Karl turned as he heard the door swing open. He watched as the tall man stepped aside and an older woman rolled in on her wheelchair. She was obviously the leader of their pack. It was an... Interesting choice. The She-Wolf was clearly one of wisdom for her pack to follow her with such devotion. He bowed his head respectively as she approached. "Aye, that is my name. I'm sorry to say that I do not know yours." He replied in an equally polite tone, giving the respect that another leader deserved. There was no reason to sow contempt amongst people. "Care to give yours? Have you business with me?" Glynda tsked at Roxanne's words and shook her head. This would be Roxanne. One of the more... Traumatised Nephilim. Titania had kept her well informed of her deeds. "No Roxanne, you won't be cutting me open like you've been doing to downworlders." She replied sweetly. Just because she was the emissary and had the necessary respect for them, that didn't mean that she was going to pull punches and withhold key information. "And I doubt you could touch me if you tried. I'm here to talk, not fight you." The Inquisitor's fists clenched and the knuckles turned white. Luce... Dead? And Yorick... He was gone. He didn't feel at all bad for the traitor and he felt that justice was served to a certain extent. And yet... He gritted his teeth. Luce being killed was shocking, and he regretted not taking the time to try to cut her loose. Not cutting even one of them loose. Did that mean that she killed all of her prisoners? All of them that she took? He glared darkly at the Emissary, until she mentioned something about Roxanne. He turned to her, fire in his eyes. "Is this true?" He demanded. He turned back to Glynda. "Hand Yorick over, now! And give me a reason not to shoot you where you stand." He raised the Contender and pointed it at her. To her credit, the Fae knew when it was best to step back. When the gun was pointed at her, she raised her hands. Of course, they had no idea that she could still work her magic doing that, but it was comforting for them she supposed. "I'm the only person in the Seelie Court standing between the Queen and destroying you. And there is no point in shooting the messenger, because that is what I am." She explained calmly. "Yorick, go to them. Return to your people and face trial by the Inquisitor." She watched them both carefully. She had to make sure that she got out of this alive. Hopefully when they saw the message, they'd get the impression that she wasn't entirely loyal to Titania. While she was most certainly thankful for the position, the current climate around unnerved her and it was best to show that she was at least not on her side fully. To cover her own bases of course.
Derrick shrugged and grinned at the comment. "Nothing new there then. I just can't get away from them. And hey, I've got to make sure that my armour is good. So what if it's stylish too?" He had the good sense to actually start behaving seriously when she was discussing the next step with him. Looking around him, he could feel the tension in the air. It was like a drawn bow, string taut and ready to be loosed at any moment. Depending on who he looked at, it was different. Some kept their heads down and rushed through the roads, others strode purposefully around as if they were on the hunt. He frowned. It was a bad atmosphere. "You're right... I'm good for supplies. That was another part of my shopping trip. We can get going now if you want." He looked up at the grey skies with the gently falling snow. "Not that the weather is good for travel. If this snow holds it's going to be impossible to get to the Kaer, the pass might be blocked by the snow and we'll be stuck." If there were weather gods, he cursed them all. "But it is March. Maybe it won't stick." He sighed. "It's up to you. If we want to run the risk of weather then let's be off, because something doesn't feel right here." "Fine, this Sigmund sounds like our only real chance. Lead the way. Time is short." Adolin instructed both of them, as he didn't know which of them actually knew the way. He made sure to look at Seth more, because Tessa didn't seem overly knowledgeable about Novigrad so he presumed she didn't know. "On the way, tell me about him. I want to know what he's like and who he is before I meet him. No more surprises." The army was moving well, making good time towards the castle. General Godyvron was most satisfied. He turned to the Witcher who rode with him and the command staff. "So, tell me what you know of this... Mage. We'll need to be fully informed when we're taking the fight to him." He requested. Meanwhile further down the army, Ardal watched Gordron struggling to stay on the horse and sighed. If he actually got into battle then it was going to be a rough time for the boy. He doubted that he'd actually stay seated, let alone survive. Further ahead, the first scouts arrived at the castle. It was a dilapidated stone structure, much what they knew to expect from a Northern castle. They could see signs of movement from inside - It was clearly occupied and they most curiously saw a lone woman at the gate. The two scouts frowned as they spotted this, but wheeled their horses around and rode at full speed for the rest of the force. They were close now and they just needed to complete their march and the siege could begin.
lol We probably want something better than Cal stealing CDs but yes XD And I don't think that hard lynching is necessarily ideal, but making sure that we hammer someone we want to is better than getting one of us randomly killed. Wholeheartedly agree, said it in fewer words than I would have. Judging by this response, I don't think that there's much more to be gained from keeping pressure on KH530. That's the response we've gotten, and I'm willing to say that I'm not super suspect of the low activity because he was elsewhere. Although, I do expect you to now take an active role in discussion @Kingdom Hearts530 when you can since you're now back. ##Unvote: Kingdom Hearts530 This does leave us with a question of who we're going to press next. Judgement day is tomorrow unfortunately so we don't have too much time.
As both myself and Midnight have said, we don't need any more. In fact, I specifically said that midnight should be the third and final accuser, which has happened. We're not pressuring too much. There's three of us which is significant, but not threatening. Me being snarky was me expressing that Blaine really ought to have read and then he wouldn't have had to level an accusation. Bad tell there I'm afraid. Still, it's good analysis which will be useful later on when we can discuss today's lynch result (or not lynch as the case may be) and whoever it killed tonight. Also, I'm not entirely sure why you are taking an issue with Mish's choice either. Mish's choice is an inactive person on the list. Midnight encouraged someone to be voted for pressure, and he was simply following through. Of course, there could be an ulterior motive but that goes for everyone here right now. As it's Day One, I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt and mark down actions for future consideration. In fact, if you think that Midnight has a good reason to vote then Mish's choice should be just as valid because it's based on the same logic. Defence noted and kept for future reference. Somewhat in agreement with Cal, but she's a very aggressive analyst. Benefit of the doubt presently being given. And yes, I'll try to keep things reasonable.
Read. Generally, I think it's actually a very good reason. What Midnight is saying here makes an awful lot of sense. In a game like Mafia where it's about determining who or what people are depending on what they say and how they react, it's very important to see how people react to things like getting voted up. We've got a couple of days to build up a case on people so we had best make the most of that time. The fact is, Day One we have no information to use. That is why getting information is necessary. And Mixt, thank you for the corrected timer. It takes 8 to kill which means that currently we satisfy 3/8. This is not a dangerous number by any stretch of the imagination. What this is, is pressure. And since the implication hasn't sunk in, once we've got pressure we can happily unvote as we see fit. Which I imagine we will unless they remain silent. But I will reiterate this because it is important. If nobody is chosen, the lynch is random i.e. we cannot control who it will be. That is why I'd say on the 29th or even the 30th we should come to a consensus on who it is going to be. For now, there is little to be concerned about in terms of Midnight's behaviour. What she's doing has been done in games past and there's a decent reasoning behind it. And remember it was Mish who chose Kingdom Hearts530 on the basis of them being a quiet person on the list. This isn't a bad decision because they're quiet and we have to get people talking otherwise we have nothing to base a judgement off in the future. What Midnight just said is very much what we need to do. The most inactive person must be the person we choose to lynch today, because it gets rid of an unknown factor. We may also choose to pressure other inactives. That I will leave to everyone else's discretion, but right now information is power and we as the town need as much of it as possible. And @Blaine , I'd change tack right about now. If you're going to insist on Midnight being suspicious based on her advocating pressure on another player and actively ignoring that she wasn't the person who placed the first vote, then one might be tempted to accuse you of being mafia yourself. You're trying rather hard to put Midnight down when she's not the only one who voted. What do you have to say about Mish? Or my own vote against the presently accused for that matter? Are you suspicious of us by the same token?
I agree with the logic of the choice, it's just a case of which quiet person to choose. What I wanted to add in my last post but forgot to, @Makaze would you be so kind as to add a Hard Lynch threshold on the front page where we can easily see it? That would just make it a little easier for everyone to see what it is later one when there's few members. And yes, no more votes.
lol no I'm afraid. Assuming you're trolling a bit there. Politics gets me riled up and I'll go on for a long time about it. And as a result, I second this motion. Probably a good idea. We've only got a limited time until the day ends so let's make the most of what we've got. As to the first point, it's about seeing how they react in general. Whatever the reaction is will give us something and given that the person that Mish chose has spoken thus far it isn't an unreasonable choice as it's getting someone into the conversation. Bear in mind that it was also explicitly stated that a proper lynch was not planned. What might be worth suspecting is a train building up because that's far beyond the requirements as it stands right now. I agree that it's a little odd that Mish didn't have much of a response, though I equally question the overall necessity of a full length reply when a simple follow up of the idea would suffice. Some people aren't as verbose as you or I. This could be the case with Mish, who so far hasn't posted enough for us to be able to judge her style. And your concerns over Midnight while not necessarily groundless may also be an overreaction. Remember, this is Day One and someone who could be a Mafioso trying to guide the town could equally be a townie leading the charge against the Mafia and trying to energise the game. At the moment, I'm not overly concerned about Midnight because I don't think there's enough of a basis but it's always worth keeping such a suspicion in mind. And would you look at that, Midnight posted midway through mine. We concur on the hard lynch front. What I will say is this - Even though we don't intend a lynch to happen a post from someone new reacting to being voted up is still valuable. Even if there's not a massive threat behind it, there's still an element of fear that can be produced by being singled out. We won't get a hard knee jerk, but what we get could even be a little more valuable. It's important to understand the dispositions of people which we might get to understand. With this in mind, I propose that ONE more person votes them up along with myself and Mish and that is it. I'd go so far as to say that Midnight, it should be you because this scheme was of your devising and it would be a little strange if you did not follow up on your own plan. ##Vote: Kingdom Hearts530 Also, I would like to remind you all of a stipulation in the rules. If we do not come to a conclusion on who to lynch ourselves, or we do not vote for a No Lynch, then one of us will be chosen randomly. Unless we decide not to lynch anyone, we need to carefully decide who it is we do choose. My personal recommendation would be anyone inactive before the end of the night, should they exist. Someone silent is infinitely less useful than someone vocal.
Don't even get me started, I'll be here all day about how disappointed I am with all of that business.
Oooh, could be worse I guess. Shame about the France and the Belgium game, but at least they beat Italy.
It was surprising, but in our house we're actually kind of alright with it because my dad got Iceland in the office sweepstake so he's actually better off. Anyway, good luck and have fun everyone. As a lot have people have said, day one starts out pretty dull so we'll have to wait until tomorrow to see what happens.
Count me in.
That sounds rough, good luck and I hope you make it through everything okay. In the words of the King of Conquerors, glory lies just beyond the horizon! You'll make it through : )
"Come back? Where did hego?" Corvo looked at them seriously. Where could he have gone that was possibly more important than with his parabatai? From what he understood of Aethelrick, he was very fond of Cyr- Hendrick. "And I agree. Hendrick, can I leave you to deal with the sweeping the Institute? You've got a better chance with anyone here than I do. After all, I was up until now very much considered your enemy." He nodded to what Roxanne said. "That's fine, we'll see what we can do. If there's nothing, then I suppose that we had better move on as fast as possible. After all, we don't want anyone to -" "Hello! Shadow Hunters! Would you kindly come outside and talk?" Corvo looked at the door, then back at the two other Nephilim in the room. "Apparently we're out of time..." The Inquisitor drew his Contender and opened the door slowly. Outside stood a golden haired Fae woman in a red dress, smiling politely. Next to her, to his shock, stood Yorick. He pointed the gun at her and called inside to Roxanne and Hendrick. "We have a situation out here!" He looked back at her. "You. What are you doing with Yorick?" She really, really wished that the Seelie Queen didn't make him move so much like some sort of undead creature from a human movie. She couldn't help but scowl as the old Nephilim shuffled along. She couldn't have left him with just a bit more... Capability? Well, this was a hopelessly lost cause. She didn't look forward to explaining this to anyone. She was well aware that the Inquisitor of the Nephilim had appeared in town recently and she was aware enough of his character and he was going to be a tough person to handle. When they arrived at the Institute, she stopped a short distance away from the door and bade Yorick to stand next to her, She called out, not sure as to how to otherwise get their attention. She cast a spell on herself, giving her a protective layer of ice just in case the situation became unpleasant. She enjoyed the cool that it gave her. "Hello! Shadow Hunters? Would you kindly come outside and talk?" The reaction was faster than she expected and Corvo, their Inquisitor appeared. And he was holding a gun. She gave him a polite smile and waited while he called in for the others. How many others? He wasted no time in addressing her. "Good afternoon Inquisitor. As Emissary, the Seelie Queen has asked me to bring Yorick to you, with whom you may do as you wish. Regrettably, he is not as he was. The Queen's magic has taken his mind away from him. I am not sure why she believed that to be necessary to be truthful with you." "Is that right? Is that all you want Emissary?" The Inquisitor gave her a hard glare. "No, I have also come to inform you of something else. Luce Hemmingway was killed by the Queen after capturing her, and demands that you hand over Brienne and Rhett." She gestured for Yorick to step forward and began to use a little magic. A message appeared in ice on his back, unseen to Corvo and the others in the Institute. "We're still free now my friend, and I'll keep us free. I don't like the idea of bowing before the others any more than you do. We'll deal with the Fairies the Alpha's chosen. They might think that they can take us now but once we're all united then it's a whole other story." He took a small comfort in that Hestia wasn't out for their blood but actually watching their backs. He wasn't overly surprised about the news of Yuri. He would have been surprised if the Vampire King actually had got involved, and more so if it were on their side. And the Fae... That was a bad sign. Worse, the fact that the Nephilim had withdrawn. That wasn't normal by any stretch of the imagination. Certainly back home in Norway, they didn't just stop. But the final news, was the most interesting. "Now I've never heard of that happening before. I don't imagine that's gonna be pretty. I feel bad for 'em, but then again that's good for us in a way. If we're welcoming, we might just be able to get the Shadow Hunters on our side. Might be nice if the fairies start breathing down our necks a little too hard."
They parted ways after making the sale at the apothecary and he went out to sort a few things out. Notably, with the haul from the monster and the coin he had on his person he was able to purchase some new chest armour. It was a reasonably good set, and while he would miss his old cuirass that he ordered, specifically fitted for him, this didn't seem too bad and he could still reuse some of the armour. He managed to knock the price down a little further by adding in some of the arm plates that no longer really fitted with the new piece. Now, he wore a red leather jacket with his shoulder pauldrons over the top and beneath, a short mail shirt sewn into leather at the edges and striped with leather running down the shirt. Below that, he had his old gambeson. He had his old gauntlets on and he still wore the plated boots and knee guards from before. While it wasn't quite as protective as his previous chestplate, it'd do nicely and he was already thinking of ways to add to it whilst keeping the general aesthetic. Next time he brought something into town he'd put the money into getting some metal plates to tie across his chest to provide a little more protection. And to look cool. Part of being a Witcher was looking the part. By the time he was done, the weather had turned and dark clouds hung over the sky. Claps of thunder boomed across the city as little white flakes of snow drifted down from the sky, each a precious little creation before falling on to a muddier, much less precious patch of ground in the not at all precious city of Novigrad. He walked the streets, enjoying the cool touch of the snow on his face and thought it a nice change from hot blood, whether it be his or someone (Or something) else's. He thought about their next move. Kaer Morhen was a distance away and it'd be a long journey. By the time they got there, he had no idea whether Veceslav, or Alastar or any of the others would actually be there. Vec usually stuck around, so maybe they'd find him but it was a long shot that they'd find Alastar. Knowing him, he might come looking for Treasa. Thinking of the devil, he spotted her coming towards him as he made his way towards a nearby bridge. The sound of flowing water often helped him think, but it looked like that was off the table. He gave a little wave as they drew closer. "Like the new look?" He asked with a smile. "You all done here Treasa? If so, I suppose we ought to think about our next move." Adolin considered the question and grimaced. No luck, and they were running out of time. They only had a couple of hours now before everything got started so they had to make a move on. They'd burned most of the afternoon. A storm had come, and snow was falling. Perhaps the sound would be a little distracting for the guards so they might not hear a crowd on the move coming if it came to that, but he'd rather get everything done subtly. He was despairing as to what to do, now that the only people who knew this city were gone. How were they to know who was a Doppler and not? He could shift into Carrak of Cintra and use the Medallion to find out, but beyond that he didn't see much else working. "For now - Meet back up with Seth. Then, we'll just find who we can and leave this city before the killing starts. And if people are already leaving, then let's see whether we can gather any of them up into any sort of cohesive group." He replied, leading Tessa back to the inn where they had organised to meet up. When they arrived, a while later, they found Seth outside in an alleyway to the side. He ducked into a quickly. "No luck on your part either. Finding them is out of the question. Do you think this Sigmund you mentioned will help? If not, then it's up to us to do something." He posed the question to the pair. The general smiled at the Witcher. "Not only am I aware of the threat, but I am also moving into to deal with it promptly. If you look outside, you'll notice that I am leading a reasonably sized force to deal with this mage." He responded in a heavily accented voice and stood up. "Time is wasting and the men are ready to move out. Care to ride with us, Witcher?" In the meantime, as the thunder roared and snow gently fell, the Nilfgaardian army moved into position. It was a mighty procession of soldiers, all in ranks marching forth in uniform black. Banners depicting the Great Sun hung in the air like beacons of hope, heralding the salvation coming to the land at the hand of the Nilfgaardian Empire. He rode near the front of the column, but not at the very front. They had scouts riding around the area at all sides to keep an eye out. It paid to be careful. Corporal Ardal aep Skellen rode further back in the line, a frown etched across his face. He was not happy, to say the very least. His parents in law had been killed before he had got the chance to even meet them, and the tragic part of it was that they were just about to try to make that connection. Now the girl he loved was in an even worse state than before. Her parents were dead, and she hadn't even been able to say goodbye. Her brother Gordon was barely a man, and he seemed just as distraught. But his attitude was different. "Ardal, can I come with you?" The boy had asked quietly. He shook his head firmly, there would be no more dead Buttles while he could avoid it. "This is a military operation Gordon. I can't let you come with me." Ardal had told him, but he wouldn't listen to him. "I want to see the people that killed my parents, and my friends." "I want to avenge them." "I've got to do this, for both of us." There were a variety of justifications, but he wasn't having any of it. He knew that if Gordon actually got into a fight, then he would almost certainly die. But, Matilda got involved. "Come on Ardal, this is the only closure that we'll ever be able to get for this!" He understood what she meant. One of them had to see it with their own eyes, to know that whatever it was, was dead for good. But how could he condone something so dangerous? Eventually, they won out. He sighed and made a deal with them. Matilda, he left with some of his men back at the camp. Some soldiers were staying behind at the army's camp to hold the position down and he kept some of his most trusted people to take care of her. He knew that he could rely on them. Gordon, he reluctantly allowed to come with them. He was riding clumsily and the armour that he wore was ill fitting. He could see the expression of someone who didn't know what they were doing nor why on his face. He shook his head. The corporal had done his best to convince him otherwise, but there was no arguing with both of them. And now he was going to have to protect Gordon and make sure that he didn't get killed out there. He had to keep them both alive, for Matilda's sake. He didn't know what would happen to her if he or Gordon died out here.
Jaden raised an eyebrow as the legendary Xanatos Reaver brandished a hammer, a new one. Apparently he was either misinformed, or Xanatos Reaver had reforged himself in the fires of war and not fled as they had all believed. Something, it seemed to him, was off. He was expecting an old man, tired of war and of fighting. Someone reticent and weary. Instead, this was someone who seemed to show the energy of youth and carried himself with pride. And amazingly, the Demi-God answered his questions. There were times when he was tempted to interject, to say something to correct a detail or to voice an objection to his opinion. He noticed the flicker at Jayce's eye, and he wondered what that was. Was it regret? Wistfulness? Nostalgia for better days? Jaden did not however, do any of those things. The Inheritor listened intently to what the living legend said to him. Very little of what was said surprised him, but even he did not expect the final offer of the Demi-God. He stood there for a couple of moments, processing what he had been told. "I must admit... You have taken me by surprise Xanatos Reaver. I didn't know what to expect. And... I am disappointed to be truthful." He looked at Xanatos. "I'm disappointed that you chose to take the path of violence and blood. Aidan never planned to kill you. He wanted to reconcile, to make peace. He was kinder to you in his writing than he should have been if what he said is true. What he tells is that you came to talk to him, and that the discussion got out of hand. He didn't care to mention that the whole time it was a bloody minded attempt at outright murder on your part." "And she, was called Rosanne." He spoke. "I can respect you though, Xanatos. And I regret that this is the path that was taken. It would have been nice to speak to you under more pleasant circumstances around a dinner table. But that's not going to happen. So." Jaden began to pace around the room, his hands folded behind his back, watching Xanatos intently. "If your son is truly worth all the lives of the soldiers of the Order, the other Demi-Gods that yet live, then that seems like an acceptable tradeoff. But you will tell me what you mean about saving Arkan and I trust that you are being serious." The Inheritor was most interested in this claim of telling him how to save Arkan. There was potential there. He could wipe out the Order and assert his position in one fell swoop, perhaps even using the Order of the Hammer to 'save' the world. Under his direction of course. "If you lie to me though Xanatos, this deal is off. Do not deceive me, or I shall ensure that your son dies. Personally." Carissa watched for Jayce, scanning the surrounding area for any signs of him. It was an image of chaos here, there were losses across the board and she was still injured. She heard the dropship before it came. She pressed herself against her cover as it drew closer and touched down. She kept herself hidden, in case someone disembarked from the ship, as she could see that it was an Order of the Hammer ship. Carissa peered out from her cover. Her crossbow was at the ready. If she could manage one last shot, perhaps this would be over... Corruption Rating: 46.5% The Demi-God watched with surprise at the shadow woman, now completely naked, threw herself in front of the lance aimed for Reitan. He stood there for a moment, watching her. Watching her... That wasn't right. He could sense it. He could feel the wrongness emanating from her. Vasher could sense it in his magic. She was trying to... Consume it? He narrowed his eyes. He did not recognise her. She could not have been one of his people. But she couldn't do it. Whatever she was, she was not strong enough to take in the potent ancient magic twinned with the divine magic of Kalak that Vasher wielded. The picked her up and he walked forwards, Duskfall raised. At that speed, he could walk and catch up to them. But the sounds of heavy steps and whirring came from behind and Kalak turned to see... "Ah." The Demi-God was propelled through the side of the metal transport by the force of the blow. He slammed against the other wall and fell on to one knee. That machine... Jayce had taken it down had he not? Kalak dived to the side and out the doors of the transport and brushed his fingers against his face. He could feel raw, shredded skin up the left side and blood ran on to his hand. He started to knit the skin back together, but the blow was powerful indeed. He began to slowly retreat, watching for the machine to come back round. He was certain that it was not finished with him yet. He felt a pain in his skull, and the vision in his left eye was darker than it should have been. It welled up with water and he was constantly blinking it away. "I'll tear you to pieces!" The primal rage began to stir. He felt a little unsteady. This was not acceptable. Kalak was of the divine, and Vasher... They could not stand to be defeated by this machine.
"I'd consider going back to my hotel room but there's three of us and it isn't that spacious. Besides, if Yorick is working with them I called him from there. He may well know where it is. Which means she might." He considered the situation, satisfied that Cyrus was now going to at least co-operate. As much as he wanted to know a little more about Aethelrick, he decided that it was best not to press the issue and right now there were bigger things at stake. The more he thought about it, the more it became apparent that what they really needed was the might of Alicante and the other Shadow Hunters behind them. He wanted to leave and try to get support there, but he feared that without him the situation in New York would fall apart. They needed someone in command and right now the leader of these Shadow Hunters was out of action. And if he took them with him... There'd be nobody left to secure this city. He put his hand on his chin. "Perhaps the best plan is to keep moving. Find Yuri. If we get him on our side then... Then we'll have some backup. And what's our relationship with the wolves here? Clearly they're hiding out in our Institute for a reason. Do you think we can enlist their help?" The Inquisitor paced, feeling distinctly uncomfortable. He was in a situation with people that he didn't trust nor trusted him, with all control of the situation lost. Alarick Lightwood was nowhere to be seen, neither was Nicholas Nightwine. The other Shadow Hunters were gone; Somewhere. And so was Aethelrick. But perhaps he was laying low. "Hendrick. Will Aethelrick be willing to help here?" Glynda was now satisfied that Yorick was ready. He was clean, and his clothes weren't an utter mess. There was nothing to be done about that vacant stare but frankly she was going to have to hand him over as she had him. At least this way he didn't look like he had just been dragged around completely mindlessly. She sighed and led him out after making sure that she looked right. Every fold of her dress was perfectly postioned and her golden locks fell exactly the way she wanted them. She led Yorick out, her blade still on her hip. Once they stepped out into the mortal world the two of them were glamoured, an image of two average people walking together. It wouldn't fool anyone that knew, but it wasn't supposed to. In fact, she wanted them to see. They walked. She did not look forward to dealing with this mess. "Come along Yorick. We've got places to be. Not that you talk much." She sighed emphatically. Karl nodded and sipped his drink. So Grayson disappeared off the radar. He nodded, taking in what he was being told. "Problem with clans is that there's going to be problems with the other races. They might take advantage of us splitting up. Makes us weak. We know that Yuri's kind has no love for us." He responded. Separating was not the way to go if he wanted to make it as Alpha, and he genuinely believed in what he was saying. "What's been going on otherwise? News from the other races?"
Derrick faked a sulk at the mention of him appearing desperate and jobless. "Well to be fair I kill monsters for a living. I run myself out of work if I do it well." Soon they arrived at their destination which turned out to be some sort of apothecary's shop. "Follower of yours? Says the one who needed directions to get here." He replied in a jovial tone, rather enjoying the new back and forth. She looked noticeably happier and he was starting to understand why Alastar wanted her around. He shrugged and followed her inside - After all, there was nothing else much to do. He tied the horse to a post and followed her in. He watched her negotiate, and the appraising look that the young man behind the counter gave. He raised an eyebrow at him and fixed him with his cat eyes, making sure that the boy knew that they were here for business. He nodded disapprovingly at him after she was done negotiating and tsked. "Smooth going there. Bit of advice, try not to be so touchy." Disapproval was quite evident in his voice. Part of that was him sticking up for a friend, the other was the sheer disappointment in someone trying so pathetically. There was an art. He was an affront to it. "You're less likely to knock things over." He fell in step behind Treasa and spoke once they were outside. "How much did we get for it?" He asked. Adolin walked through the streets. He didn't notice it at first, but he eventually realised that Tessa was holding on to him. They were somewhere in the city and he led them to the side of a main street to the entrance of an alleyway. "You alright?" He asked as he turned around. "Something on your mind?" They didn't have much time and he'd rather make sure she was okay and get whatever it was out of the way now while they were still engaged in this exercise in futility. He wasn't at all certain how they were going to find this Matilida in the city with the only one that actually knew them gone. They'd have to restrategise when they regrouped. This approach wasn't going to work unless they were lucky. If the events so far today were an indication, they weren't. "Oi you, this is a military camp!" The soldiers glared and hands went to weapons. They looked at the man who came before them and saw that he was a Witcher. "What do you want here Witcher?" Some talking and some walking later... "So, what brings a Witcher to my command tent? Given that my men brought you here, I assume it's important. As you can see, we are mustering." The General gave the Witcher an appraising look, getting the measure of him. Beside him sat Ellyn, who had informed him of this castle and was explaining the situation. The army was getting ready to move out. They'd find this castle and launch an assault soon.
Apparently she disagreed about his strategy of selling things. He was tempted to ask Treasa how she would go about pawning off a head of a creature that he didn't know about, but apparently she actually did have an idea. That was more than he could say, so he reluctantly allowed himself to be pulled along. Apparently she was playing the drunk card. He decided to play along a little. As he was pulled down the street, he also felt the tingling sensation of her fingers brushing past his hand. It seemed unusually careless for her, and he certainly didn't think she'd be pulling him by the arm. "I was robbed! Robbed!" He cried out. He shook his head afterwards, an amused smile on his face. Apparently she found it funny, so that was alright. Apparently it was worth something. "Okay, so next time try not to make me look like a crazy person? Losing my job? Bah, all the monsters aren't dead yet!" He decided that it was best not to bring up the whole hand brushing thing. It was one of those things - Pay too much attention and it disappears. And he was kind of enjoying seeing her smiling and laughing for once. "So then 'o almighty saleswoman, bring us to the apothecary." He realised that he should have actually checked for a contract in the first place, but he wasn't going to say that he totally forgot about it because he was distracted. "No... Damn it. We're stuck. Let's retrace our steps, and then pick a direction from the alleyway. We've got a better chance of finding them with an educated guess." Adolin spoke, leading Tessa out of the inn. He walked briskly through the streets, remembering the route that they had taken through. It wasn't far away, so there wasn't all that much to remember. They soon arrived back in the alleyway and some quick thinking largely narrowed down their options. There were three ways out of here, two of which were covered. At least, he figured. One led back to the square with the crowd, the second led back to the inn and the other went in the opposite direction from the inn. "They probably went this way, because we went down the other two." He knew the logic was a little faulty, because Matilda left the group before they went down towards the inn, but Adolin was willing to hedge his bets and take the gamble.
"Brianne will be back Roxanne. It's only to help her, and to keep her safe. She wouldn't be safe here in her condition with the Seelie Queen knocking on our doorstep." As much as he didn't particularly like the situation, he recognised that it was probably for the best. Hestia was hard to read, and part of him felt that she had her own reasons for taking Brianne. Taking Clarity was no surprise, the Ifrit was one of her own, but bringing a Nephilm shortly about to be a Werewolf. He wanted to believe that it was generosity, but everyone had ulterior motives in this game that they were playing. He didn't know how best to react to Roxanne's wish for a family, he simply stood there looking sincere. He had noticed Hendrick arriving, it would be impossible not to, but more obvious was the air of sheer enmity that he was projecting. Apparently some of Aethelrick had rubbed off. The other man had turned on him, aggressively demanding information. Instead of replying at first, he spoke in a soft voice. "I'm not your enemy Hendrick." "Hestia, the High Warlock took Brianne along with some of your allies. I don't know their names. She's giving Brianne shelter from the Seelie Queen while the transition to a Werewolf is in progress." He answered, speaking in a calm and rational tone. "She also gave us a recommendation, and a sensible one at that. We should relocate, and soon. It'll take some time for her to find us, time that we can use to plan and get help. We're going to need it. Is there a safehouse we can use?" A thought struck him. What about the place that Roxanne was messaged about? A place to meet up? Perhaps that would do it. He'd let the others mention that if they were going to. At least, at first. "Be quiet for a moment Cin dear, you'll have our Queen all to yourself soon." She couldn't help but mock him, especially with that displeased expression on his face. Internally, she wished him the best of luck with the present situation because it didn't look good for him. And judging by Titania's reply she was hardly impressed with him. Overall, it was looking like a bad situation for him. She soon explained her task. Yorick was in a deplorable state. He was a lifeless, barren mess by the looks of him. He could probably have limbs hacked off and he'd only give that same, vacant stare that he was displaying right now. Glynda nodded and accepted the lock of hair that she was given, placing it delicately into a pouch for safe keeping. She curtsied respectfully. "Of course my lady. I will see it done. I shouldn't think they'll give me too much trouble." She gestured for Yorick to follow her as she started to leave the room. Best not to outstay her welcome at the moment. It looked like kind of an awkward time. As she retreated from the room, she heard the Queen comment about mortal games. She smiled empathetically. "I know, but it'll be over soon enough I'm sure." And so will my job by the looks of things. "And her name is Luce Hemingway, just so you know. Farewell for now my Queen." After that, she started to leave with Yorick in tow. They set out shortly after that meeting. They were going to hunt for some information. They needed details on what the current situation with the candidates was. He was not ignorant of affairs entirely, they had been here long enough to know that Grayson Keller, the current Alpha, was little more than a mad dog lacking in control. Having him as an Alpha would be unacceptable. Karl and his pack were out on the streets, heading for a local haunt for wolves that they knew of. It was time to find out a little about the other candidates. As soon as he knew who his opponents were, then he could prove his superiority to them. He was already better than Grayson, because he was smarter. His pack preached control, and exercising instincts in the right environment. One that would not be harmful to the others around. That, and Karl dared to carry Silver. They entered the hideout, it was a bar of some sort, as many of them were. His pack separated themselves out amongst the patrons, taking tables and sitting, waiting for their turns to go up and order. First, there was business for their leader to take care of. Karl took Skjoll with him to the front, to approach the bartender - Another wolf. Perhaps he would be able to tell a little more about the current situation. And get him a drink. He put down five dollars on the table and took a seat. "A pint, and some information." He met the other's eyes. "Tell me about the others vying to be Alpha if you would. And if you know it, some about Grayson himself. What's the old wolf doing?"
Character Name: Glynda Weiss Estelle Eleanor Newfrost Age: 343 Gender: Female Race: Fae Appearance: http://i.imgur.com/VGUAvBH.png Backstory: The Newfrost family originated from Ireland millennia ago at the dawn of mythology, an ironic name. Glynda is the latest of her line, and her names reveal the story of her family and where they have been (Ireland, Wales, France, Germany and England). For ease of communication, she recently anglicised her last name to Newfrost from the original Nuasioc. She was tasked by her family to spread their influence to a new place (At least, new to the humans that they knew), and this is the effort she has made for the past couple of centuries of her life. She was later on the uptake to the politics of the new America based court than others, and so was disadvantaged. However, she has worked her way up the ranks of the Fae to become Emissary to the Nephilim, a position she has held for the past hundred and fifty years. Initially, it was meant as an effort to have her killed off as she would undoubtedly cause trouble with one of the Shadow Hunters, leading to her tragic demise. Despite two notable instances of the sort, she survived both encounters and sent the offending parties back to Alicante with only their pride seriously injured, a game she has started to enjoy. Since that method failed, poisons and other Fae have attempted to remove her but to no avail, largely due to the ice magic that her family taught and the details of which she keeps unknown to others. This has earned a reputation for being hard to kill and as a result, an attempt on her life has not been made in the last fifty years. Glynda is proud and has been working to improve her position. She aims high, aspiring to one day hold the title of Seelie Queen once Titania made the critical mistake leading to her downfall, though is willing to wait her chance and if necessary, allow others to go before her. Immortality, she reasons, gives her plenty of time to wait. Her intentions she does her best to mask under a façade of tireless devotion to ensuring that Fae/Nephilim relations do not entirely degrade, something that the current Seelie Queen is making rather difficult at the moment. She hopes to cement the place of the Newfrost family in New York, so that her line can be seen as a successful, influential line of Fae globally, across all continents rather than just in the Courts. Weapons: Solais – A sword passed on by her family to her, said to be based off the Sword of Light of Irish folklore, the place from which her family originates. The weapon is a slender and elegant sword with trefoil designs for the pommel and ends of the crossguard with precious gems inset. The hilt is only long enough to accommodate a single hand and was wrapped in leather with crystalline designs embossed. The sword blade seems to shimmer, and its edge is keen. Magic: Spring: Glynda can control water, moving it and collecting it by extracting the moisture from the air and ground. This works in a ten meter radius around her. Winter’s Touch: Glynda can control ice, freezing water and shaping it as she desires. This works in a ten meter radius around her. Daughter of the Winter: Glynda’s ice control extends beyond that of anyone else, able to affect even the inside of her body without causing harm. She can form armour from ice to protect her internal organs, cover herself in it for protection or even freeze toxic substances to vomit them out later. She can exert some control over others, being able to freeze people’s skin cells to create a prison of their own bodies. Or worse. Requires skin to skin contact to freeze others, and can only shield her internals for up to three minutes. Ice Fairy: A small fairy she shapes out of Ice and animates. They can only survive in a water source. These small creatures act as her eyes and ears and if appropriate a small attacker with their fangs and claws. They cannot leave a water source, but they only need a small amount to live (e.g. a bottle). Princess Radiant: By using crystals of ice suspended around her, or a thin film across her body, Glynda reflects light to make her appear to shine and offensively, blind her opponents. Other: Emissary to the Nephilim Character Name: Karl Bardison Age: 36 Gender: Male Race: Werewolf Appearance: http://i.imgur.com/77JA83h.jpg Backstory: Karl originated from Norway, where he was turned by a friend of his. He was previously unaware of the condition of his friend, but it soon emerged one fateful full moon when, in a drunken stupor, Karl made his way to Skjoll’s house. He saw the wolf form of Skjoll escaping through the window of his house in the suburbs of Trondheim. There was only one solution to such a thing, and that was either to kill Karl or to turn him. Skjoll chose the latter. Karl took to his new way of life fast. The life of the Downworlder was intoxicating to him, who had wanted something larger than life. He found it. The wolf form was a thrill to him. His pack in Norway were hunters who went out into the forests and lived the life of the beasts which they shared their forms with. He began to understand his friend’s lifestyle, and why he disappeared for days on end on ‘trips’ with his family or friends. That was 16 years ago now. However, he found this to be unsatisfactory eventually. Some 12 years ago, he decided that it was high time he moved up in society. His pack fellows, including Skjoll, did not complain about this change of scenery. They wanted to get deeper into the society of the Downworlders, to see new things and even one day become Alpha. With this in mind, Karl and his pack left Norway for New York where they now live, spread out by day in their human lives (For they had learned from their time in Norway how to function as people as well as wolves) but by night convened, to keep the pack strong. More than any of them, Karl is eager to become an Alpha and rule, to make his pack the strongest. A pack for Vampires, Warlocks, the Fae and even the Nephilim to fear and respect. Karl’s pack never resorted to killing humans and many witnesses met the same fate as Karl and joined the pack. They rarely found themselves in conflict with Downworlders, save some aggressive vampires. They hunted animals outside in the forests to satiate their bloodlust so they did not lose themselves to it. To thrive and dominate was not to be savage, but to control and moderate. In this way, Karl plans to rule the packs through discipline and training rather than bloodlust. Weapons: To prepare for a fierce competition between the major Downworlder races and other rival wolves, Karl made sure to prepare. He owns an Iron Combat Knife, Silver Combat Knife and Steel Combat Knife to cover most situations that he would face up against. The knives are kept in very secure sheaths and he has a pair of thick leather gloves to protect himself from the silver. Magic: N/A Other: Skjoll Haldorson is the Wolf who turned him.
