for work there.

SOUTH
Luthien
Dala
Alyna
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:10, Tue 14 Feb 2023.

Luthien, now with his sub team of 3...had to think about how best to lure out Hargenites and slave traders.

"Alright. Here's the general plan. We're going to start out looking as non descript as we can...hoping illusions help with that. From there, either they'll try to attack us to make us slaves, or they'll attack someone else. We might be able to identify them by clothing or things like shackles. And for me personally, people that do such things have black souls.

Once they realize what I am, they'll try to run away. I want you two on a higher vantage point so you can snipe in relative safety. Like, get on a roof if you can. Remember the idea is to take them alive if possible, so an arrow through the knee is ideal. If you don't think you can hit that small a target, better dead than escaped, so go for a standard chest shot."

So, with this general plan in place, he need only wait to get the illusion up before they get going. Hargenites aren't going to approach a heavily armored Knight after all.

At this point, Alyna set about explaining what was and wasn't possible:

"Eh, sir, I'm sorry to disappoint. But I've got no spell that will change your appearance. I've one for myself, but it doesn't work on others.  I can make any of us invisible.  But it doesn't mean you're silent. More useful for us stealthy types."   Further:

"I can make an illusion of all three of us, or of other people, including some sound.  Which, for example, we might send down a path or alley, while we hide, so we can check for ambush, or mislead an enemy."   

"Now, I do have skill in non-magical disguise, as well.  With that, I might make you look more like a common mercenary, or such.  Maybe. That armor of yours is mighty fine, and would be hard to hide."   

Does Luthien wear the symbol of any of the known gods?   Does his accent/manner suggest any well known place?    (it's in Alyna's nature and skill set to note stuff like that)   

 Dala looked up tot he   north west. The mountain sloping and  riings,  and there was a bit of  a gap as she   saw the other  peaks , clouds  hung close to those peaks, the  sun was  just barely  rising.. down in the desert, and plains, the sun was starting to cover the lands. it  would be a few hours before  Yad   found the sun.

 Pulling up her hood, Dala says,I know the   Captain wants them alive, but it does not mean they have to be ...'unharmed.'

In reply to Alyna Redveil (msg # 3):

"Hence, arrow through the knee. Don't want them fleeing. Arrow through the arm, they can still run away."

Back to the illusionist.

Luthien wore gleaming, magnificent looking full plate. The heraldry on his shield contained both his holy symbol (Tra the huntress), his family lineage, and other personal identifiers. By a shield is a Knight known after all. He also has the crimson arrow badge, the modified version for heavy armor. He also carries two long swords and an axe, and the axe seems especially fine. He was a holy knight built to deter people from even wanting to make trouble at the sight of him.

Having spent a lot of time in the palace lately, his manner of speech still reflects that, like he hadn't quite downshifted back to field work yet.

"It is said the path to greater skill involves challenging yourself as much as possible. It seems this will be a challenge. Do all you can."

He's content to be disguised however she sees fit. Perhaps she will even surprise herself.

"Aye, very well then."

She glanced over toward Dala, noting she had the look and bearing of aristocracy about her, and based on what she understood thus far of Luthien, that made sense.    Brave girl, taking to the road to support her man, when she might have just stayed home.

"You're the fiance, aren't you?"  She smiled, "Pardon me for getting a little handsy with him.   This is strictly practical."       Then to Luthien:

"Well sir, hope you aren't averse to a little dirt."   So said, she went about applying some dirt and mud to Luthien's clothes, to give him a more rugged appearance.

From her pack, Alyna then retrieved her disguise kit. She used makeup to darken his complexion and create fake scars, as well as a false tattoo. Additionally, she used hair dye to darken his hair, and changed the style, tying it back into a ponytail. To complete the look, she took her belt knife and tattered his cloak, and added some accessories, including leather wrist bands and a bandana.

"There," she said, once finished.  "Now remember, it's not all in the look, eh? Details like posture, mannerisms, and language are part of it.  And you have to do those.   You've surely met common mercenaries?  Try to keep in mind how they move, talk, and behave."   

Luthien didn't clarify on what Dala really is. He did add, "It would be prudent to disguise her too."

But...that's not how mercs talk.

"I mean, we don't want no one recognizing her face, y'hear?"

Hopefully that's better. Belatedly he remembers to slouch a little bit, abandoning his normally perfect posture
This message was last edited by the player at 06:06, Tue 14 Feb 2023.

  like the others, they see  some people moving   around.  but most look like towns  folks, a few look lik sailors.

  The see the  Building  'Molts'.. there are a  couple  men on the porch with a hot bowl of   food  and  tea, there  are  skulls on the  wall above the Portch roof, of   small dragons  and  large  birds of  prey.

While the two ladies sorted out the rest of the disguises, Luthien scanned the people around him, looking for souls of purest black. The building looked promising, so he'd at least look inside if the guys outside didn't show him the black he was looking for.

  As Luthien and his people moved towards  Molt's . The  men one the porch eating hot  bowl of something, were dressed in a very nice leathers  that  had a  fur lined hood, which was  down. they hand short swords and Knee high boots to go with thick breeches

 they seemed 'grey' to  Luthien, though they were laughing  as they talked.

Alyna assisted Dala with a disguise, in the same manner that she had the knight, wondering some what this one's story was.

Meanwhile, she waited for Luthien to assess those they came upon, and suggest a course of action.    Alyna was many things, but not particularly a leader.   Especially not so in this kind of company.   She would offer her council, however, where she felt that to be a good idea.

Alyna too would seem 'grey,' in the event Luthien ever does that on her.  Her skill set makes that not so surprising, probably.

Luthien didn't see what he was looking for, so he entered the building, once again scanning for the targets he was looking for.

He waited for the other two to join him before entering, so they wouldn't be separated unnecessarily.

Having concluded with the disguise work, she made certain her weapons and spell components pouch were positioned where she liked them, and then followed Luthien as he entered the structure.

 there  are 14 people  eating and  drinking. 6 of them are dressed like the  fellows on the porch .

 The other   folks look like  labor  types. A few of the  uniform  folks   eye up the  woman.Daka says, as they talk a table,Those  are Wyvern riders. They  , almost all,  are cocky, ebcause of there place in the Ironmound service.

Luthien scans them with his other eyes. If they worked for Ironmound, they shouldn't bear obvious stains on their souls. He does notice them eyeing Dala. He is grateful she is disguised. They don't need her being recognized.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:03, Sat 18 Feb 2023.

 Luthien doesn't get much, greys .. it appears that the  men are looking over 'new talent" that have  arrived, bit  they are more  or less restrained at the moment

 Dala flicks  her  cloak  to reveals the hit of a sword, it was not an accident.

In reply to south (msg # 16):

"What we're looking for isn't here. Let's try somewhere else."

Without the stain of slaver black, these aren't the guys he was here to find.

 Dala  looked  about, perhaps?  I think this is a place for the   Sky Riders to   get drunk  and brag about their  contests in the air.

Luthien acknowledges that...

"You think they might have seen something from the air?"

Maybe they aren't what he's looking for, bit they've seen who they are looking for.

He will show some patience, and listen for a bit.

Seating herself, Alyna was intrigued by meeting some actual wyvern riders, and the thought of what they may have observed from an aerial vantage.

Evesdropping another of her specialties, she too tried to see what she might discern of their conversation.   Her demeanor was friendlier than Dala's, and it did cross her mind to perhaps approach, and speak to them, if she couldn't learn anything by being covert.

In reply to Alyna Redveil (msg # 20):

Luthien chooses to see what his subtle news friend can accomplish. She is probably much better suited for this then his forthright manner, particularly when he must disguise himself.

Seeing that Luthien didn't seem bent on stopping her, she gave a slight 'alright, let's see' kind of shrug to her companions.   And then got up and walked toward the riders, with an amiable smile.

On the way over, Alyna quickly assessed them.  She did her best to pick one who looked cheerful and reasonably clean.  Avoiding any who were scowling, or gave signs of being unsocial.

"Hello there," she hailed, to one of them that fit her criteria.   "I don't mean to bother you.  But, I've always wanted to meet a sky rider."   

 The other  Riders   chuckled  as the man in question looked surprised.

  you must not  be from around here  then?  Us riders  spread ourselves  around! lots of Laughter  as the men seemed to  study  Alyna more,

 Dala  looked at  Luthien as the rider  spoke and gave him an eyeroll, and went back to eating.

"You've already seen enough of that.

Luthien from his table keeps an eye on Alyna, but as long as she's able to handle the leering of lustful men, he'll stand down.

He does keep his other sight open...if auras darken enough to make him suspect assault of some kind, then he'll have to get involved.

"No, I'm not from around here," she answered honestly. "Just a small town girl, doing some traveling, and looking to see some new things," and telling a straight faced lie in that second bit.

"It's got to be exciting soaring through the skies.  And it must take a lot of guts to climb up on the back of a wyvern.  How does such an aggressive creature come to accept you?  Is it because they're trained from birth?"   

  The Rider  smiled,ahh.. 'tis that Lass.  yer  beast flies  and doved, all types of  feeligns go through ya, but the best feeling is hwen you neet the    Eagle  Ridfers   from Hargen... ya see.. them Hargen folks , they don't  like Wyverns..and  they break the eggs  when they  can..so's  we  bring the  Eggs  and  we  raises then up. and then we  fly patrols.. sometimes   we have to fight  Dragons. but most time we  run from them. But the Eagles  will take them and the  riders down, when ever we  can.

 most times, the  beasties  learn..some times we get a  odd  one and we  takes it up   the  Mountain and let it go free, so it  can help  kill  eagle riders  on thier own..the  real bad one, we have Ta kill, so's they don't hurt our people.

"Dragons!  Aye, I'd want to escape those too!"   Then her expression darkened.

"Hargenites," she said the word like a curse, "Such a murderous, low life brood they are! I've heard there are some here in Yad.  Which scares me some.  I wish there was some way to spot them, or know where they're staying, so I could be sure to stay away from them."

Luthien cannot help but grin. She's got this entirely covered, and all without having to make a spectacle out honor and knighthood.

Admittedly he's also curious about the dragons. That's also up his alley, and he's even got an axe designed for the task.

   The   Riders just  laughed  a Bit.Hargenities seem to have  the feeling that  they own the whole of the realms`

 There are  fights, with HArgenites  and   those who live under the Empire's shadow. The Guards   wil be harder on the Hargenites, but  they must punish other too, soe hargen does  not  think we are ....unkind.

more laughter.

  They have   these , grans  Cows  and  wonderous  deer on that side of the Mountain, chances you will see..The Hargen 'betters' wearing    leather  armor and  such  crafted with those animal's leathers... working folks, might have  belts  or  boots..They are  also ...fascinated.. by the Ironwood  elves. They cannot understand  why the Black Timber elves
 are so selfish with  thier  wood, when it would  aid the Empire?..Me?  It's their wood, to give or hold.

Dala's feathers  were getting ruffled.

Luthien understands why Dala is starting to get that righteous wrath going. But he shakes his head.

Whispering: "Anyone with enough rope can hang themselves. Patience. Alyna is doing well. "

Alyna continued to placidly play her part, unflapped by the manner and responses of the men.

Had anyone known the company she'd been keeping these past few years, and her job with them, up until a fortnight ago, it would've been none surprising.

She made note of the comment regarding the elves.  Though it wasn't obvious, with her hair down over her ears, she was half-elf.

"Aye?  Not a good idea to hold your wood too long, you know. You'll go blind!" She laughed merrily.

"Do the Hargs have a favored den or watering hole, here in Yad?  Or are they just happy to drop their coin at any place that'll have'em?"   

  The riders  chuckled   about a favored  watering hole.nay Lass, not nored  favorite, but the  stick theoir  nose everywhere.  The town makes  good  coin from thier trade, so we must vbe careful how we handle them

 Dala  looked to  Luthien and  fumed, she know how she would handle a Hargenite.

Luthien is patient still...this guy is giving up plenty of information that can be used to repudiate these guys later. Both they and the town should know better than to accept dirty money.

Whispering: Dirty money. Let's see what else she unearths."

"Aye, trade is trade, that's true.  'Long as the coins in the coffer keep multiplying, what does it matter whose hand they came from.    What do the Hargs mostly buy, here?   Are there goods that Yad offers that the Hargs are scarce of, back home?" 

Unless this next answer prompts another question, I'll probably wrap this up afterward.

  One of the other Riders  broke in,... well?  we're out her  on the edge of the Empire.. we have trade coming down from hargen,'cause there  the  towns  out there that send things  down...and we have  those  folks   to the  north east, who belong to the Empire, and all those  lands  who don't belong to either place, so we deal..but the hargens  want us  bad. they  could shut a lot of trade off to alot  of the Empire here.

Luthien considers what the rider says. Is that pragmatism? Or cowardice?

Whispering, "He says that, but cutting off trade like that would provoke open war."

The only way to truly free people from Hargenite oppression...would require open war.

They had learned some interesting, perhaps useful, information.    But in terms of being able to locate the Hargs inside of Yag, it didn't seem the riders were going to be too much of a source for that.

She stayed with them a bit longer, laughing at this and that, making general conversation, just so it didn't seem she'd only come over to speak about the Harganites.   And then:

"Well, it's been fun!  I'll see you around later, I'm sure."   She returned to where Luthien and Dala sat.

"Not what I'd hoped for," she said quietly to the pair. "Though, at least, we might try to spot the Hargs' higher-ups by the distinctive leather goods the riders say they wear."   
This message was last edited by the player at 22:31, Fri 03 Mar 2023.

 Dala  frowns,well, do we go for another walk. or what do  we do?

"There's quality information in that leather. And you learned enough to learn where it's made and sold. Moreover, you learned those guys aren't behaving as they should. Their commanding officers will have their hides for that. Disappointing really."

Still...

"Let's try another walk. If we don't see anyone in town, we can head to where they make that leather, and cut that off at the source with the full team.

A new objective wouldn't pay the debt, but it did create a new target.

"Aye, let's do that, then.  We can keep our ears open as we go, and see if the local talk brings us any clues."   

With that, Luthien will escort his subteam back outside. Crucial information is excellent, but he hadn't expected to be here gathering information.

He was sent to find actual Hargenites. It would be nice to do so.

As they stood  in thr street, The group saw IVy and his group, with  5 Hargenite sailors  following them as Ivy and one of them, seemed to be having   a healthy excahnge

"Well there's some Hargs for you," she said softly.  "Do we join our dear lieutenant, or hang here and see what happens?"   
This message was last edited by the player at 18:20, Thu 09 Mar 2023.

"Let's rejoin them. We have information on what to hit next. That's good enough for now."

He will rejoin the main unit with the Hargenites. Being in disguise as they are...his interest may not be immediately noticed.

Alyna nodded, likewise anonymous, with her Arrows insignia stashed in a belt pouch. She followed Luthien, her manner casual, while paying attentions to the Hargs, ready to act if things turned ugly.

Luthien also headed towards the probable trouble

--->West

--->>>  West