Logs > Gamma Logs > If We Could Find a Hothead

If We Could Find a Hothead

[The Hidden Nook, Common Room]
Light from a large firepit bathes the room with a soft ambient glow. Shadowy images dance along the keafwood walls and around a large oaken door. An archway in the eastern wall reveals a modest, busy kitchen. A simple pine door stands next to a rough vyrewood door against the northern wall. You see four sturdy oak chairs, a large oak table, and a comfortable rabu-fur rug. Also here is Raeh (seated on a large oak table).

The wonderful aroma of freshly baked bread fills the air.
The only obvious exit is out.
You smile wearily at Raeh.
You sit down on a sturdy oak chair.
You grunt.
Raeh chuckles.
You say, "What a crowd."
Raeh says, "You look a little worse for the wear."
Raeh grins at you.
Raeh asks, "What a mess, hm?"
You say, "I was hoping to throw a bit of doubt in and set them spinning, but the bloody Imperials have to throw in and tell everyone exactly what to do."
You gaze upwards to the heavens.
You act: Jurion slouches down into his chair.
Raeh nods agreeably.
You say, "So."
The fire dances within the pit with an almost rhythmic sizzling and popping.
Raeh says, "Yes, that made doing anything about it tonight impossible."
Raeh says, "Hope you don't mind that I kind of... flung myself behind them all."
You chuckle.
You say, "Not a bit."
Raeh chuckles.
Raeh says, "Building trust, that sort of thing."
You say, "One doesn't try to hold back the tide."
Raeh says, "I managed to be fairly friendly, too even."
Raeh smiles wryly.
You say, "Neither of us wants to drown just yet. Yes, you were remarkably pleasant."
Raeh asks, "Anyway, where did you get these orders from?"
You rub your chin.
You say, "I was asleep on the rock outside Jendra's."
Raeh chuckles.
You say, "Someone slapped me, and when I opened my eyes, there was an orc."
Raeh nods.
You say, "I'm rather relieved I woke up at all."
Raeh grins.
Raeh says, "Good point."
You say, "Anyhow, we're to prevent the jhakor from allying with the imperials."
Raeh ponders the situation.
Raeh says, "You know..."
You say, "And as you know, I haven't the faintest idea how."
Raeh says, "I'm formulating a plan."
You act: Jurion props his chin on his fist.
Raeh grins wryly.
You say, "I should very much like to hear it."
You say, "It's been suggested that I simply attack the jhakor speaking to Saebra."
Raeh asks, "What always messes up every redeeming plan Kaezar tries to come up with?"
Raeh peers at you.
You act: Jurion spreads his hands.
Raeh says, "Shouldn't take you long to figure it out."
You ask, "Erm, we do?"
Raeh says, "Some hothead young blade weilder knocking someone important senseless."
Raeh says, "Now.."
Raeh says, "*You* could do it."
Carrying a quilted pillow, an elderly sylvan lady enters a bedroom and returns, then goes quietly through the arch.
Raeh says, "But I'm thinking..."
Raeh asks, "Why put yourself in so much spotlight?"
Raeh says, "And let's face it, Jurion."
You say, "I should rather like to avoid it if I could."
Raeh says, "You're not the hothead type."
You smile ruefully.
You say, "I could fake it, but people would talk."
Raeh says, "Now Kahund, or Sceen, or Tracker..."
Raeh says, "Nah, Sceen is all talk."
You say, "Sceen wouldn't anyhow."
You say, "He's all for the idea."
Raeh nods.
You say, "If we could find a hothead willing to make the leap... for a bit of coin, perhaps."
You ask, "The trouble is, who?"
Raeh says, "Oh, no Jurion."
Raeh says, "No... we can't consort with a hothead."
Raeh says, "They would blab it all over town."
Raeh says, "They can't keep secrets."
Raeh scratches her chin.
Raeh asks, "Did anyone there tonight seem wary of the jhaktor at all?"
You nod.
You say, "Let me think who, though, I can't recall his name."
The fire dances within the pit with an almost rhythmic sizzling and popping.
Raeh exclaims, "Oh!"
Raeh says, "What if, oh, this might be good."
Raeh says, "What if I were to come into Breen's wounded..."
You act: Jurion looks interested.
Raeh asks, "Hurt by that jhaktor fellow? What's his name?"
You ask, "Ghul? Ghuk?"
Raeh says, "Ghuk."
You say, "Ghuk, yes."
Raeh scratches her chin.
You ask, "It could work to turn the town against him, but for how long?"
Raeh says, "Once doubts are cast..."
Raeh says, "Oh, another idea."
You ask, "It could work to turn the town against him, but for how long?"
You say, "I almost think we've got to come at it from the jhakor side. If we could get access to this Ghuk..."
Raeh nods to you.
You say, "The orc said that Ghuk would be back in three days."
Raeh asks, "Hm, and talk to him about it? Try to dissuade him?"
You say, "Threaten him, persuade him, show him a bag of faels and tell him the humans want no traffic with jhakor. Kill him."
You say, "Anything. The trouble is finding him, or getting him away from Saebra and her cronies if we can't find him on our own."
Raeh says, "It seems odd to me, Jurion."
Raeh says, "That a race that we tend to slaughter ruthlessly is joining with us
against the orcs."
Raeh says, "Who couldn't possibly slaughter them any more ruthlessly."
Raeh shrugs.
Raeh says, "Anyway."
You cross your feet.
You say, "I quite agree."
You say, "But this town is gullible."
Raeh says, "Shala will need to be dealt with."
You grin at Raeh.
You say, "You know that already."
Raeh says, "She needs something to chew."
You say, "What can we feed her? And there's also Leyrn."
You say, "I wonder if Leyrn might not be persuaded to do something rash, given enough incentive."
Raeh says, "If only we could be extremely secretive about something, and only feed her a snidge at a time."
You say, "What I'd like to do is point her at someone else."
Raeh says, "Hm, maybe speaking with Leyrn would be a good idea."
Raeh says, "Alright, I know Shala already knows you and I have been meeting."
Raeh says, "Unless she's extremely stupid. We both know she's not."
You nod to Raeh.
Raeh asks, "So why are we meeting?"
Raeh smiles.
You say, "We're having a secret romance."
You grin slightly.
Raeh chuckles.
You say, "I've implied that you need a sympathetic ear, as you've been grieving."
You say, "I haven't been explicit, and I think she only knows that we've met the once thus far."
You say, "But you're right. We need a better reason."
Raeh nods to you.
You ask, "Are you sitting for a portrait?"
Raeh says, "It's best to assume she's onto us."
You ask, "Are you interested in acting?"
You nod to Raeh.
You ask, "Am I learning the healing arts from you?"
Raeh says, "No, Jurion, she knows both of us."
You say, "A reason to hold before others, though."
You say, "Not necessarily Shala."
Raeh says, "Ah."
Raeh bites her lip thoughtfully.
You say, "Something we can answer if Shala says to someone else, 'Look, they've been meeting.'"
Raeh says, "We thoroughly enjoy sharing a good jojojopo roll."
Raeh chuckles.
You laugh quietly.
Raeh says, "I don't know, the townsfolk will believe anything, I'm sincerely not worried about them."
You say, "No one enjoys a jojojopo roll as much as I do. A valiant effort, though."
You say, "All right."
Raeh says, "Only Shala, really."
You ask, "Then what can we do about Shala, except to make sure she doesn't catch us in the act?"
Raeh says, "You saw the way she looked at us the other night."
Raeh says, "Shifting her eyes this way and that."
Raeh says, "She knows something is up."
Raeh says, "All I know is..."
Raeh sighs restlessly.
Raeh says, "Well, perhaps."
Raeh opens her mouth as if to say something.
You lean back while sitting on the sturdy oak chair.
You act: Jurion crosses his arms loosely.
Raeh says, "Perhaps your first idea was the best. Either that or we're can make up some kind of secret *good* plan we're working on."
You raise an eyebrow.
Raeh says, "Like ... oh I don't know.. working with Emerald Jake or something."
You nod slowly.
Raeh says, "Which actually wouldn't be such a bad idea to investigate."
You say, "No. At the least we could warn him of the assassins coming his way from Kaezar."
You say, "Which might make him throw his weight to the other side."
Raeh says, "Because I don't think Sinjinn would be very pleased with us pretending to have a secret romance."
Raeh smiles wryly.
You chuckle.
You say, "Well. No, I expect not."
Raeh nods to you.
Raeh says, "I've actually been dying to meet the fellow for some time."
You ask, "Did Merow know anything about him?"
Raeh says, "Seems very intriguing."
The fire dances within the pit with an almost rhythmic sizzling and popping.
Raeh says, "No, we discussed him several times, too."
You ask, "Would you be comfortable implying that Merow might have known something?"
You ask, "And that we're then investigating that?"
Raeh shrugs.
You say, "You know how she is. She'd take that in her teeth."
Raeh asks, "Sure. Why do we need to do it in secret?"
You say, "Because we're afraid of her."
You say, "Give her a bit of guilt."
Raeh ponders the situation.
Raeh asks, "But why would it make us afraid?"
You say, "She's questioned my motives already, Raeh."
Raeh says, "Oh, consorting with a mercenary."
Raeh nods to you.
You say, "Yes, exactly."
Raeh says, "Yes yes."
Raeh says, "We saw everyone's attitude towards him today."
You say, "We don't want to be assassinated."
Raeh says, "Merow knew something like... eh. .. he'd help us for a price and eh.. he likes blackroot tea."
You nod agreeably.
Raeh says, "Kind of cryptic in a silly way."
You say, "Yes, but it sounds like a password."
You grin slightly.
Raeh grins at you.
Raeh says, "Exactly."
Raeh rubs her hands together briefly.
You say, "Perhaps Jake knew something about Arknor's axes."
Raeh says, "Oohh, yes."
Raeh says, "They're connected somehow."
You nod to Raeh.
Raeh grins at you.
You say, "It would fit neatly into her paranoid mindset, I think."
Raeh says, "Now this is getting fun."
You chuckle to yourself.
Raeh says, "And we're just trying to investigate."
Raeh nods to you.
You say, "Unfortunately, it doesn't address our immediate problem."
You ask, "What do we do about the jhakor?"
Raeh says, "And find out his motives before we do anything."
You nod to Raeh.
Raeh says, "Alright."
You say, "I wish we had a few more bodies in on this."
Raeh asks, "Ghuk.. that his name?"
nod raeh
You nod to Raeh.
Raeh asks, "Saebra said he's coming to town in three days?"
You ask, "No, the orc told me that. Did Saebra mention it?"
Raeh says, "Wonder where he lives.. you know.. when he's not coming to town."
Raeh smiles wryly.
Raeh says, "She did."
Raeh asks, "Well, Sinjinn is in, isn't she?"
You say, "Yes, but I don't know if she'll be well in time to help."
The fire dances within the pit with an almost rhythmic sizzling and popping.
Raeh says, "Hrm. I don't know who else to trust."
Raeh says, "Xelian would never work against Kaezar."
You say, "I only know of Leyrn, and I don't know his motivations. He's been drinking the ale, though."
Raeh says, "And I couldn't mislead her to think otherwise."
Raeh says, "Leyrn."
Raeh asks, "Want to cautiously approach him?"
You nod.
You say, "If we can in the time we've got allotted to us."
You say, "I wager, if I approached him and told him that I had orders for him..."
You say, "He might be willing to carry out an assault."
You say, "It's all so iffy."
Raeh nods to you.
Raeh says, "Let's sleep on it."
You nod.
You say, "If worst comes to worst, I'll let the alliance go through."
Raeh says, "I'll try to think of something.. anything."
Raeh nods to you.
You say, "I'm not going to put my neck out and knife the fellow in Breen's in front of a crowd of people."
Raeh chuckles.
Raeh says, "That'd be ludicrous."
You say, "Two imperials doesn't pay for that."
You grin slightly.
Raeh says, "You'd never do that."
Raeh shakes her head.
You say, "No, I wouldn't. That was my advance pay, by the way."
Raeh says, "Leyrn, perhaps. If he's not very bright."
Raeh says, "Advance pay to stop the alliance, huh."
You say, "They're lucky I'm not doing this for profit."
You grunt.
Raeh says, "I wish we could speak with Ghuk. Well, who knows that opportunities may arise."
You say, "I'll approach Leryn about it, cautiously, if I've the chance."
Raeh nods to you.
You say, "Tomorrow, however, if you can arrange to be in Kemstead..."
Raeh peers at you.
You say, "I'd like to get a large group of people together tomorrow evening."
You say, "For darts, perhaps."
Raeh nods to you.
You ask, "If you'll be free, see who you can round up?"
Raeh says, "Sure."
You say, "If the orc arranges an attack, it would be good to have witnesses."
You rub your eyes.
You say, "Ah, well. Let's sleep on it."
Raeh says, "Yes, so he is possibly arranging an attack, eh."
Raeh smiles at you.
Raeh says, "I agree."
Raeh says, "Sleep it is."
Raeh stands up.
Raeh grins.
You say, "If he doesn't, we'll play some darts."
You chuckle.
You stand up.
You stretch.
You say, "Good eve, Raeh. I'll contact you tomorrow."
Raeh nods to you.
You untie your scarlet ribbon and pull it out of your hair.
You act: Jurion rakes his fingers through his braids.
Raeh says, "Good evening, Jurion."