To Find a Mourner (Part 1)
Log Info
- Title: To Find a Mourner (Part 1)
- GM: Verna
- Place: Arcanist's Society
A location was named regarding one semi-recently-relocated Lupecyll-Atlon Mourner (and certainly fae are unquestionable purveyers of truth and utterly trustworthy).
Legends and lore were collected concerning Mor kulkodar kala, remnant of Charn's Black Wall through various means.
Those seeking to re-relocate Verna now gather to plan, prepare, and and possiby proceed.
The group is gathered methodically at the Arcanist's Society. It's not actually Auranar's first choice, but her sister's home isn't really built for gathering so many people and planning an offensive against a fortress. She is not returning home until Verna does. (Poor Hunter is beside himself, but Auranar has requested a friend's aid in caring for the feline in the meantime).
Her face is lacking emotion as she stands at the head of the table, her clothes those of the adventurer that she's never truly believed that she wanted to be. Her weapons are within easy reach, and her fingers tingle with barely-withheld magic.
She waits.
Auranar's not waiting long. Cor'lana enters the room with Pothy in tow on her shoulder and Telamon on her arm, also dressed for war. The Lupecyll-Atlon sorcerer-sisters are not far apart in sentiment at all, as Cor'lana's grim expression says exactly what she feels. There's a storm coming.
They are the storm--
"Rana!" Pothy cries in a mimic of Cor'lana's voice, taking flight from Cor'lana's shoulder and landing on the other woman's shoulder. He goes to nuzzle into her hair. Apparently he insisted on coming, too.
There's no words that can comfort Auranar in this time. But that's all right. Because Telamon isn't just bringing words. Information, magic, assistance. The half-elven archmage strides in with his wife, clad in deceptively elegant attire -- ruffled white silk blouse, black leather trousers, and his well-loved magical boots. Over this, the sleeveless coat embroidered with geometric symbols, and on his brow a gold and silver circlet.
He has no intention of coming home empty handed.
As Pothy takes flight, Tel offers a faint smile to Auranar, and inclines his head. "We are here, sister. We will bring her home."
GAME: Harkashan rolls Bluff: (18)+3: 21
"Good evening." Harkashan remarks as he follows in not long after Ravenstongue and Telamon. As per usual, dressed in full armor, the Deathsinger has a more sour look on him than usual. "I heard of lady Verna's disappearance. I figured my assistance may be of use." He bids to the ones who have gathered already. His tone is even, not betraying his frustration with the situation itself quite so easily as it normally might.
Still, there's a twitch at the tip of his tail.
Among those gathering in service of finding the lost mourner, is Rune, having recently returned from a sudden journey to the Mythwood. Family issues abound, it seems. Between her connections to the Lupecyll-Alton clan and a request (demand) from Aelwyn which she could not refuse, the rogue had agreed to lend a hand, or blade, wherever it would be most helpful.
So, she joins a moment later, expression written with worry as she inclines her head to Auranar, not offering any words of condolences as there is nothing to say that would truly give comfort. Unlike Harkashan, Rune is more apt to wear her feelings more openly, so she shifts to stand, arms resting at her belt, "So... we've got some of the most powerful people we know standing in this room... I imagine we've got plans to make someone regret their life choices?"
A ruddy looking sith-makar slides into the room after Rune and Harkashan; his expression inscrutable, but he does not waste time with too much pleasantries. Instead, he walks up in front of Auranar and then bows his head deeply.
"I apologize." Is all Aelwyn says, before he straightens. He was carrying two glaives again, one of them black with a single tied ribbon, the other far more fancier and fiery with many beloved ribbons tied around to it. The dark one? Reserved for special occasions.
"This one's blade is hers to use." The draconian then offers to Auranar. His jaw clenches a touch, but he holds back his other words.
Auranar lifts a hand to help her cuddle Pothy. "I would have rather you stay home safe little brother." Her tone is affectionate, but careful. Everything about her of late, has been careful like this. Methodical. She nods to each individual in turn and then shakes her head at Aelwyn. "Your offer is appreciated, but I have no skill with such a weapon. No... I have a... special gift planned for... The woman responsible for this."
Auranar's eyes are always dark things, but usually they're full of light. The light of her gregarious personality. Now though, they hold only darkness. "Telamon? You have information for us?"
Pothy is a cuddlebug, nuzzling into Auranar's hand. "Safest with you," he says, in a mimic of Grandfather's voice. Then in a mimic of Lana's: "What is family for?" It seems Pothy has been mobilized into aiding Auranar.
Cor'lana's eyes are alight with a curiosity. "Special gift?" she enquires, before nodding to Telamon. He has a role to play, and she'll let him play his part.
"I do," Telamon responds. "The Black Dragon Nest, also known as the Black Dragon Fortress. Part of the Charnethi Black Wall, originally held by the family of General Nerthan Xarr." He pauses, then continues, "But Xarr's family crumbled due to infighting. Eventually, one descendant, a slaver known as Danier Xarr, sought to reclaim the stronghold for the family. Part of his strategy in this endeavor was to wed the matriarch of their closest competitior."
"That matriarch was Varyssa Calana'el. I do not know how much of recent woes can be laid at her feet. I know not the full depths of her machinations -- it is possible she might have been behind the attempt to taint and destroy Ketsalkuetspaltahtepetl. But she has sought to claim Verna before..." His eyes glimmer with distant starlight. "Not everything is coincidence."
At hearing the word Ketsalkuetspaltahtepetl drop, Harkashan's hackles rise.
Metaphorically speaking. Sith-makar do not come equipped with actual hackles, unlike their Skybrothers and Skysisters.
"So there's further reason for me to get involved in this matter and ensure the protection of my people." To think, when he first came to the Adventurer's Guild, his first view into things was the 'peace' they were trying to keep with the Charnites. He feels that as a Speaker, it would befit him to speak on the matter of Alexandria's peace-talks with the Charn, and being careful around this...
But fuck the Charn. Harkashan gets to act selfish now and again too.
Rune's eyes look over to Aelwyn, offering the Makari a nudge with one of her arms. It is, most likely, because of his appology. Not everything was his burden to carry alone. There is a lift of her eyebrows, as if offering a reminder that they are all here to face this together, family and friends.
"I hope that gift is the same sort of end that we dealt to a certain asshole the last time we fought together." Rune is likely referring to the battle against the Corpse Eater, where both she and Auranar had gotten their turn to carve vengeance in someone who had wronged them.
Then, with Telamon having intel to share, Rune quiets, at least briefly. "I assume the name is just for effect and we aren't literally talking about someplace where there are actual dragons?" It's worth asking. "So... if that's where she might be... what intel do we have on the place?"
Aelwyn nods his head towards Auranar. "She needs no skill, for this one shall wield it." The draconian answers, and then at the nudge looks towards Rune. There's heaviness in his eyes, but he takes in a deep breath then and quietly nods his head. He hadn't told her or Harkashan why he was apologizing, or the full extent of the burden he purported to carry - but that was not here. Better stay focused.
Speaking of focusing, Aelwyn's eyes started to glaze over as more unpronounceable names begin to filter in the room. Why couldn't all names be like Ketsalkuetspaltahtepetl? Rolls easily so on the tongue - and then Aelwyn pauses as those words start to click in place.
"Mourner's mother is behind all this?" He suddenly blurts out.
"Mother is a title earned." Auranar says none-too-gently. "The woman who birthed Verna has no right to it."
She allows her hand to fall and she takes a breath."I have tried to learn something of value, but I know nothing of history, nor nobility... so my efforts it seem have wholly been in vain." Auranar shakes her head. "I can not allow that to turn aside from our mission however. I will not receive my wife in parts. We must strike and quickly."
Her eyes look at her sister's without a trace of mercy. "I will give the woman a curse, and lay it upon her. She will know every pain she has caused, and then I will kill her."
The Goblin was, as it has been recently, fully armored. Entering after knocking once, immony removes her helm, exposing her bald-yet-fuzzy head. "Sorry I'm late. Had to run from the Monastery, spent all night translating some ancient scrols."
She swallows noisily. "I haven't missed much? I hope."
Telamon offers Simony a smile as she enters. "Nothing we can't explain again as needed." He rakes his hand back through his hair at Rune's question. "Charnese architecture tends towards the graceless and heavy, and they tend to have a fairly standard 'pattern' for building their fortresses. However, the keep had fallen into disrepair and has only been reclaimed recently, so parts of it may not be usable or even accessible to the inhabitants. Thus, too, Varyssa is no military mind, nor was her husband. Cruel and intelligent, but they may not have restored the place properly."
"This works to our advantage. I do not believe they are prepared for an assault. Yes, it will be a bit of a diplomatic faux pas, but let me be blunt: I don't fucking care." His voice is like hammered iron. "No one threatens my family with impunity. We will go there, crack it open, and reclaim Verna. And if Varyssa cares to press the issue, we will kill her."
"Someone who would harm their own offspring does not deserve the title," Cor'lana says bitterly in response to Auranar's assertion regarding the woman who birthed Verna. She knows all too well that pain. It's a pain that is lifted only for a moment by Simony's entrance, offering the goblin a nod and a small smile before it falls again.
She looks sympathetic to her sister then, nodding to Telamon's sentiment. "I'll do everything in my power to make that happen," she says. "I know the pain that she's caused you. Some might balk at a curse like that... But after all the attempts we've had at people trying to poison our family tree? I simply want to put down threats in the most permanent fashion there can be."
"Fuck her," Pothy curses in Cor'lana's tongue, seeming to agree very vehemently with Telamon's curse, which is delivered like the jab of a silvered rapier. (Pothy's is not nearly so graceful.)
"If you'll permit me, I will aid you in cursing that woman." Harkashan offers to Auranar. He's had some practice with them, including the one he placed on the Corpse-Eater before he was laid to waste. "I've also made sure to prepare a spell of Regeneration in order to heal her body as it should be. Though it'll go faster if any waylaid bodyparts are with me." He bids in regards to the matter of healing.
"A matter of the worst case scenario, I must leave to those of the more powerful Arcane nature." Harkashan adds.
Though matters of curses may not be the way Rune would handle the situation, the edge of her lip quirks slightly at the end result. It seems only fitting after what Verna has been put through. Her lips part to say something, but then the knock at the door has her ear twitch and her attention shift to Simony's arrival.
"Not too much, yet. We were just going over the location we think Verna may be being kept." She motions to Telamon, as he begins to outline the strengths and weaknesses of that location. With a tilt of the head, she adds, "If it has recently been in disrepair, that also means there might be unexpected avenues to get in, as well. Ways they might not be expecting."
Softly, Rune shakes her head, "Blood doesn't make someone family. Anyone who intentionally would bring that kind of harm to their own kin... they deserve what fates await them."
"No. Blood does not make family." Aelwyn agrees with a nod of his head, and then flashes his teeth. "Otherwise this one would have many questions." In regards to his troupe. When Simony arrives, he bows his head. "Canvas." He greets. "This one is glad to see her well."
Returning to the other topic at hand, he lets out a rough grunt. "Tch, this one felt the torture in the Golden Coast was worse. One is proven wrong." Then he clicks his teeth. "Yet this one is surprised. This one witnessed Mourner scry her once in Am'shere, but why act now?" He adds, tilting his hips and head as he considers. "... though one supposes it explains the fiend, perhaps."
"I have no intention of allowing her to live." Auranar says sternly. "She has tried to abduct Verna before, has done so now. She has either cut off my wife's finger, or has allowed it done. And these are only the few known actions. I will not allow her to live and try again."
She will allow no argument on this fact. She takes a small breath then. "So... Scrying the area is unwise, but it seems that this is the limit of our ability to gather information on the location through more mundane means." Auranar looks at Telamon and Cor'lana. "I think that we can only learn more through action."
The Goblin offers a little smile to those gathered, but for Auranar, she bends at the waist, bowing deeply. "I too offer my life in this pursuit."
Turning, she moves to stand Aelwyn, nudging his side lightly with a fist.
Simony's ears perk up slightly at talk of Charnese architecture. "I believe the term used is brutalist architecture, and that label certainly fits." She nods in agreement with Pothy. "Indeed, Little Brother, indeed."
"Over, under or through. I think we can do any and all of those things if need be, regarding the fortress."
Simony glances between Aelwyn and Rune. "The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. "Real family is made, stoked in hot coals and cooled in life, forged by our own hearts. To go with Pothy. Anyone who fucks with family, get the hammer."
Telamon nods to Auranar. "In honesty, I do not wish to merely gather information. I want to tear the roof off this place and find Verna." He takes a deep breath. "But regardless, we need to go there firsthand. Considering the nature of the place and its age, I don't think we'll be able to 'blend in'. If we can find Verna first, Lana or myself will take her home to recover while the rest of us tear the place apart."
He grins tightly at Simony. "See, now you're thinking like us. The way of the wild rose, we call it in the Mythwood." Tel looks to Auranar. "Whenever you are ready, we can head outside the city and teleport as close as we need to."
"Then we'd best go and get to action," Cor'lana says, nodding firmly with the words that so many have offered. But she looks at Telamon.
She's thinking. He knows that look in her eyes. He can _hear_ her thinking. Don't let a faetouched woman think. She gets _ideas_.
"You know that I can disguise all of us with a veil spell, yes?" Cor'lana smiles sweetly, her violet eyes twinkling in that magic way of hers.
"Oh no," Pothy murmurs in Telamon's voice.
At the suggestions that they should begin with travel, Harkashan nods his head. There's some obvious concerns with stepping into the midst of Charn teritory. But with Ravenstongue's offer of a veil spell, some of that worry lifts. "Please, lead the way. Something tells me that you are more familiar with such a place than I would be." Harkashan bids. "I will... attempt to adjust my behavior beneath the veil to seem more... softskin like."
"Couldn't have said it better." Rune looks down towards Simony, but there is a ghost of something in her expression, though it is easy enough to pass off as her own familial issues being all too close to the surface.
Then, lifting that same gaze to Telamon, she adds, "I'm all for a little destruction, just so long as that roof doesn't come crashing down on our heads in the process. I've seen the kind of chaos you can unleash." She offers as if this were a compliment.
Shifting her weight, Rune releases her hands from her hips and pushes them together, cracking her knuckles. "I'm good with some action." And yet, with Pothy speaks his 'oh no' in Telamon's voice, she looks over towards 'Lana. "I know that look. That look means trouble in the best way possible."
Aelwyn tilts his head at Simony, then flashes his teeth. "Tch, could be the motto of this one's family." At which, he turns and then bumps his hips against Harkashan's. "It is easy," The shorter makari says. "Be shocked at lack of clothing, don't touch fire and when biting only gnaw." He instructs, then his teeth spread into wider grin. "And keep that tail tightly wrapped away from one's butt." He flicks his tongue over at Rune, as his tail makes a whip like gesture in the air.
Turning back to the others, he gets a little more serious for the moment. "This one wishes to see Mourner returned well first and foremost. Unfortunately this one cannot remember much what Mourner saw back then, but this one knows that the person knew she was being spied upon the instant the scrying happened."
"We go now then." Auranar nods to Telamon and makes for the door only to pause to gather Pothy into her hands. "...Little brother... Please... Return home. It warms my heart that you wish to help, but if you were harmed I would never forgive myself. Your gift is not that of fighting or spells. Please."
Simony puffs up a little, a smidge, but it's there, at the praise from Telamon and Rune, and her reply grin is broad and toothy.
"Oh, if you have to bring the roof down, do it. We'll do our best to not be there when it comes down." The Goblin, too, has seen the chaos Telamon can unleash. A Goblin, in its hear, IS chaos after all. "A big bright one, so we can read by it, Tel."
She blinks, and peers at Cor'lana for a moment. "Are.. are we all going as a murder of crows? That seems appropriate. And then Telamon can pull the roof up and we can swoop in!" Her glance goes to Aelwyn then. "Uhm. If needed, I could use one of my clerical powers to listen at and see far off places. I don't know if it is wise, but perhaps they may attempt to kidnap me? Could that be useful?"
Telamon nods to Aelwyn. "There are ways to detect such divinations, and block them -- or backtrack them. It's best to be circumspect and sparing in their use, lest you draw some unwanted attention." He sighs. "In truth, I wish I'd insisted Verna be more careful. Even I tuck my adventuring gear in my pack when I go out, just in case."
At Auranar's plea, his brow furrows, but he takes a deep breath. "Pothy, no one will ever doubt your courage -- not around me at any rate. But I think Auranar is right. This is going to be rough as it is." He takes Lana's hand, and Aura's as well. "But we -will- come back triumphant."
Pothy looks up at Auranar with those big, pleading blue eyes of his. There's a world of begging in them. Begging to let him go. Begging to let him come and be of help, be of aid.
"For once," he says, copying Lana's voice, "I just wanted to help, instead of being the helped."
He gives a little sigh, and he hops off Auranar's hands. "Watch the cat?" he offers in Cor'lana's voice. It seems he wants to try and be helpful and... aid in watching Hunter. From afar.
Cor'lana smiles at Pothy. "It's okay," she says. "You know you do way more for any of us than you'd think. I mean... You were my only thing that kept me going after my mother..."
She shakes her head, squeezing Telamon's hand and looking back to Simony with a smile. "No. Not as crows," she says. "Just completely ordinary Charneth people who could pass as servants. Nobody will bat a lash at us walking in and then letting chaos loose once we've got Verna." Cor'lana says it so sweetly that it's clear she's rather savoring the mental image.
The flick of Aelwyn's tongue in her direction another of those curious looks from Rune, "Now I'm really wanting to see you pretending at being a Charneth. I could use the laugh." Then, she lifts her shoulders slightly, "Thankfully, I don't think the nobility are the sort of Charneth Harkashan and I have the most familiarity with. The ones that come after the Makari tend to be more... bloodthirsty and creepy."
Where others try to convince Pothy to remain out of harm's way, Rune remains silent. Not long ago, she knew all too well what it was like to feel powerless in the wake of things you wanted to fight against. However, it isn't her place one way or the other, despite her affection for the familial familiar.
Instead, she steps to join Harkashan, doing one last check of her weapons.
"I will bring you some sweet treats, when we get back, Pothy.", the Goblin says softly. "It is the duty of younger siblings to take care of the house, while the older siblings go to war. And besides, who but you can avenge us if things all go wrong and we're all captured? You can raise an army to rescue us, if that, heavens forfend, ever becomes a reality."
Simony smiles at Ravenstongue. "Oh, that's a much better idea, actually, much more sneaky. I hope the costumes don't smell musty or old." She blinks at Aelwyn then. "What is with you and tails and butts??" Her nose wrinkles and she shakes her head. "Oh, just act like Alexandrian nobles, but more bloodthirsty and twice as creepy, Rune. We'll fit right in... some guy will be commiserating about having to travel to Am'shere to get good help and won't even notice you shanking him." She makes a gurgling sound, stiffens up and keels over backwards with a surprised look on her face, clattering as she hits the ground. "It'll look just like that."
The ruddy sith-makar spreads his hands at Rune. "What? This one has been performing all his life! With softskins!" He flashes his teeth. "It is with the kin this one has to pretend more. Wearing a few veils is like a simple walk on hot coals compared to that." He then wiggles his tongue at Simony, tapping her ankles with his tail. "What is with her not?"
Aelwyn's face loses its cheer as he looks towards Telamon. "There was nothing she could have done. It simply walked up behind her and put his hands on her neck." He looks towards Auranar, and then back towards Telamon. "One can be vigilant, but one can never be safe. Trust this one, for this one knows that very well."
With his hand sliding to grab the black glaive, he nods his head towards the others. "Let us, then?"
For a long moment, with her hand held by Telamon, Auranar looks at Pothy. She remembers all too well what it feels like to feel what he is experiencing. The way it felt like no one trusted her. That she was useless. That she couldn't protect those she loved. She knows in her heart, that in those moment she would rather have risked her life than to feel that way. She blinks. Protecting Pothy... is something that all of them are doing out of selfishness.
Her eyes firm and she takes a breath. "What in the name of the nine circles of hell am I thinking? Come with us Pothy. We'll do it together. All of us. As a family." She'll protect him. They'll all keep him safe, but they won't leave him behind. Not this time.
They leave together.