CH. 5: Vying Factions

[HorizonsDream]

"I've been off duty for a few days due to injuries," Kendra explains. "But I know people that are on the inside of the cult," she points out as she steps aside so that Darga isn't hiding behind her.

[JadedDM]

Haahqae and Gregeddin (Cult Warehouse, back room)
"I'll get the first candidate," Wedge says, and he departs. He returns a moment later with a dwarven woman wearing chain mail. She has two hand axes on her belt and a crossbow on her back. She has brown hair in braids, brown eyes, light skin and some kind of dwarf rune tattooed on her face.

"This is Raena," Wedge says. "What was your family name?"

She shakes her head and spits on the ground. "Don't have one."

Wedge shrugs and yields the floor to Haahqae and Gregeddin.

Raena.jpg (96.22 KiB) Viewed 8454 times

Kendra and Darga (Council Hall, Harbor District)
Silence fills the room. Finally, Elistan speaks. "What...exactly are you proposing then?"

[BishGada]

When Mad Marvin doesn't arrive, Tulbas understand his fellows haven't called him like he asked, but fearing the black robed mage might take advantage of the shop kept unguarded, he stays there and doesn't attempt a quick visit with the healer.

[Haahque]

"I always thought family names were useless anyhow. How far can you shoot that crossbow Raena?"

[djhyland]

Whether or not Kendra has stepped aside for him to speak or not, Darga screws up his courage to speak to such important people. Clearing his throat to stall, he finally says, "I dunno if we're tellin' ya nothin' ya don' know already, but as th' lady says, we wanted ta make sure ya weren't caught by surprise. I don' know what we kin do, even. But I been in their hideout, an' I seen what things they're gettin' ready. An' though they be feedin' th' refugees an' doin' some good, I don' trust 'em. An' if I kin help ta keep 'em from takin' over, I want ta do what I kin." Realizing that he's probably come off as a ranting madman, he flushes and falls silent, but does not step back.

[mgbevan]

Does Gregeddin recognise this dwarven lady as the same one from the masked dragon Inn the other day?

"Greetings Raena, I am Gregeddin, and Haahqae " the bard says while gesturing accordingly. "do you prefer to strike from shadows or get stuck in a full on brawl?"

[HorizonsDream]

"Well, I don't have a specific plan," Kendra said. "Capturing him would only cause another riot, so we need to find a way to get him and his followers out of town.

[djhyland]

"Ya know, they are plannin' ta go out an' fight that giant," offers Darga. "Could be th' guards at th' gates jes' don' let 'em back inside after they go out. I don' think that all o' them'll go out ta do so, but mebbe some a th' important ones might. An' mebbe enough o' them'll go that th' 'uns left'll be weakened?"

[JadedDM]

Haahqae and Gregeddin (Cult Warehouse, back room)

"I always thought family names were useless anyhow."

"Damn straight!" Raena agrees.

How far can you shoot that crossbow Raena?"

Raena pulls out her crossbow and looks at it appraisingly. "I once nailed a deer from a 120 yards away, right between the eyes," she says, tapping the bridge of her nose with her finger. "I imagine hitting something as big as a giant shouldn't be too hard."

"Do you prefer to strike from shadows or get stuck in a full on brawl?"

She shrugs. "I can do either, really. I'm pretty handy with my axes, and I have a pretty speed good advantage against big things, like ogres."

Kendra and Darga (Council Hall, Harbor District)
"It's possible," says Elistan. "How many are leaving? Unless it's several hundred, I doubt it will make much of a difference. Our recent reports tell us they have acquired over 2,000 followers. We, however, now have less than 20 Holy Guards in our employ remaining. We have prayed and argued and debated, but cannot find any recourse should they decide to turn on us. We've allowed the city to slip from our control."

"Hmm, yes, and who was it that argued we should let those thieving refugees into the city in the first place?" asks Locar. "This is all on your head, Elistan. Had you voted the other way, we wouldn't be in this mess now."

[HorizonsDream]

Kendra looks over to Locar for a moment, then crosses her arms over her chest. "Now really isn't the time to be placing blame on one another," she pointed out. "Many of those followers are actually from Haven." She glances down at the gully dwarf beside her for a moment. "The most important one is Darewind, and I doubt he is going to offer his services with the giant. I just wish there was a way to prove that he was a fraud."

[djhyland]

Darga scowls at Locar's words. Against his better judgement, he says "Th' refugees ain't th' problem. Th' refugees bein' treated like vermin's th' problem. Why d'ya think some o' them follow Darewind when he pretends ta care 'bout them an' th' likes a ya jes' want 'em gone?"

[JadedDM]

Kendra and Darga (Council Hall, Harbor District)
"How dare you!" Locar rages. "I am a Highseeker of Haven and will not be spoken to in such a manner, especially in our own council hall. I should have you both arrested on the spot!"

"Please," Elistan interrupts, "these are trying times, but we must not turn against each other." He directs this to both Locar and Kendra and Darga. "Exposing Darewind would give us a considerable advantage, as it did with the Belzorites. We suspect Darewind is using some kind of sorcery, but we have no way of proving this."

Haahqae and Gregeddin (Cult Warehouse, back room)
Raena looks nothing at all like the dwarf woman Gregeddin saw back in the Masked Dragon. She is someone else entirely. "So, am I in? What is this job paying, anyway?" she asks the two.

[HorizonsDream]

"Wouldn't you need another magic user of some kind to prove that he is false?" Kendra asks curiously. If that was the case, then she would have to talk to Tulbas.

[Haahque]

"I like her, what do you think Gregeddin? As for the pay, I don't know about any official pay, you'd have to ask the huntsman about that, but I do know that giants come from giant lairs, and giant lairs often hold such things as gold, magic items, and treasures of high quality. You'd get a fair share in that stash when we kill it."

[mgbevan]

"Agreed, I also think that she would be a valuable addition to the team. Indeed, your fair share is all we can promise, there is also the satisfaction of helping the people of haven and refugees not being terrorised and crushed and so on." Gregeddin says in turn.