Port Lorrel- Prison Break

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Jack Rothwell
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Re: Port Lorrel- Prison Break

Post by Jack Rothwell »

It wasn't a long trip for the half-elf to find Tim. He located the Priest at one of the Black guard outposts in the company of Sergeant Carlson and his men, conversing with the off-duty soldiers in a relatively friendly manner, although their were a few of the rougher mannered soldiers who were giving him sideways looks. At least Gabriel's knack for recognising talent had filtered out the people who would cause problems over Eli's appointment of a personal guard to his friend. They shuffled their feet but said nothing. As he entered he tipped a hand to the Brother and drew him away for a quiet word.

"Aleron's asked me to bring you to see him." He said in a low voice. "He's not the type to keep waiting, Brother. There are horses outside."

OOC Just giving Tim a chance to react to the distinctly 'non-optional' invitation he's just been extended. I'm aiming to bring this thread to a close after the meeting is concluded. We should be on for the merge after that./OOC
Alberich
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Re: Port Lorrel- Prison Break

Post by Alberich »

"Right," said Tim, coming along with alacrity, and waving farewell to some of his new acquainitances. He wasn't going to kick at this hint of heavy-handedness. A strong leader in even a good cause might act that way, and as these Ralkin were demon-worshipping tyrants wearing a mask, what else was to be expected? He would need all his calm and fortitude for the upcoming meeting.

As they left, he said asked how things had gone with Captain Darmain and his cargo. "The rumors are good, anyway," he said. "But you know rumors."
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Jack Rothwell
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Re: Port Lorrel- Prison Break

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"They're right this time, Darmain is dead and his crew was wiped out." Eli replied, foregoing any mention of the few survivors who'd been 'convinced' to join the Black Guard's cause. He felt Brother Tim would have fussed unnecessarily over the character of their new recruits. He focused on the unambiguously positive instead. "The slaves were freed with the Captain's money in their pockets, and the Black Guard gained a ship for a handful of losses." He smiled as he cast his mind back to the night before. "Did you hear about John Mirrilum's daughter? Our 'daring rescue of the fruit of a nobleman's loins from the hands of murderous thugs'?" He mimed quote marks as he told the news, it was a word-for-word declaration from a seller at a newstand he'd heard that morning after all. "A man of faith might call that providence, Brother."

The pair made a right turn onto the street where the old man was waiting. The townhouse was a plainer affair than the mansion of Logan's former business partner, but the accomodation was only temporary until a more suitable location for the altar and it's monstrous bodyguard could be found, (not that Eli had any intention of introducing the Priest to the twisted remains of Valja, a former Ralkin mage) but it was useful enough with the ambiguity of unremarkable appearance.

As they rode the half-elf tapped Tim's shoulder, then pointed to draw his attention to the unit of men keeping an eye on the house, sat around an al fresco table at a pub on the opposite side of the road.

"We'll be safe here, for the time being at least."
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Re: Port Lorrel- Prison Break

Post by Alberich »

Tim took in the news of the slavers' demise with pleasure. While he was sure these "Black Guards" were using good deeds as a cover for deep evil, yet he was glad to take pleasure in them. And indeed the Hand of Luminosita might be in it, on a deeper level than their demonic masters understood...

"I never doubted it," said Tim, and that was true. He'd seen more of Eli's current capabilites than Eli himself knew, and he himself knew a trick or two he hadn't when he'd left Umbertiel. It would take a determined assault with some powerful magic to finish off just them - let alone Eli's mysterious master.
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Jack Rothwell
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Re: Port Lorrel- Prison Break

Post by Jack Rothwell »

The entry into the townhouse was decidedly less dramatic than Eli's escort of Jack to Weatherby's home. The pair crossed the threshold of a simple oaken door and found themselves in the living quarters of a man of comfortable means. The old half-elf was waiting to greet them. He was sat in the confides of an armchair with his walking stick propped against it.

Tim saw what Eli saw when he'd first met the Ralkin leader, a thin man who appeared in his early-fifties, with the pale skin tone of an individual who hadn't seen much sun in the last decade. His high voice matched the narrowness of his features as he greeted his subordinate and their guest. There was, however, a definite feeling of power radiating from the man, strong enough to put a chill down the spine of the magically-sensitive.

"Well, he's no elf. I see that with clarity." Aleron hadn't bothered with the concealing hood this time, his clothing for the occasion was of pedestrian variety.

"He's trustworthy." Eli replied, leading his friend to a pair of chairs opposite the archmage.

"So you keep telling me, but trust is a hard commodity to come by in a city such as this." He turned his gaze to the Priest and addressed him in tones as mild as milk. "Is my subordinates faith in you well-placed Brother? He speaks highly of you, as you can see."
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Re: Port Lorrel- Prison Break

Post by Alberich »

"It's good of him," said Tim, "and yes it is - I don't betray my friends, which he is." That was as true as true could be - in fact, he was risking his life and his soul right now in the hopes of saving Eli's.

He went on, "I don't betray my Church, either." Maybe these demon-worshippers would want to corrupt him into doing so, with that headily seductive magic he'd tasted, and if so he'd have to seem to go along. But he wasn't going to hoist false colors right now.

Remembering what Eli had told him about the Ralkin's purposes, he added, "And I don't like elves. At all." Drusia's bullying in Goriel had only confirmed what his pious upbringing had taught him about those devil-eared demon-spawn. He didn't regret trying to spit in her face. He regretted only missing.
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Re: Port Lorrel- Prison Break

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Aleron smiled at the young man's apparent dislike of his pointy-eared relatives, he raised a palm in a placating gesture at Tim's declaration of loyalty to his religion, he'd expected nothing less.

"The Ralkin would never ask a man to turn his back on his theology to further our goals." He said. "Conviction is a quality my kind values. I give you my word that you'll never be put in a position where you'd be forced to choose between the Ralkin and your God. Yet we both have felt the yoke of oppression by those who style themselves as the masters of this world... those who feel elevated above the rest of us by virtue of magic and age."

"And view child-killing as a righteous action." Eli muttered.

"Which is why we need a contact within the church." Aleron continued, ignoring his student. "Who better to wake people up to the shackles of servitude we all wear than a man who represents the moral conscience of his people?" He leaned forward. "Would you be that instrument Priest? Would you aid people against those to seek to subjugate them? Make a difference that goes beyond a few comforting words, and prayers offered which so often go unanswered?"
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Re: Port Lorrel- Prison Break

Post by Alberich »

"Would you aid people against those to seek to subjugate them? Make a difference that goes both a few comforting words and prayers offered which often go unanswered?"

"That's exactly what I've come here to do," said Tim with conviction.

Of course he tallied the demon-worshipping Ralkin themselves under "those who seek to subjugate," and Eli as one of those he'd come to "aid" against such subjugation, but there was no need to point that out now. He believed the works of the Church were far more than "comforting words" and "prayers that go unanswered" -- but it was natural that a demon-slave would spout impious caricatures that denied the deeper purposes of faith and ritual, and there was no point debating that with him. What mattered was that what he hoped to accomplish went far, far beyond that. He went on --

"And I'm sure Eli has told you, that's why we fought shoulder to shoulder against slavers in this very city, the last time we were here together.

"Now right now, the Mission has limited my role to an ambassadorial one. I can't go around publicly endorsing your organization as if the Church were allied with you already. But I certainly can spend time with your people, as I hope to do, and carry back word, and look for the chance to accomplish more in the way of liberation."
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Re: Port Lorrel- Prison Break

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"That's all I ask." Aleron replied. "Although I hope your church will offer us public support in the future."

"Well, the pubic like Logan's organisation more with every passing day." Eli smiled. "Just wait til word of what we did to Captain Darmain spreads."

The old half-elf nodded and returned his attention to the Priest.

"There is one other piece of business... I understand my student has been showing you summoning magic, would you show me what you've learned?"

OOC I think a little demonstration followed by Aleron's offer of a lesson, then we draw the thread to a close?/OOC
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Re: Port Lorrel- Prison Break

Post by Alberich »

Tim nodded and moved quickly. He did not allow himself even a moment's reflection on what he was agreeing to do. With longed-for dread, he drew out a piece of chalk, bent over the nearest table, cleared his mind, and began to draw.

(Maybe the floor would've been more polite. But Tim was not going to kneel before this Aleron, at least not if he could help it.)

He was concentrating hard -- he'd worked to memorize the Silka charm so he could get rid of the diagram -- he made a false start or two, but eventually, he had it.

The right cast of mind was hard to summon up - but it was easier than it had been the last time. And he knew it would grow easier yet. He reached out mentally and also beckoned with his arm. "Come," he whispered, and in a moment - a Silka was perched in his palm. At least there were no girls here to squeak over how cute it was. The feel of this seductive magic stirred him sensually, even a little in his loins. He stroked the silka down the back with a finger, letting his link tell him where the caress felt right. This was far more alluring than anything that tattooed filth with Eli could've offered.

"This is as far as I've gotten," he softly spoke.

[OOC: Suits me!]
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