what is going on with my body." He pauses for a moment. "And deal with a human who has decided to make a mess and fled to Am'shere."

He quiets for a bit, letting those words hang in the air for a bit, before the focus draws o Wolves and Totems. "Please, if you could. I'd like to hear about those developments. The last I heard was the matter of the lovers, Micha and N'thain, and what occurred to turn your house upside down."

Telamon sits back in his chair, steepling his fingers, settling one foot on his knee as he regards Harkashan. "The problem with your scales -might- be an expression of what my family calls 'talent'. Magic, sorcery. A minor expression, an aspect perhaps. Usually major expressions occur a lot sooner, typically in adolescence or close to it." He sighs. "But the question of your memories... that I can't help you with. Other than to pray for you to find a solution."

His eyes glitter at the mention of a human making a mess. "He fled -to- Am'shere? I can't tell if that person is brave or foolish. Still... the problem might resolve itself. One can hope, anyways."

He takes a deep breath. "Well. Following Marsward Seraquoix's rather petty little temper tantrum, Lana and I took refuge with the Temple of Eluna. We soon moved here to Verna and Auranar's house -- they are sisters-by-bond, and sworn family -- until our own house is rebuilt." He pauses. "Lana and Verna underwent a communing with Verna's divine patron, Vardama. We learned... several things. Including that the portal sustaining the Red Maw is not powered by a totem but by some other device, that the portal and the werewolf camp are now in the same place, and that Zinskas hates Seraquoix so much I believe he seeks our help to dethrone his rival."

"Hrrrm. Perhaps. For me, since I went through the Awakening while still in Am'shere, perhaps it's just an transformation of a similar kind." He bids to Telamon. "After all, the magics here near Alexandria are strange. And with the Leylines acting up..." He shakes his head, motioning his hand. "It's not what I came here for." He decides.

"And yes. He fled to Am'shere, because he knew he'd be caught here. We know he had ties to an Exiled Sith-Makar in Am'shere. I suspect there is more to it than that. But that's where we are at, at the moment." He chimes in quickly on the run-away noble though.

He finally and properly turns to look Telamon's way again, perhaps drawn by that sparkle in his eyes.

"That's..." He sighs.

"That's a lot. And that has certainly blown much of what I wanted to talk about out of the water." He admits. "Still, Zinkas has a Totem. And last I recall, he is of Charn. I fear that if you work alongside him, I may... have to excuse myself from such acts." He warns. "That's not to say I do not wish to sabotage Marsward and his pack, but aligning with Zinkas to do it is out of the question for me. Especially considering that out of everyone, he's the one more likely to be able to work with that big summoning circle underneath Alexandria." He points out.

The half-sil sorcerer snorts, and lifts his talltankard. "Oh, Harkashan. Why don't I set your mind at ease? Do I look like a man who is fool enough to -trust- this low-life purveyor of destruction and madness?" Telamon's smile is a hard, cold thing. "The last time I saw Zinskas, he had -narrowly- escaped death at my hands. Had the Red Maw been a little slower to dispel my magic, Zinskas would be filing his reports from the Halls."

"No, I sense some desperation here. With Zalgiman dead and unlikely to return, Seraquoix and Zinskas are struggling over who has mastery -- over the Red Maw, and over the portal, and over their lycanthropic minions." Tel takes another sip of tea. "There will be no 'alliance'. I won't rule out some bizarre event where Zinskas forswears his path in exchange for mercy, but I find it highly unlikely."

He gives Telamon a harder look than his bemusement perhaps deserves. Slowly drinking from the waters.

"I do not smile when it comes to matters of Charn, Telamon." He instead answers rather gravely. "Though it is a pity that Zinskas escaped your grasp once already." He takes in a deeper breath, then exhales again.

"The Werewolf Camp is where the portal is. I do not know where the portal is." Harkashan points out. "But also, how does this tie into Blue Moon Ale? Is that also where the portal is?" He asks.

"I've been trying to come up with ways to draw out Marsward and Zinskas both. One by threatening his operation, or infiltrating it. The other, by exposing a fake Totem, created by the Dreaming." He explains why he'd originally come here.

"But from what I am to understand, Zinskas is exposed. What's more, he would not come to you if he was not in the least advantageous position - or has pressure coming on him from above. That suggests that Marsward is the most dug in. And with Marsward's specific ability to command lycanthropic transformation, he is the one most positioned to bring an army to bear on us." He's just talking out loud as he thinks.

"We -did- manage to steal his totem. A partial victory." Telamon regards Harkashan with that fathomless gaze. "There may come a day when you cannot claim a total victory, not without risking far more than you care to lose. Sometimes it's wiser to simply claim what you can, then return another day."

"That being said, the camp -- and the portal -- are in the Vast. Guarded by the Red Maw, unfortunately. That will require a bit more planning to strike than just scattering these werewolves." Tel's eyes grow thoughtful. "But perhaps... perhaps we can play a different card. One Seraquoix does not expect." His fingers begin to tap at his knee, his expression thoughtful. "Creatures like Seraquoix do not grasp friendship, or kindness. They may use such things as tools to lure a soul down a dark path, but they do not understand them."

Tel glances over, seeing movement at the door. A small creature of mottled fur and bright golden eyes has padded in, peering curiously. "Hello, Hunter. Don't be afraid," he says to the kitten, beckoning. As he does, he looks back to Hark. "Blue Moon Ale was... well, is, Seraquoix's recruitment scheme. They lure in men who are down on their luck, whose lives have taken a hard turn into troubled waters. And they turn them to lycanthropy."

GAME: Harkashan rolls KNowledge/Geography: (3)+3: 6

GAME: Harkashan rolls Handle Animal+2: Trained Use Only: 0

The Vast. He's familiar with its place on the world map, but he's never been there. There's this sudden biting hiss of a sound from Harkashan. This momentary huff from him, as something seems to drift past his mind. But as he tries to grab at it, it slips through his fingers. Like paper being ripped from between fingers, leaving behind a burning sensation.

It takes him a moment to recover. A slight touch to his head, before he takes a drink. Cooling the heat within. The fire within his blood.

"So... two totems remain then."That's where the math had been off?

Harkashan then tilts his head as Telamon speaks of friendship and things he doesn't understand.

Looking at the kitten coming in, he watches it for a bit. Leaning down. Making a rumbly titter of a sound, trying to draw the feline towards him.

"Right." He then remarks regarding Blue Moon Ale. "But an army of five-thousand... his supply-chain must be severely stretched. Not to mention, there is another issue he will be facing without proper organization."

He looks to Telamon. Friendship. He remembers something. "The Sith-makar are a tribal people. We have learned that groups larger than about a hundred-fifty... that's when tribes break down. They stop knowing eachother anymore. Marsward may be a man of charisma, but he <must> employ generals or leaders. Or it all breaks down too rapidly."

Telamon looks sour. "Three. One in the hands of an fiend, one that -was- in Zalgiman's hands and I think it was given to Zinskas. And one in Seraquoix's possession. Still, that's one less than they had before we raided Zinskas." He watches Harkashan with some concern, noting the body language, the uncertainty.

Hunter notices it too, and sniffs at Harkashan's fingertips suspiciously, tail switching back and forth as the small animal regards the much larger makari. While the kitten makes friends, Tel takes the opportunity to pick up the thread.

"My guess is that Seraquoix is installing puppets into the non-werewolf lycanthrope tribes, those he doesn't somehow overawe into following him. But you're absolutely right. I can't imagine he's read up on various books of governance, and even with his magical acumen -- he's a witch, after all -- there's only so many hours in the day to manage things." He scratches his chin thoughtfully. "Even ruling as a cult of personality, that sort of structure is incredibly fragile."

"Ah, so you took Zinskas', and then he got a new one. No wonder the number is confusing." Harkashan rumbles.

He then draws his other hand back into a small satchel, taking out some dried raw meat, and offers it for Hunter to snack on. Quickest way to a cat's heart... through their stomach.

"Right. Like Micha - or was it N'thain? One of them is a Weretiger. I believe to recall." He notes, looking aside. Harkashan grumps a bit, he hates not remembering details like that.

"Aye. So... we destabilize his control. We don't go after Seraquoix. Micha will no doubt know some of his lieutenants. Some of them have to be in charge of Blue Moon Ale as well in order to keep recruiting going the way it needs to. Some have to be in charge of his supply lines to keep five-thousand hungry werewolves fed. We start taking them in. Not killing them... arresting them." He pauses for a moment.

"We learn from them where the next one is using magic. Marsward - as you have seen - is very hands on. He cannot take his army into Alexandria. He would have done so by now. So, he'll come, thinking he can free his lieutenants. Knowing he must do so, or be exposed. So... that is where we strike. Plucking away his lieutenants until he shows. Maybe miss Cor'lana and her new gift of sight can help find his Scarab. And until he shows, in that meantime, we cause chaos amongst the ranks by taking down his 'rulers'."

"It's my guess. I admit I may be wrong. The totems are damnably hard to track -- among their virtues is that not even the gods can locate them, and they can't be scried upon." Telamon's eyes are hard, but thoughtful. "But yes. Both Micha and N'thain are weretigers. And I can't imagine all of their ilk -- to say nothing of the other skin-shifters -- are pleased to be following Seraquoix. Setting off a revolt in his ranks might keep him off base and distracted."

He watches Hunter happily pounce on the meat, batting it around before gnawing on it contentedly. "The more I think about this the more I like it. As much as I really, really want to destroy Seraquoix... kicking out the support structures that keep his little army upright appeals to me." His eyebrows rise at 'arresting them', but then Hark continues the thought, and the sorcerer grins widely.

"Oh, you clever fellow. Seraquoix may opt to sacrifice those lieutenants, you know. But he'll still need to replace them. And leadership, well... that's not something you can buy or teach."

"You saw how possessive he was over Micha, N'thain..." Harkashan offers to Telamon. "You are right, it's very possible that he sacrifices them. That just gives us more time to turn them on him." He offers. "After all, you have to assume those Lieutenants are ones that have gained the trust and following of his people. So if he doesn't come, at least they give us additional options."

He leans back, giving Hunter a bit more meat, before sitting upright proper.

"What can you tell me about the Charnite? I know the fiend is too far beyond my ken. But the Charnite must wish for Marsward's totem. Just killing Marsward probably would not be enough. But... I don't think he's foolish enough that we can tell him we got Marsward and his Totem, and draw him out. How strong is this Zinskas? What stops us from setting up a meeting with him and just... taking him on? Since he's so desperate?"

Telamon inclines his head. "Such is the nature of tyrants -- regardless of their ilk. And I wonder sometimes... there was a werewolf we saved, Gustov. He now resides in an Elunite monastery, but someone tried to force him to kill himself. At the time we thought it was the Nightmare itself, but... knowing Seraquoix's powers, I wonder if it was him."

"In regards to Zinskas, I believe him to be a priest of Caracoroth the Nightmare. Moderately skilled at the very least, and reasonably intelligent. This meeting he seeks with Cor'lana -- he wants to do it in a dreamscape, presumably so he can evade any attempt to, well, dispose of him." Tel frowns. "As much as I wouldn't mind seeing him dead, I don't think we should kill him -yet-. If he's fighting with Seraquoix over control of the Red Maw, we don't want to remove that inconvenience from Seraquoix. Not until we've closed the portal."

"It is." The Sith-makar agrees. "I... hope that Gustov is alright." Tried to, suggests an attempt was made, and that the outcome was not decisive. But there is a large bridge between 'alright' and 'alive'.

Harkashan then lets out a bit of a huff of a sound. "At least Zinskas is smart enough not to meet you face to face." He ponders for a moment on some things, touching a claw to his cheek. "So... I have an idea on that." Harkashan then adds.

"Damage in the dream transfers. But from what I've learned, so do items. The Totem he carries will be warded. So will he, no doubt, from divination. He is a priest of Caracoroth. But..."

A slight smirk. "What if you could pocket a dream object on him? Something simple. Something that will just as easily drop. A tread, a hair. Something he unknowingly takes back with him, and allows you divine <its> position?"

He admits; "I do not know if such would work. I agree that it may be wise to deal with Marsward first. But do remember, he's been using cultists to build an army of fiends. And summoned fiends will not have the weaknesses amongst their numbers like Marsward does. In earnesty... I think Zinskas is the more dangerous one on the long term."

Telamon considers the angle. "It's... interesting. I mean, I'd love to test this, if nothing else. With a sufficiently strong act of will, you can draw items -out- of the dreamscape. But..." He thinks. "Let me test the idea first, with Lana and Dolan. I like the idea, I'm just not sure we can 'mark' him like that." He smiles suddenly. "It'd be useful if we could."

"Father once told me to never interrupt an enemy making a mistake. And Seraquoix and Zinskas are making a large one fighting over the Red Maw. I don't want to take out Seraquoix first, necessarily -- I want to shut the portal down. That cuts back on the fiends, limits the Red Maw's power -- and possibly opens it up to banishment -- and denies Seraquoix reinforcements from the Nightmare's domain." He furrows his brow. "I worry that if we -- what's the term -- shorten one by a head? That the other will grab onto the Red Maw with both hands and throw it at us, and we won't be able to handle it."

"It is something far outside of my ability to test. So it's up to you, Lana and Dolan to try and run with." Harkashan answers Telamon, laying his hands in his lap for now.

A slow nod as the topic returns to the portal. To the 'device'. "Timing will be important. But I do not think we will be so lucky that this will go over smoothly. Overprepare, but let's be realistic about this. We will likely end up shortening one head, and the other will get away. We only have so many resources. And they have far more than us." The Sith-makar notes.

"I believe after that, we do what Adventurers reportedly do best..."

Looking into Telamon's eyes.

"Wing it."

Telamon just stares at Harkashan. "How on Ea do you know... never mind." He reaches up to rub the bridge of his nose. "We'll test it, hopefully before Lana has to meet with Zinskas. I don't worry about her as much as I just don't trust the bastard and I wouldn't put it past him to try something stupid. Which is why I'll be lurking in the dream as well."

"But yeah. Planning, as dull as it is, does prevent problems. I've never understood some adventurers' propensity for improvising. I mean, there's a time and place for it, but it's like relying on high-stakes games of whist for your retirement fund. It's just a -little- risky."

"Rune." Harkashan simply answers Telamon. "And occassionally merchants coming through Am'shere. But largely just... Rune." That should tell him more than enough.

He then begins to rise up, dropping another bit of meat for Hunter.

"And planning is wonderful. But I've seen Softskins get decision-paralysis because there are too many variables. It's good to have a plan, and a backup plan. But if you cannot improvise... what is the term?" He pauses for a moment, thinking about it.

"No plan survives a meeting with a Thunderlizard" <Draconic>

"For me, it's usually the belief that the opposition's schemes are more complex than they actually are. It's caused me trouble before." Telamon nods. "I'll examine this and see what I can do. If nothing else you've given me some ideas -- the work's not done yet, but there's also hope, and that's just as dangerous as swords in the right context."

He rises as Hark does, smiling at Hunter happily gorging himself on the dried meat. "Take care of yourself and Rune in Am'shere, friend. It's always good to see you -- someday, this -will- be done, and I'll throw the biggest damned party this city's ever seen."