Vixia The Wealthy And Righteous Swords

Talinian nods to his companions and turns to the mayor. “Lord Mayor, why don’t we have our conversation now, and I will give you our decision after that?”

"As I said, I do not want my men dead, or any people here to be collateral damage.  I have meetings this morning, but am free in the afternoon." He mayor at this point looks angry at the fact that you are not handing over the prisoner.  "I will only ask one more time, hand over my prisoner, if you wish to discuss his fate more come to the town hall after lunch and we shall talk then." He then motions for his the city guards to take Davey. Do you try to stop them?

Talinian does his best to look puzzled, then steps out of the way of the guards, as though he only just realized he'd blocked them.  "Oh, please excuse me, gentlemen."

Turning to the mayor, he continues, "Why would you think there would be damage or anyone dead?  Did you think we meant to fight you?  By no means, Lord Mayor.  We have no desire to fight your men.  I simply was confused by your desire to take custody of our prisoner and needed a moment to discuss with my colleagues. We assumed Davey would be coming with us once we'd stopped him.  As you are busy this morning, a discussion this afternoon will be fine.  What time shall I come by?"

"Your prisoner? His crimes are in my town, we must have a trial, families will be wanting justice.  As for what time to come by I would say around 1, we can discuss more then.”  The Mayor turns around and starts to walk away.  The undead guards walk with him, Crush and the town guards follow with Davey in the middle and Crush following.

Is there anything you all wish to do before meeting with the mayor?

(I’m back)

As the mayor talks of a trial, Bones watches him closely, trying to ascertain if he is being open about his intentions there. Does his demeanor betray that the trial will be unfair and just for show or does he mean to be fair (Insight: 8).

Talinian eyes the mayor as he walks away, trying to discern how honest he was being, if there were any undercurrents.

Insight: 3

Turning to his colleagues.  "Let us discuss this upstairs, please."

ooc: the next part assumes you all agree.  If not, please feel free to post something else.  Just trying to move things along.

As the team moved upstairs, Talinian whispered to Bones, "Will you please have Cinder guard the door against listeners?"  Once in the room, Talinian lays it all the line.

"I plan to meet with the mayor and see what can be learned.  I do not truly care if Davey is tried here or elsewhere, or, honestly, tried at all.  To my mind, he has already convicted himself, based on what he told us at the graveyard.  Bones, I would like to have Cinder with me so that you can witness the interview firsthand, and, honestly to rescue me if needed.  I am not sure what plans the mayor has, if he truly wishes to discuss my origins.  His association with undead makes me uneasy.  I may or may not confront him on that point.  My decision will be based on how the interview proceeds and, more importantly, your thoughts.  Though it seems I have become the leader of this group, or perhaps because of that, I must be concerned with how my decisions affect the group.  Please, what do you all think?"

Bones snaps his fingers and recalls Cinder to watch the door. "I would be happy to have Cinder watch over your conversation with Raymond. It would put my mind at ease should anything happen. Confronting him regarding the undead guards may not be wise on your own, there's no knowing how he might take the inquiry. But, use your discretion."

Is there anything else you wish to do before meeting with Raymond?  and I want to double check, is it just Taliinian going?  If so what is everyone else doing?

Mialee would shift a little uncomfortably. "I don't intend to be far. If I could share space with Cinder, I would. But assuming I can't, I will remain as close as possible. I can't imagine Crush would be too far." She'd pop a brow as she'd mention Crush, who she'd be keeping an eye out for while Talinian would occupy the Mayor.

ooc: Talinian will cast Unseen Servant as a ritual just before the meeting and bring said magical assistant to the meeting.  He will also advise the team that if Baltor screeches at them twice, pauses, then twice more, that's the signal I need help.  Cinder will be riding in with me so that Bones can see and hear the meeting.  Talinian will meet him alone because that was the request.

Talinian bows in gratitude to the human, "Thank you, Mialee.  I truly appreciate that."

If the rest of the party is going to try and be around the city hall please try and make a stealth check or a deception check depending on what you are doing, also please describe what you are doing.

Talinian when you get to the city hall the doors to the hall where you met Raymond before are closed and you hear angry voices coming from inside.  outside the doors are two normal city guards.  (I will take a quick moment to take over Talinian for RP to save some time.)

Talinian: I am Talinian the Blue, I have a meeting with Mayor Lee

Human Guard: He is still in his lunch meeting.

Land Elf Guard: It has not been going very well.

The Human guard gives the Elf a stern look, like a parent looking to a child who is overstepping. 

Talinian: OK, are these meetings normal?

Land Elf Guard: this is like the fourth or fifth time he has met with this same guy, always without Crush and Lord Bal, the first one never got this heated.  It's really just been the last two that have been this bad.

Human Guard: Not that it’s any of our business, or HIS for that matter.

The two guards remain silent for the remaining few minutes.  The Human looks somewhere between annoyance and anger, the Elf looks board.

The argument continues, the voices never get loud enough for you to make out what is being said.  The doors swing open and a man is standing in the doorway, this man is about 6 foot 4 tall, his frame is slightly larger than average, and pale purple skin, much paler than Raymon’s.  The man turns down a hallway and walks down.  Make an intelligence check DC 20.  

Raymon looks to be upset as you walk in, he even has a little tear forming at the corner of one eye.  

“Ohh Lord Talinian, sorry to have kept you waiting, that meeting was of a personal matter, and I had hoped for it to end a while ago, but some people just won’t see eye to eye.  Now seeing as your friends are not here perhaps we can have our private conversation then when they get here we can discuss whatever you wish about Davey.  Now for our personal conversation,  there are two things that I wish to talk with you about.  First you are the spawn of demons, this interests me, how much time have you spent studying your ancientory?  Have you made a trip to the hells?  Ever seen the sea of the dead?

“The second is that you are a student from Golin and Oriteath, have you ever had access to their locked libraries?  Have you ever been allowed to dive into the knowledge of life and death, and the life that can be restored after death?”

Talinian eyes the tall man as he walks away, wondering...something about the man...

INT: 12

When the mayor comes out, he nods his respect to the man, "Lord Mayor, please do not concern yourself.  I understand and assure you I have not waited long."  As he talks he directs his unseen servant through the door.

As the door closes behind him, Talinian suppresses a shudder, already feeling a knife in his back. Seeing the curtains are closed, he moves to them, saying over his shoulder, "I hope you do not mind, Lord Mayor, but I prefer natural light whenever possible."  He looks back waiting for permission.

ooc: I took a bit of liberty that there are windows and curtains. If that doesn't work, please ignore.  if the mayor says yes, Talinian will open the curtains.  If not, he will position the servant at the curtains to open them for him so he can Misty Step out of the office if needed.

Talinian nods his thanks, or understanding, then sits across from the mayor.  "First, please allow me to correct a common misunderstanding on the nature of tieflings.  We are not the 'spawn' of demons, no more than you are." He says this with a smile to convey no insult was intended.  "Rather, in the distant past our ancestors made a perhaps unwise pact with a certain very powerful demon and the demon's essence is not part of the bloodline of those who made the pact.  Second, to answer your questions, yes, I am very familiar with the history of my people.  Not only am I a wizard I am also a scholar.  Did you have specific questions?  I have not made the journey to the hells nor have I seen the Sea of Souls.  If I may, Lord Mayor, your questions seem to have a hidden purpose.  What is that purpose, please?"

During Talinian's meeting, Bones tends to the wagon nearby and brushes down the mule, talking quietly to it as he does. After a moment, he sits down in the wagon and acts though he has fallen asleep, but in truth has telepathically connected with Cinder to perceive through his familiar's eyes and watch over the meeting (Deception: 14 - not sure if necessary or not, he would be blind and deaf with the link?). 

(OOC - if one of the party is with him, he'll sit and lean his head on their shoulder, as if he's fallen asleep leaning up against them, whispering occasionally with updates or important tidbits.)

(I believe I forgot to mention this earlier, but his Undead Guards are with him.)

To the blinds, “Yes of course, it was the man I was meeting with, his concern to have the blinds pulled.”  He points you to a seat after asking about your lineage, and then continues.

"There are lots of different stories about the Tieflings, and while you were not berthed of a demon, or conceived by one, the blood is there, in the veins.  I have only heard rumors that of two types of people who make trips to the hells, one being adventures, the other being Tieflings, looking for more answers about well, it matters not, you have never been.  To answer why, it’s love, the kind of love that even tales would think to be false.  I commissioned a bard once to write a song of my love and he denied it claiming he could not put to words what we had.  She became very sick very early, I had healers from everywhere come and try to treat her, those favored by the God Children couldn’t do it, so I then went to those who had traded favor with demons, none were able to make a trade to save her.  I brought in scholars and mages of all types, none were able or willing to aid me.  I’ve heard stories of people going to the hells and pulling souls from the sea, and the other planes as well, and I figured had you ever been there you might be able to tell me the truth to this.  I have been looking into other ways that I could bring her back to me, all have been failing.  That is also why I was asking about the Locked Libraries, I am in hopes that you might have been in one of them, and found information on bringing the dead back.”

Not being good at hiding her intentions or sneaking around, Mialee took the 'hiding in plain sight' approach for the most part. She'd complete some of her own patrols around the area, scouting for any guards or any signs of concern. This was something within her own habits anyways, so it wasn't out of her characteristics to complete a sweep. Though, eventually, should she stumble upon Bones in the stables, she'd entertain the idea of 'cuddling' with him in the wagon to strengthen the ruse and to keep him safe while Cinder feeds them updates.

(Deception: 8 throwing a second roll if we can entertain advantage for working together: 4)

Talinian considered his response carefully.  While he was doing that, he has Baltor move into a position to see through the window and warn him if the guards move on him.

"That is a very sad story, Lord Mayor, and you have my condolences.  As part of my education, a portion of which included an introduction to all fields of magic, to help with my ultimate selection, I read two accounts of taking souls from the Sea.  As you can imagine, for a new wizard, any such information was...limited...and not illuminating. So I believe, but cannot be certain, that it is possible to take a soul from the Sea.   As for the Locked Libraries, certainly I have access but the tomes to which refer are housed in a part of the library to which I do not yet have access. I am not nearly of high enough rank to be allowed entry."

The tiefling pauses then, shifting slightly as though to a more comfortable position, but in reality readying himself for action.  "Is this desire of yours why you have taken to consorting with undead, possibly creating them, or working with, or for, someone who does?  And hiding that fact from the town?"

(OOC - AWWWW Ballsy! Haha love it)

Thodin, not one for deception or hiding, also makes to look busy at the wagon, standing a little apart from the others and keeping a light “guard” on the area (ooc: be that stables, or a street where it’s parked nearby).

Checking that no one is within hearing range, the old Dwarf turns to the wagon and grumbles quietly, “Any updates there, Master Bones..?”

(ooc: I’ll roll a deception perhaps if it’s needed to keep quiet enough or something similar :P Deception: 2)