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Post by Calefrun on May 2, 2014 19:28:25 GMT -5
The two half-Khatsie followed Marshall Kraid as well, though they did so carefully as to avoid being spotted by their father. While Lia explained herself, the brothers stood in the corner of the Marshall's office away from the others, silently watching and listening.
After the elf and half-elf volunteered, Ka'lem spoke up. "I'll go as well, sir. I may not be a Dragoon yet, but even so I think it's my duty to see this 'Carris' brought to justice." Hesitantly, he added, "And I'll make him pay for what he did to Mom."
Cen'tho raised an eyebrow at his brother. "Our father always taught us not to act based on vengeance, but this K'orm needs to be stopped. I'll go as well." He looked at Lia. "Any ideas on how to find this guy?"
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Post by Mizagium on May 6, 2014 17:45:10 GMT -5
Garren had also accompanied Kraid's rather sizeable ad hoc team. While Lia and the others spoke, it remained at the door, still unsure of what its next actions would be. Never had it dared to imagine that it, a Zealot would be present in the same room as a K'orm - without engaging in a death-battle, anyhow. But now...Garren retreated within, blocking out the sights and sounds around it. There, Garren presented the facts of the day, as objectively as it could.
A K'orm had bombed the Everkeep, killing at least two councilors, the leaders of Leithandor. A K'orm.
A K'orm stood before him, horrified at the actions of her own kind. A K'orm.
Was there honor among K'orm? The K'orm, who sought out the Golems, tried to put chains upon them, a newly liberated people...Centuries ago. Centuries. Time. Time does not heal all wounds, as some of the organic peoples said. The Chain-Bringers could not be forgiven. Ever? Lia...intrigued Garren. Maybe she was an exception among K'orm. Maybe she was more indicative than the Golems believed.
You must remain, urged a voice from somewhere within, both Garren's and not Garren's; a voice Garren had heard only once before. This is where you must be.
So be it.
Garren returned to awareness in time to hear Cen'tho ask "Any ideas on how to find this guy?"
"Carris is a coward," Garren announced before Lia could answer. "I do not expect to find him within the city. He creates chaos, puts his face on it, but does not have the courage to be present. But even cowards need friends." Garren fixed Lia with a hard stare. "Your father, perhaps? Where was he during all of this?"
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Post by Myrdraxxis on Jun 17, 2014 18:26:53 GMT -5
"My father has nothing to do with this you walking lump of metal." Lia snapped, then stopped herself, taking a breath. "He's a Fel'darr of our Ar'kareth." Seeing the blank stares from everyone int he room she coughed and amended, "He's one of honored leaders of our city."
"Still, is it possible that he could know what's going on?" Keenan asked. Lia thought for a moment, hesitant to even consider that her father would know what his old friend had been up to.
"It's...possible." she agreed after a moment.
The marshal cut in there. "If nothing else, he's an old friend of Carris. Which means we need to talk to him. Find out everything we can about this guy."
They were all silent for a moment. It was Keenan who spoke up next.
"Well....I've never been to a K'orm city before." he tried to sound excited.
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Post by Damien on Jun 17, 2014 19:38:12 GMT -5
"Neither have I," said Selmareth, "but the thought just makes me excited! A chance to learn about another culture! What a wonderful thing!"
"I wouldn't get your hopes up," said Renshu calmly.
"Well, why not?"
"We won't be there for a leisure trip," he replied, looking straight at Selmareth. "This is a mission to gather intelligence on our target. You must be of the right mindset to do this. You must discipline yourself."
Selmareth looked away, seeming upset at Renshu's words and the thought of not being able to experience the culture of the K'orm as he had wanted.
Sighing, Renshu walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I suppose," he said, "we could look around a bit if we have time after we gather what inform--"
"YAY!" Selmareth exclaimed, turning and hugging Renshu in pure joy, which caused the monk to blush profusely.
He slowly reached his hands up and patted the mage's back lightly. "Yes...*ahem*...well, let's go, shall we?"
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Post by Calefrun on Jun 20, 2014 14:31:04 GMT -5
Cen'tho nodded and said, "That seems like as good a place as any to start." Moving towards the door, he added, "My brother and I will need to stop by our home to grab our things.... and let our father know what we're doing if we run into him. The rest of you can come with us- our house is on the way out of the city anyway- or if any of you have your own preparations to make we can meet you back in front of the building." He left the room, and Ka'lem followed. Stepping out of Kraid's office was like diving headfirst into raging rapids. As the two did their best not to impede any of the Dragoons that were running through the garrison's halls, Cen'tho murmured to his brother, "I'm beginning to worry about Rahana. If we don't find her before we leave..." "You make it sound like she's the one that's leaving to track down a dangerous criminal. She's not a K'orm, so I think she'll be alright in the city. Dad will let her stay at our place, and then she can spend every night gazing wistfully out the window wondering when you will return to her." Cen'tho elbowed him, and he offered a small, amused grin in response. Cen'tho sighed. Barely ten minutes had passed since Ka'lem had been angry enough to threaten to kill a complete stranger, and now he was making jokes again. Well, the older brother thought, maybe it's just how he copes. He decided against telling his brother that the reason he worried for Rahana was because of her magic. It wouldn't get her into any trouble unless Jareth or another Khatsie actually saw her do it, but... He shrugged. Maybe he was just thinking too much. <><><><><><><><><><><><><> "Ar'kareth, huh..." Rahana muttered to herself as she ended her listening spell. Though she doubted that Cen'tho really held it against her, she still felt bad about keeping her secret from him for so long, and wanted to try and make it up to him. Though she couldn't approach Ria's father directly, she may be able to find out other information if she kept an ear out within the K'orm city. Besides, a single person- particularly a Khatsie- can travel faster than a group, so she might be able to discover something useful before the others even arrived. She climbed down from the rooftop she had been perched upon, and started making her way towards the city gate.
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Post by Mizagium on Jun 24, 2014 17:07:43 GMT -5
"Hmph," Garren snorted. "A K'orm city. I have no desire to set foot in a melter-on-Earth such as that. Marshal, perhaps there is another angle of investigation I may pursue? Were I to set foot within the infernal core of my people's demons. And I fear I should not be any more welcomed by the natives."
Garren shifted uncomfortably, never taking it's eyes from Lia. Then it sighed slightly and tried to rephrase his words more genially. "For the sake of this investigation, I must abstain then from following this lead into what might become a hostile environment for and because of me. I will do as you say, Marshal, but I cannot pursue Cerris into an Ar'kareth."
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Post by Damien on Jul 14, 2014 11:34:59 GMT -5
"Well," said Selmareth, "if you can behave yourself, I can veil your appearance and voice with illusion so that you don't draw attention."
"Good plan," said Renshu. "Only problem will be if the K'orm have some way to pierce the illusion. I don't know much about their technology, but I'm sure that they probably have some form of anti-magic something as advanced as they are."
"Well, they do have rather advanced technology," Selmareth began, "but no one has ever been able to create anti-magic fields without actually using magic to do it. While I do not doubt their ability to find a way, there's been no record of any race whatsoever actually being able to do so. Beyond mundane disguises, which won't hide his voice, by the way, I see no other alternative other than just having him stay behind. However, at that point, we would have to split the already minuscule group, which I don't believe is truly in our best interest. Strength in numbers and all that."
Renshu stood there, listening to Selmareth while attempting to formulate another plan; however, Selmareth's seemed the best option if what he said were true.
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Post by Myrdraxxis on Aug 1, 2014 13:38:08 GMT -5
"I honestly don't care how you do it." the Marshall replied dryly. "Just get this done. I have enough problems dealing with the fallout here and the inevitable panic to follow."
"We can leave whenever. Jaetekko is only about a five-hour journey from here on foot." Lia explained. Keenan looked over curiously.
"So close?"
"It is technically a part of this nation. Most other K'orm cities look down on us for settling in one place and being so...open with outsiders." Lia shrugged. "But it works for us."
Keenan mulled that over. "Then our presence there shouldn't cause too much of a stir."
"Well, most of us." Lia glanced over at the golem in their midst. "But yes. We get traders and scholars coming through the Ar'kareth all the time."
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Post by Calefrun on Aug 1, 2014 17:15:34 GMT -5
When the Strongblade brothers arrived at their home, Ka'lem immediately ran up to his room to start packing, while Cen'tho made his way into a side room which their parents had converted into a small armory. It took him only a matter of minutes to find the locked chest that he was looking for, and even less time to pick its lock.
In his room, Ka'lem was having a hard time deciding what to bring on the trip. He had never gone very far beyond Evermeet's walls before, so he wasn't entirely sure what he needed. "I shouldn't bring too much stuff, or it will slow me down," he murmured to himself, "A change of clothes? Maybe two? Dad taught me how to hunt, so I don't need to worry about food... Maybe I should ask Cen'tho?" The sound of footsteps on the wooden floor caught his attention, and he turned around to see his brother standing on the doorway, holding a wrapped package. "What's that?"
"It's a gift," replied Cen'tho, "from Mom." Ka'lem's eyes widened and his pointed ears perked up as he took the package, finding it surprisingly heavy. He sat down on his bed, and his tail swished from side to side in anticipation as he began to unravel it. When he finished, a pair of longswords laid on his lap, one of human make and the other Khatsie. With tears returning to his eyes, he looked up at Cen'tho.
"She had them made to congratulate you on your enlistment," the older brother explained, trying to hold back the emotion in his voice. "She told me about it in some of her letters, and was going to give them to you tonight at the party she had planned. That's actually why Rahana and I came back a week early this year; she wanted everybody to be here to celebrate." He offered a soft smile. "I may be the eldest son, and I know that Mom and Dad are glad that I'm making my fortune doing what makes me happy and all that... but you're the one that's upholding the family tradition. They're both extremely proud of you for that."
"DAMN IT!" Ka'lem cried, slamming a fist on his leg. "She took her break half an hour early because she knew I would oversleep. If I were a responsible son, one worthy of that pride..."
"If you hadn't overslept, she would have been on her break when the attack happened." Cen'tho finished the thought. "Instead, a different Dragoon would have been there, and died instead. Maybe even somebody else's mother. Look, you can't blame yourself for this. There's a K'orm out there who's responsible for all this death and destruction, and we're the ones that are going to stop him. Alright?"
Ka'lem didn't respond, but unsheathed the human-made sword and looked at the blade. He noticed an inscription on the side, and read it aloud, "Shurh?"
"Bravery, in the Khatsie language," explained Cen'tho.
The younger brother unsheathed his second sword, and found another inscription, "Strength..."
Cen'tho nodded. "Bravery and strength; qualities important to human and Khatsie alike. You and I are a joining of those two races, and these blades symbolize the traits which we wield against our foes. You especially, since you're the one carrying on our warrior heritage."
Ka'lem put his weapons away and stood up. He sighed, then looked at his brother and said, "Help me pack, would ya? We've got a K'orm to hunt down."
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Post by Mizagium on Aug 16, 2014 0:35:35 GMT -5
Garren made a harumphing sound that echoed within its body and shifted uncomfortably. Walking right into the lion's den, and in a disguise that could potentially be cast aside like metal shavings. Although, if it worked, Garren would have something to boast about once it returned home. How many Ironmen could say they strolled through a K'orm Ar'kareth and lived to tell about it? How many Golems? None since the Forge War, Garren thought.
And even so, the idea of being within a settlement of the Golem's most hated enemy, even more than humans...But it was for a good cause.
"You, elf. You mentioned veiling me in an illusion?" On top of everything else. Garren did not much care to be draped in magic. "How confident are you in the...uh...integrity of your spell?" That seemed the best word for the situation. "I don't enjoy much of this situation, but if you are certain of your abilities..." Golems had no hatred for Elves. Nor did they have much love. Golems had no real affection for 'organic' peoples, but even among them, the Elven spellcraft was almost legendary. "If you are confident...I shall allow you to cast this illusion upon me."
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Post by Damien on Aug 17, 2014 13:18:23 GMT -5
"Oh, VERY confident!" said Selmareth. "We elves pride ourselves on our illusions and enchantments as much as our elemental magic. The only way to pierce the illusion is with anti-magic which, as I said, is something only able to be created in small areas through the use of magic. I can make it fool all the senses, including touch, smell, and even taste if needed. Short of anyone actually interacting with you, no one will know that you're not what you appear."
He took a second to think of an example. "Hmm...AH! For example, say I were to veil you in the guise of a K'orm. If someone were to ask you something about K'orm society or culture, and you couldn't answer it, you run the risk of them disbelieving the illusion, thus rendering it useless. What they would then see is your true form with the illusion lying atop it. It's a very interesting concept. You see--"
"Will it work?" asked Renshu, cutting Selmareth's explanation short.
"Yes, it will work," Selmareth huffed. He was not a fan of interruptions, unless of course he was the one interrupting his foes.
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