Dreadlords To the Ends of the Earth

[Samantha Black]

Turning to Ral, he would take the blade back from her. "Can you tell any weaknesses? This shit gets loud, we're going to have a lot of these and big lumbering guards to deal with. We need every advantage we can get." It was literally just the four of them.. and Elias.

"Not yet..." Ral had answered after a moment of internalized scrutiny of what she'd seen of the behemoths thus far. In that moment she decided that would be her task for the afternoon: stalk the Big Boys.

"Fine, but you guys get Eli and whatever strumpet he returns with."

A snort in reply. She didn't think Eli was dumb enough to bring a girl back with him. No, if he was getting any tail he'd likely keep it to the brothel. Once in the room she set her own things on the small table at the end, figuring she'd wait to see if Elias actually returned for the night or if he opted for the flophouse.

He stepped into the room after Ralene, throwing his pack onto the bed. "Eli and Alistair at the closest brothel."

Edric said, mapping things out in his head.

"I'll check out those Palaces." Technically speaking, there was no one 'in-charge' of this mission. None of them had been selected to lead, but it tended that the strongest voice won out, and that voice did not always come from the strongest among them. "Sit around for a while, see what I see."

Ral idly nodded in response to Ed's plan, "I'm going to tail the guards and see if I can find a map of the city anywhere." He knew how her mind worked well enough to know that she meant to map out routes, mark guard posts, and anything else of note that might help the rest of them should things go poorly. "I'll check if there's a notice board with any information, ask around some of the local watering holes." Selecting her smaller weapons to keep on her person and taking up her messenger bag over her shoulder, Ral gave Ed a nod, "I'll be back by sundown," and stepped out of the room, then leaned in through the open door to the room across the hall to check on Drast, "Ed's going to check out the Palaces and I'm scouting. What's your plan?"

 

[Edric]

Edric nodded to Ralene.

None of the Initiates who had come with him were incompetent. There were no Chas or Kristen's. He trusted them all to get things done, even though Drastus had his...own way about things.

Yet he knew that they could get the job done. That this would be over within the week and they could take the portal stone down south back home. He was confident in that, and tried to keep it in mind as he settled his things and walked out the door.

Edric didn't take any weapons.

Didn't take anything but the clothes on his back and a few gold coins.

He stopped only briefly to ask for directions. A terse word and a copper dropped on the counter, and ten minutes later he stood in front of what was one of the largest buildings he had ever seen. A Palace, though it was more of a compound, reaching into the sky like a fist grasping towards the sun.

It's walls were black onyx, the tower made of the same. The whole place like a citadel. There was no way inside, not that he could see. Dozens of those massive Ogre Guard stood before the gates, men patrolled the walls, and yet people milled around it as though it were nothing out of the ordinary.

He might have marveled at it.

Might have thought it something unique.

Yet the only thing that caught his attention was the sight of a man.

His face was half hidden beneath a hat, his clothes were of the same style of dozens around him. But Edric had seen that face before. Had studied it for nearly three months. It had been a picture then, a drawing set upon parchment.

Yet he was sure, almost sure. That was the man they had been looking for.

And he walked into the palace as though it were nothing more than a common tavern.

 

[Elias]

Elias snorted, then said with the previous jolly now absent from his tone, "Lighten the fuck up, man. Straight as an arrow, you." He briefly paused and gave Alistair a once-over, "Well, whatever," he shrugged and dropped the coin back into his purse, then drew the opening tightly closed.

"D'you know, Alistair, that all sorts of folks frequent brothels? The rich and poor, young and old, native and foreign. And when these folks get their fill of drink and pleasure, their lips get loose." Eli half-turned to face the market and the sea beyond it, "And this seems like a pretty busy spot."

The Lordling turned towards the brothel and made his way for the front door, past the floozies outside. Anyway, it was as good a place as any to gather rumors and information. He didn't care at that point whether Alistair followed him in or not, as he saw the lad capable enough to act alone. Eli would have company enough from there on anyways.

 

[Drastus Tal'deneshaar]

It didn't take long for Drast momentary peace to be disturbed. Thankfully, Ralene walked heavily, so he had enough warning to tuck the locket away. So when she peeked in, he offered a smile.

Ed's going to check out the Palaces and I'm scouting. What's your plan?

"Waiting for nightfall. Going to look for their graveyards. We won't have any backup, I intend to give us some support, or even cover, should we need it." He sat up a bit. "Besides, we're going to need at least one set of eyes on our rooms at all times. Can't trust the people here."

He was sure that answer would unnerved her, as his abilities had several times in the past. He just waited for the judgement.

Spoiler: Post note

Go ahead and skip me in the order until people return to the Inn.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair rolled his eyes at Elias' display in front of him. He considered it completely unaware about the real problem at hand, and Al had to hold himself out from calling the man on it, but he also believed Elias to be too pompous to take criticism well.

The problem was not the brothel, he would not have come with him if that was the problem. Leaving Elias to do all the work, while Alistair just went off to sleep with women was wasteful. If Elias was under the impression that Alistair was capable of getting a bunch of whores to spill out all this information to him while he was also 'in the act', well that was an overestimation on his part.

His gaze turned back down the road as he strongly considered going off on his own, but he turned back and followed into the brothel. He would buy a couple of drinks and see what he could find out, whether Elias helped or not.

Upon entry, he was immediately met by two scantly dressed women who were trying to sell themselves. Alistair was quick to hide his blushing and explained he would be getting a drink first before he rushed past them to stick with Elias.

Elias

 

[Samantha Black]

The graveyards. Of course.

She was trying not to let her instinct to grimace take over. Reminding herself that he had likely been the reason she was still living and breathing. That had Drast not played the Healer on that previous mission, it was very unlikely she would have survived long enough for Veithir's efforts. Ralene's brow furrowed as she shut her eyes and willed away the judgement.

He had a plan and that was what mattered.

"Alright," she nodded, "good thinking," a balled fist lightly tamped the door jamb as she released a slow breath through her nostrils and opened her eyes to look back at him, "no idea when the others will return, but I'll be back by sundown so you can head out."

With that she dipped back out of the doorway and left the same way Edric had. At the very least he could count on her to stick to her word. Ral had no idea when Edric intended to be back, and the jury was always out on Eli. Alistair, perhaps, would flee the brothel when the women became too much for him. She made a mental note to swing by that way for a good chuckle.

Ralene forwent stopping at the front desk for directions and instead stepped out into the daylight of the city. The streets were full of passerby, merchants, riders on horseback, carts and wagons, slaves and laborers. It wasn't terribly different from Vel Anir save for one thing: the variety of races she could see just from where she stood. There from her perch atop the Inn steps she could also see the dark silhouette of a guard further down the streets. Ral adjusted the strap of her bag and set off to shadow the brute.

 

[Edric]

Edric frowned a she watched the palace gates, his lips thinning as he peered at the wall and the great building which lay beyond.

There was no real telling what the man was doing in there, or even if he really was the person whom he and the others had chased half-way around the world. Edric was sure, the face was too close to be any different, but...a doubt still lay within.

It was a question of what to do with that doubt.

Did he try to break in?

Follow the man beyond the walls and try to mark out their query? It seemed a foolish mission, especially in a palace patrolled by those ogres. Lips thinned for a brief moment, his weight settling upon the wall behind him. thumbs twiddled against one another.

No. Edric thought coldly.

Moving alone wasn't the right thing to do.

The others had their own assignments. What they were supposed to do. Each one of them would bring a puzzle piece. Least he could do was bring his own. If that really had been their target, it would mean breaking into the palace.

Something they would have to work together to do.

Edric lingered for a moment more, watching the walls, and then he broke off to head back towards the Inn.

 

[Elias]

"Alistair! Al!" A hand shot straight up and waved the out-of-place Initiate down. Elias was quick to acquaint himself with the local selection and found himself with a woman more than eager to make a seat of his lap. So fast, in fact, that as Alistair caught up, Elias was already talking into the woman's ear.

"Oh, there ye-" Eli turned his attention to his comrade, only to pause as the lady whispered words of her own into his ear, catching his earlobe between her teeth as she pulled away and slid off his lap to make her way down one of the establishment's halls. Didn't even spare a glance back.

"Nevermind," the Lordling frantically said to Alistair and began to follow the woman, "You're on your own, mate. I'll, uh, be back at the inn before the evening. Good luck!"

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair was thankful to find his friend once more, and that thanks were quickly crushed as he was abandoned just as quickly as he found Elias.

It left Alistair awkwardly sitting at the counter alone, with only one thing left to do.

"Excuse me, an I get an ale...or wine if you have it."

"That will cost more."

"No worries. I'll take the wine." Alistair handed over the money and it was like a signal. A bottle of wine arrived, but almost simultaneously two women appeared next to him. Thankfully, Alistair wasn't a complete idiot. He wasn't just going to throw away the money he did have, but...they were here to learn things.

Alistair paid for both of the women hoping to just speak with them and learn a bit more about the city. One of them took his hand and led him away while the other grabbed the bottle of wine and followed.

Oh, good. They were going somewhere private. It would be easier to talk there.

Elias Edric Ralene Drastus Tal'deneshaar

 

[Samantha Black]

Tailing the brutes was not a challenge. They were exceptionally easy to spot among the crowds; walking as veritable monoliths within a sea of average people. Despite her own taller-than-average height, she found the mixture of races among the throngs allowed her to move completely unnoticed by the hulks. Seemed they were not so much tasked in identifying hidden threads so much as they were meant for intimidation and action when active threats made themselves known. That would be an important bit of information later on, but for now it was just a boon.

Ral found herself amidst the marketplace and moved with the crowd, keeping a fair distance from the current person of interest while also keeping her roving gaze wary for other notable groups of people. There were other guard units moving about of non-behemoth stature. There were what appeared to be district overseers checking in on the market's vendors to ensure everything was up to code. There were the usual roguish and unsavory sorts one often found in trade cities.

There was also the brothel. Hm.

A smug look blossomed over the Initiate's face as she diverted her present path for the entrance, pausing briefly at the doorway as she was greeted by a fetching little number in clothing that might as well have not even been there. Any other time she might have indulged, for Ralene was not without her vices, but to have three members of the party effectively shirking their duties would not a mission complete.

Ral stepped inside and asked after her friends, describing both boys and being directed to the servicing rooms. For both. She blinked in surprise - Eli she'd fully expected this for, but Al? Ral was pretty sure the guy was a virgin, at least exceptionally inexperienced. He sure picked a hell of a time to earn his rocks. She peeked in through the doorways as she meandered down the hall, brushing past working men and women and gently declining their very generous offers.

Then she spied him through the hanging bead curtain of one of the rooms and found him being coerced by two ladies on an overstuffed loveseat of deep purple velvet.

The bead curtain sang as Ralene pulled it aside, leaning in to flaunt her smug, shit-eating grin at Alistair Krixus . "Well well well, look what the pussy cats pulled in..."

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair was thrown into the loveseat as soon as they were through the door. he was a little shocked and went to speak, but both women were at his side quickly. His mouth was occupied with at first bits of clothing and then lips. At some point, he thought a third had joined, but he wasn't really capable of focusing.

He wasn't sure how long everything went on, but at some point, he heard a familiar voice. The two women pulled back with a squeal as a third was coming around the corner, but stopped when she saw Ralene. They all probably thought this was some couple of trouble which was a common occurrence here.

Alistair's shirt was completely unbuttoned and halfway to being taken off. He was under a blanket, but it did not seem like his pants were on. His hair was a mess and the smears of makeup from the women were covering his face and chest from where they had had their fun. Al's glasses were barely hanging onto his face.

"Oh, hello, Ralene...just...trying to learn about the city." He offered meekly to the armored women.

Al would be lying if he said he wasn't disappointed that the fun had stopped. He had been enjoying himself, but seeing the look on Ral made it clear that he was never going to live this down with her.

"What are you doing here? Where is Elias?"

He tried his best to regain control of the conversation.

Ralene

 

[Samantha Black]

Ralene completely ignored the squeals of the women as she pressed into the room like a tiger pressing into a cave on an unsuspecting pig, "Is that so..." Yes it seemed he was quite busy learning all about the city. Cup sizes and lip gloss flavors - very important details pertaining to the mission. Her grin never wavered, however, if anything it grew more dastardly.

"Elias is balls deep in Luetta ... or maybe it was Luisha, didn't quite catch the name over the grunting."

"Luelsa," corrected one of the women who was looking rather wary of Ralene's presence in the room.

"Thanks, doll," Ral snapped her fingers and gestured shortly for the women to leave, then caught one on her way out by the arm and leaned to whisper something into her ear. The woman looked at her, momentarily confused, but a drop of coin into her palm seemed to clear everything up. She smiled, and trotted out of the room.

That glacial gaze then settled on Alistair like an iceberg eagerly waiting to sink his ship, "You're out of your depth here, Al. I know Eli can handle himself and get useful info out of whores, but not you. Not today." She narrowed her eyes at him and shook her head, "This isn't a vacation. Get your pants on and clean yourself up. We're here to work, not play."

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair did his best to stand up and wrap the blanket around his waist with some dignity. He had a small frown on his face as he made his way over to his pants that had been thrown across the floor.

"Well, we will never know, now Ral...I know I'm not into the...debauchery that some of the rest of you are accustomed to, but I can handle myself. I tend to adapt rather well."

He knew in his head that Ralene wasn't wrong, but it still irritated him that he was being treated like some child. During the 'events' that had taken place, Al had never once forgotten about his ultimate goal of getting answers. Yet, he was being chastised, while Elias was doing the same thing...except at a much higher volume apparently.

Alistair walked behind a wall, and a few seconds later came back out with his pants on and his shirt back into his well-maintained manner.

He did not know if would have actually been successful, but now there was no chance and he was going to have to go back to the others to be completely embarrassed by Ralene.

Ralene

 

[Samantha Black]

Elias would get what was coming to him for his lazy cop-out on this mission. He just didn't know it yet. That fact alone was what maintained the seedy grin on Ralene's face while Alistair got dressed and made sure to fit in his misgivings. He couldn't even put his clothes back on in front of her - how was she to believe he could handle himself with not just one, but two women.

"Yeah yeah, you want to get your gears greased by whores I'll set you up with a full weekend back in Vel Anir to make up for it. Now isn't the time to fuck around and find out."

She waited for him to step back out, fully clothed, and nodded her head for him to follow. Hadn't even bothered to mention that one foreigner dropping money and asking odd questions was passable, but two was suspicious.

"I need an extra set of eyes with me," the conversation continued once they were back out on the street, "I'm trailing the big brutes to get a mind on their patrol routes, but there's a lot more to this city's guard than just them. You're the only other person in the group with an eye for detail - the others get distracted."

Well, Edric would have been fine, but he was off casing another area.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair winced at Ralene's inability for tact. Sometimes her bluntness was just not the best match with Alistair. he was busy trying to put his hair back into some semblance of order and to remove all the smudges off of his person.

"Have to find out somewhere Ralene. Can't really do reconnaissance in my own city. It would not be a challenge."

He knew he was just trying to make excuses, but it was the best he had at the moment. It was also annoying to admit that what Ralene was suggesting was far more his speed.

As they walked out of the brothel, he did politely offer his thanks before looking around the area they found themselves in.

"The brutes? Yeah, I can do that. Where have you looked so far?"

His face was cast down towards the ground as his eyes began to flow and he got a far-off look in his eyes. He had been sure to do it discretely, but he had left two eyes on spots in the city as they made their way through it when they entered. It seemed like a good idea to just keep an eye on where they had been.

Ralene

 

[Samantha Black]

"All around the market square so far," she replied, having pointedly ignored his commentary on whether or not interrogating whores in Vel Anir would be difficult for him.

"But it's not just the brutes," Ral lead him through a corridor of heavy foot traffic and off to the side where a set of steps lead upwards, "there's other guard retinue on different routes, and what looks to be Watchmen positioned on the tops of buildings with some very advanced looking crossbows. This city is a goddamn fortress. Drast was planning to head out on his own tonight and find where they bury the dead..." or even if they buried the dead. It occurred to her that in a place like this, maybe they burned them and it might not be such a good idea for Drast to be out on his own.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair nodded along and followed after Ralene, but his walking was a little awkward. Every few steps he would stop or hesitate as his eyes would get a faraway look as his view changed to that of some of runes.

"I see what you mean...It's like some big puzzle...a lot of different patterns. Some don't even look like guards."

With the pure amount of security in the city, it would almost be easier to just assume that this place was locked down tight at all times. Alistair regained his vision and looked back out to the heavy corridor.

"I don't suppose you have to some big idea. It might take some time to figure out all the routes and patterns."

Once they got back to the room, Alistair could make a map and it might be easier to figure out patterns, but even then it would not be easy.

"If there is one thing I know about Drast it is...He should never be left by himself."

Ralene

 

[Samantha Black]

She'd kept walking when he paused to work his magic, noticing only that he wasn't right with her as she reached the next landing of the staircase. There she waited, keeping her head on a swivel, until he'd caught up to her again, and tracked a small team of guards of mixed races descending from the top of the stairwell. Ralene pulled close to Al in order to keep their conversation tight.

"We have time ... but what we might not have is Edric's patience." He'd gotten better over the last year, but after spending two months on a ship to get here she was certain he wouldn't want to spend anymore time than absolutely necessary here. "I won't have a plan until we get some kind of lead on our target," her gaze drifted from him to the guards as they stepped by. There was enough diversity in the city that the pair of Initiates didn't exactly stand out, but these smaller foot soldiers seemed to be much more keen on actively looking for trouble than their oversized counterparts.

As they passed, Ral pressed onward up the stairs again, "We can't let Drast go out tonight without some kind of intel on what these people do with their dead."

 

[Alistair Krixus]

It was like Alistair was watching the world in short quick images as he frequently switched from his own vision to that of his runes. He was a little surprised when one minute he was looking through the runes but regained his vision only to see Ralene tightly next to him.

He did his best to ignore her as his eyes looked to the guards and watched them closely. He was starting to get the idea in his head. The big guys were the muscle of the guard, but these foot soldiers were the eyes and potentially the brains of the guard. They would need to deal with them before they dealt with the brutes.

"Edric will just have to accept that Oban was not built in a day. As long as we actually come back with something useful, then he should not be to angry."

He placed his hand against the wall and a runic eye slid down his arm and then transferred itself onto the wall. That was three, he could only keep so many of these up at a time.

"Maybe we should find the headquarters for these guards."

Ralene

 

[Samantha Black]

A deadpan stare answered Al's first comment.

"Feel free to tell him that yourself."

She wasn't sure just how much experience he had with Edric or his temper, but it wasn't something she felt like dealing with in the middle of a foreign fortress city. Ral narrowed her eyes in thought, "No...the less these guards see our faces the better." The last thing they wanted to do was give every single guard at the headquarters a good look at them or any reason to be suspicious.

"Help me find a community notice board, I want to look for - what are you doing?" Ral only just noticed the odd, unfocused look in his eyes.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

"I mean the most he can do here is kill me. Which he could, but that would really probably put a hiccup in our plans."

Still, Ralene made a point. They would be as quick as possible. He once again regained his vision as he checked to make sure his rune was working properly.

"I'm just keeping an eye on things." He pointed to the faint rune on the wall.

"I have put three of these on spots in the city where I have already been...I can look through them. Trying to keep an eye on the guards."

Now that he was back to focusing on their surrounding, he looked around and tried to do remember what the city looked like in his head. Community notice boards would likely be in heavily condensed areas, so most people could get a look at them. He pointed to their left.

"Likely one this way, if I remember correctly."

Ralene

 

[Edric]

It was not long after seeing their subject that Edric made his way back towards the Tavern.

He took a path which rounded around itself, ensuring that he was not followed before ducking through the market. There he purchased a few goods, asked some questions. It was something he would not have done months ago, but after going through a dozen trials he knew now more than ever that knowledge was power.

Wrecking their way into the Palace would get them nowhere but prison or death.

The more they knew the better, and while he had faith in the others Edric intended to gather his own groundwork alongside them.

By the time he reached the Inn Edric had half a dozen conversations. Some with local merchants, others with traders from the north, and even once he managed to speak to one of the Ogres. The creature had been gruff, terse, but surprisingly jovial. Though the things manner of a joke had been threatening to tear out his throat.

A...jest Edric hadn't quite gotten.

Still, he had a few parcels of information, and that had to be enough. Alongside seeing their target enter the Onyx Palace.

"When my friends come in, please show them to my table." Edric said with a surprisingly charming smile to the tavern girl. A small silver coin slipped into her palm. She looked at him, her smile radiant.

"Oh of course, Ser. Is there anything I can bring you in the meantime? Ale? A meal to tide you over? Maybe something to warm your lap?"

She smirked wide and winked at him, Edric nearly coughing as he was suddenly reminded of his traipse with Maui. "Just a drink."

He said, stepping over towards the table.

Elias | Ralene | Drastus Tal'deneshaar | Alistair Krixus

 

[Samantha Black]

A rueful grin stole her face at the thought, but she made no comment on the consequences of taking Alistair out of the equation for the mission. They all served a purpose here, even if they didn't all agree on what it was. The Proctor's had assigned five initiates for a reason - and maybe at the end of it all, it was to see who would survive. An elegant solution to the lack of rites of passage in the tower graduation.

Either way, she doubted Ed would escalate to such a thing.

"That," Ral's brows lofted as she observed his magic again, "is a pretty cool trick. Can you teach me that?"


The afternoon waned on and though they discovered several notice boards, noted several guard outposts around the city, but had not found map nor the central headquarters for the city guard. Ral suspected it was connected to the palaces, but the city was large and they'd yet to see all of it. She purchased several leafs of parchment and a few fresh sticks of graphite. Between the two of them, Ral was fairly certain they could draft a map of what they'd seen thus far.

They returned to the Inn at sundown and Ral moved to claim a seat at Ed's table, ordering a drink and a meal for herself from the Waitress who sidled by.

"This place is huge," she remarked as she set her pack down by her feet, "but no one seems to have a map."

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair decided to ignore Ral's expression when he knew she was thinking about the idea of killing him off. Not exactly the best team-building exercise, but Oban wasn't built in a day and you could never take the idea of killing classmates out of a Dreadlord initiate. Well, at least not for now.

"I can partially, but be careful. I had a talent for vision-based runes and have spent a lot of my life training those skills...The runes provide a lot of information, which can really do damage to the mind and one's own sight if not careful."

He remembered the first time he had ever used the rune, it was like getting stabbed right behind the eyes. Unpleasant to say the least, and he had been forced to do it over and over again. Still, that was mainly looking through multiple runes at once. As long as Ral kept her vision to one at a time, and she had a talent for it, then she should be able to pull it off.


The next few hours went by in a blur. They never found the headquarters, and Alistair spent most of his time checking guard routes through his runes and even putting a few more down.

He took his seat next to Ed and Ral, and ordered his own food and drink. Using up runes did build a bit of an appetite. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out his notebook that he always kept with him and checked over it. The thing had been constantly writing ever since they got to the city, but mostly cultural, architectural, and economic ideas that Alistair had noticed in the city.

However, flipping over a page, there was also a spot where Alistair had been keeping track of troops he saw and their routes. It was a lot of information.

"There is a pattern..., but it is a lot to go through."

He began to sketch a rough idea of a map. He would show it to Ral when he was done, and she could add or edit bits where she remembered more detail than he did.

Ralene Edric Elias

 

[Edric]

Edric nodded as the two quickly reported. "I found the Palaces."

They were rather hard to miss, admittedly. The three towers sat in different sections of the city, but each one reigned over everything around it. They were huge structures, all of them well defended and guarded by those massive Ogres.

"From what we know this city is ruled by three Kings." That had been included in the information docket all of them had been given.

Tyr was, quite literlaly, an entire world away from Vel Anir. Yet the Vigilite and various other forms of espionage had managed to gleen some information on the city they were now in. Though that information was about as sparse as it could be. "And."

He took in a breath.

"One of them seems to harboring our fugitive." A grimace pulled on Edric's lips. "Saw him go into one of the palaces. Stuck around for a few hours but he didn't come out."

Which meant he was either staying there, or had a very long meeting. "I think going in is...a bad idea."

A very bad idea.