The Unfinished Duet, part 13

Log Info

• Title: The Unfinished Duet, part 13
• Emitter: Delilah
• Characters: Merek, Seldan, Ashes, Elyanna
• Place:
• Time: Monday, December 21, 2020, 9:08 PM
• Summary:

The evening grows late, but the day still has life left to it; perhaps there is an irony to be found there, given the current state of affairs. Or perhaps not.

When Delilah's defenders arrive, they are promptly ushered into a private meeting room; the type that's appointed for the visit of a king, almost more a lounge than a meeting room, really. Sofas and chairs furnished with velvet, tasteful art, a blazing fireplace, and of course, various wines and liquors and fresh snacks make it almost better than home. Also, the wood paneled walls are warded against magical snooping, so there's that. All in all, it's the perfect place to sit and have a private conversation, about matters most dire.

Or plan an insurrection.

"Just ring the bell if you need anything," explains the gnome who lets the small band into the room, nodding the pull-cord in one corner. He glances back and forth between the various individuals, and might've been about to say something; but he thinks better of it, apparently, and just closes the door instead.

Merek walks along into the place to check on magical protection, then he nods a bit to the party. "I think first thing is first. We need to find Ella, and find if she has been manipulated. We will try and find her family after that. That's probably the best way we can try it all."

"It is in my mind that the talk of family was an unspeakable pile of lies," Seldan remarks, having followed Merek in. He has not bothered to change from the full, flowing wizard's robes he wore to the trial, nor has he attempted to retrieve weapons or gear not already on his person, and now wears a scowl blacker than a mouse-hole at midnight. "Ella Merry is employed by the Black Diamond, a brothel here in town. Its madam is known to me, a Mistress Vallia. I can determine quickly if the talk of her having family in the area is lies, and I can determine her true location, and know if it is truly her."

Ashes is led into the room and finds herself a seat. She watches as Merek enters then checks the protections. When he recommends a course of action, she stares at him and replies in monotone. "I thought we covered this."

She looks between Merek and Seldan, "There's no point. Her testimony is no good. She's lied in court. She'll lie again. She is part of the set-up to frame Delilah."

"All you'll get is that Norrington, Godswin, Greaves, the sister, or the sister's husband was behind it. If she doesn't give you the wrong name for that either."

The ashen Arvec sets her hands on the table, "Even the judge was corrupt. She didn't read the evidence. We need to focus on getting Delilah out."

Elyanna, in the wake of her recent outburst, has been in a dark, cold funk for the interlude to reconvening in this place. While common wisdom might find the woman in such a state might partake deeply of the spirits available, such would not be correct. Instead, the Hobkin lady's fingers curl in rippling tension about the handle of the braided lash that had once been her calling, even her namesake. The whore's name brings a soft creak from the leather under her feathered cloak, a subtle shift in the shadow along her jaw as her interlocked teeth are put under more pressure for a moment.

The red woman turns as Ashes begins to frame what is ultimately her own rebuttal, but is angry enough yet to amend, "The rental quim is little more than meat up for bid, I could peel the truth, any truth you like, out of her, but it would gain us nothing." she growls ominously. A shake of the head, and she drifts away from the others, staring at the wall, "At least in Bludgun, the corruption is honest."

Merek checks the bracelet which he wears, "We have three days to do what we will. If we don't find a way to take care of things by then, we will follow that plan. I still think it's worth doing. What, you just want to give up? So that the next person that isn't Delilah gets used?" He steps forward, "No, when I was back in the Iron Hells... I've seen decadence, watched ancient courts. We will succeed. We will save all that are involved."

"Are you blustering at me?" Ash asks in monotone, continuing to stare. "Why is it worth wasting time on some blackguard. You've not given a good reason; she's not worth saving. Look at her too much, whoever used her will kill her."

"Let's hear your plan for saving Delilah."

"No, Mourner." Seldan's tone is firm, and he folds his arms across his chest. "Corrupt or not, the law is the law. The corruption must be found and rooted out, and the true killer found. Freeing her now spits in the face of Alexandria's law, and I shall not countenance it." Wait, is the normally mild-mannered paladin putting his foot down? It sure sounds like it. "Do we not find the true killer, they are free to kill another as corruption deems convenient. We do this the right way."

The red woman huffs a disdainful hiss between her fangs and shakes her head again before turning back to look toward the group, starting with Ser Padaryn, "To what measure? Any guard of rank I have encountered has been as tainted as these. What Magister would hold the work of his fellows up to the light for all to see?" she contends. She steps closer, her poise belying the storm in her eyes, a faint whisper of something bleak under her tone, "It could upturn the entire view of law by the masses, and any misplaced trust, any consent to governance could be undermined for decades, if not spark a revolution."

"Then we just don't get found," Merek notes to the party, "We can save people, be invisible with magical protection, find Ella. We ask the truth, then we find what we can from Norrington." The man nods a bit, "We have three days while she's alone in the dungeon. We can plan and plan, or we can make progress. We're not trying to fix the law, we're not trying to change the world. We are trying to save a person that's kept locked up. Like I was."

"You all argue and decide, my mind is made up. I'm going to save the woman, I'm going to save Ella as well if she needs saving. Then I'm going to make sure that the true culprits are placed in lockup. Without killing anyone. There's no option." He then walks to the door, "I have an idea to meet with the woman, I need all of you though. You coming?"

Ash stares at Seldan. As no one seems to have listened to her, she stands and goes over to a wall-board. She reconstructs the diagram she drew during recess at the trial. The Venn diagram showing Bethany on one side, Delilah on the other, names and motives for killing both, a few question marks and the intersection.

She stares at everyone, Seldan, "I said before the trial finished that finding the true killer was the best defense. Producing one right now, asking for an appeal, would not go through before her execution. Free her first, the truth next, then expunge the corruption."

"Laws are made up. Laws change. I could be legally killed in any Human town three decades ago just for standing there. You mistake Legal for Moral. You mistake Human laws for Divine laws. Goddess guide you, Kings should fear your tread in their throne room."

She fixes her gaze on Merek, "Then go save Ella, Merek. You don't need me, you've demonstrated that often. What am I going to help you with? Have you seen people willingly talk to me?"

The Mourner is using 'Human' very racially, and in that sense, she is also aware of where it's totally legal to kill a human just for standing there.

Merek looks then to Ashlee from the scarf, while he speaks, "You know you are the one I asked to present to the Defense. You are informed in forensic. I would like your assistance, I apologize."

Seldan stares back at Ashes, meeting her gaze unflinchingly and without a trace of fear. "We were of one mind, Mourner, in that. Surely you do not think that the move-up of the trial was an accident? I am not so naive as to think aught of the kind. Do not prattle to me of morality or divine laws, for I swore an oath before Ni'essa's holy altar to uphold the rightful law wherever I find myself. If the law is wrong, then it must be changed, and corruption rooted out. One does not merely ignore it when it is not convenient. So shall I do, and I care not a fig whether you have the stones to uphold your Goddess' laws or not. I shall aid her, and all of Alexandria, by finding the true killer, and I shall not abide the company of those who choose to self-righteously flout the law."

He turns to Merek. "I am not." Those are the sum total of his words, and then he turns to Elyanna, his tone this time gentler. "Chaos creates suffering. You know that. I do not plan to do nothing, but I shall not be party to lawbreaking." With that, he turns on his heel and stalks out of the room.

"If your faith in the law-keepers of this place is sound, " the Hobkin begins, "We can spy on the tainted agents, the family, the Magistrate and catch some sign of misdeed and defer to what agents you trust." Her tone, even as she speaks, is dubious, even disappointed, "I have no more trust to put in Alexandrian law, and I weary of struggling to act in accord to 'goodly' justice and meeting bitter betrayal, attack or failure on each account."

She draws up as Seldan rebukes the lot of them in turns and there is a faint camber, a dip to her chin as she weighs him within her steel eyes, and staring after him as he about faces to stride so fervently beyond after the Seer.

GAME: Merek rolls will: (9)+19: 28

Merek seems stunned by that all, "... He agreed to come with me, we agreed to assist each other in finding Ella." There's a look to Elyanna, then he takes a look to Ashlee. "What will you do? I can't do it alone, not in the way I have planned."

Ash stares after the Paladin. His words stung, but she is not a chord, she does not have to defend her Goddess' laws. That is not her purpose. Her's is to explain them, prepare people for their journey. "Everyone dies," is her monotone answer, and then they are judged by the Feiu of the Tears. A judge she trusts and does not fear.

One who sent her back, and will summon her again when she is desired.

She faces Merek, "The evidence I gathered, and presented, was ignored. You want me to come with you, to gather more evidence, so that will also be ignored? You would be better at both. This Madame the Siverguard names, you think she will tell a Mourner anything?"

Most people don't open up to an undertaker.

Elyanna stares yet at the exit, slowly looking to Ashes as she continues her chidings. She looks to Merek as he entreats her friend for aid, then back to she, herself. She intones a soft, "What do you intend?"

The ashen Arvec throws her chalk at the wall. Her diagram was ignored too. She turns and stares at Merek, "How do you need me to make my point?"

She waves at the door. Her words are still in monotone, but they're getting close to an emotion, "Catch him, his Human perspective will help more."

Ashlee starts ticking things off her fingers, "You act as if we hold you back. You comment like you know it all. You think about things but never voice them. You have barely explained how I will help you. Gather forensic evidence? From off Ella? It's been too long for that. You never seem flustered by danger."

She slaps her hands against her sides, "This was attractive, intriguing at first. Now? Did Hell make you this way, make everything without consequence? Now, are we brought to be an audience, is it some test you plan to grade us on?"

Ashlee points at Elyanna, "What is she doing, with Ella. What am I? What plan of yours needs four people? Tell me the plan and not that you have it figured out."

Merek takes a moment to pull the beltcape about his waist, then he pulls the hood up of his attire along his features. The man nods a bit to Ashlee, "I trust you. You mean well, and we need to say we tried. Either way, we need to find Ella, if the Madame would know anything, that's pretty useful. I plan to find where Ella is at, question her, make sure her family can be made safe. Then? Then we covertly find information on Norrington. This time we aren't gathering evidence, we're going to do it magically if we need to. Then when we have what we need, we can drag him before the Magistrate, or adjust public perception. I don't have all the answers. I apologize, I don't know everything."

The man sighs a little bit, "All I learned was this world will not... If you had seen what I have seen. This nation, all the time. War, murder. The only way to make up for everything in the past, is to sacrifice all I am. The forensic was the courtroom, you are still pretty skilled. I am only good at magic, at diplomacy. I need people that can be stealthy, that can offer me perspective, we need to work together. You know what I think? Well I'll tell you. I think everything in the world was broken. People are trying to bring back a deity. It might destroy the world. Meanwhile, we can barely even protect a friend. I don't know what to do. I am worried."

This was not... unheard of, though the red woman would definitely have considered it unlikely. Her friend, so detached, if reaching, was less devoid of emotion than she was of inciting triggers. Now, it is her turn to step toward her troubled friend and gently clasp her shoulder as she's pointed at, "Ashlee, check fire. Close ranks." she returns, calling into her own military shorthand. <goblin-talk>

Thoughtfully, Elyanna glances slowly toward Merek, as his own laconic nature is peeled open in the wake of Ashes's rebuke, "I am listening, though we cast a distinctive image."

"The Paladin ignores the obvious, the rightful law is corrupted. Ignoring this is not convenience. It is mandatory. He should have broken Delilah out of that courtroom. Yet he does not trust his own eyes and needs more proof." Ashlee says after a moment, still staring at the door. "Hopefully he finds that and his stones."

She can feel Elyanna's hand on her shoulder, hears her words. Chippen, is doing circuit after circuit around her neck. His mistress is getting too lively. The apology is monotone, "I'm sorry Merek. I said unfair things."

"I can be unseen. I will go where you say. Lead us."

"There are ways to disguise the two of you," Merek notes then, while he nods, "If not, then simple invisibility would work. In fact, while I keep the madame busy, you both could possibly find records, anything you can in the place while I keep them entertained." Which seems to be the idea which comes to him. Then to Ashlee, "No, you are right to say it. I needed it to be said. I apologize as well." The man looks to Elyanna and to Ashlee, "I ask you to forgive Seldan. It's the nature of the Paladin, trained in a way that keeps them from seeing the world like many. Keeping the law is good, until it isn't. I knew he did not like the plan, I didn't think he'd turn away from working with us." The man nods. Then he would begin to make a way with the two.

Elyanna shakes her head, "I expect, sworn to a higher law, there is less tolerance for intent over stricture. If he stayed, he well may have been forced to stop us, once we had committed." she explains. She sighs through her nose, "We are of many minds, and one purpose. We must remember so." she affirms gently, then she looks to Merek, "We can try it your way, Seer."

"Vardama, Eluna, are not subject to Alexandrian laws. Their holy warriors need not be either." Ashlee gazes at Elyanna, "We are his excuse for failure. And if he prevails without us, more proof we were never needed."

She turns her skull-face towards the Seer, "I have spells that can hide and disguise. I can move like a ghost. I don't think a brothel's paperwork will hold anything of use, but I will look through those drawers, a Noblewoman's, and Norringtons if you think it aid."

"We are also the freer hand." Elyanna answers thoughtfully, "Our actions are independent." She turns, then between the two and, "I know several languages, including Infernal and Jotun, though i doubt a brother needs their ledger so obscurely coded."

There is a little rise and fall of the cloak as she shrugs, "I can make some small distractions, though, again, they will not abide..." she fishes for a word a moment, but settles on, "extreme spectacle."

"Possible, still it might assist to know clients," Merek notes then to Ashlee, while he nods a little bit to the woman. "I think you will be best at knowing your capability, whichever way you proceed, I will speak to the Madame. I know my way with diplomacy. I should be able to keep the women away from you while you work."

"Then, lets go." Ashlee says, picking up her pieces of chalk. She wipes her diagram off the board, unlikely as it is that it will ever be read. Hands at her side, one on the strap of her satchel.

Some questions remain unanswered. Why a Goddess would require her human instruments to be subjected to a law not her own. If it's just, it aligns, if not, it should be destroyed. She doubts Seldan would obey the law and axe off Delilah's head to uphold it, but he acts like he might. Just like she might have been staring down his Paladin eyes a generation ago, a horrible monster just to be killed. So flexible, the laws, except when they're not. So why would Eluna care if he flouts a law that breaks her own. This will not be answered by her immediate companions, nor her familiar. Carbuncle might have one, but his master was evil, and evil perspectives will not give correct answers regarding the foolishness of good.

Which is all the Mourner sees now. Standing at the door, she looks at the other two, "The brothel, right? Let's go."

<OOC> Elyanna says, "i like being able to swallow" <OOC> Merek says, "I like how Ashlee's mental thought on flexible law mirror's Merek's 'The law is good to follow, until it's not.'" <OOC> Elyanna says, "And this is why evil will always triumph.... because good is dumb." <OOC> Merek says, "Merek's Chaotic Good." <OOC> Merek says, "So he triumphs pretty well." <OOC> Ashes says, "Like I told Seldan. Malik explained at detail why True Neutral stops at nothing, and I'm trying to have Ash be like Malik's example" <OOC> Merek says, "Has lost his life and freedom multiple times." <OOC> Ashes says, "neutral doesn't care, law, chaos, good, evil" <OOC> Ashes says, "they're all made up reasons for 'I want' which is what TN focuses on." <OOC> Elyanna has been the Tyranny of Evil Men... and is trying realy hard... to be the Sheppard. <OOC> Merek says, "Merek was once on the path of Evil." <OOC> Merek says, "Barely avoided alignment shift." <OOC> Ashes ndos <OOC> Elyanna had her shift pre approval <OOC> Merek says, "He let vengeance rule him." <OOC> Ashes says, "well, not to be too philosophical / theological about it, but..." <OOC> Ashes says, "You have a real conflict between Divinely mandated laws, in a place where the divine, or at least their angles, show up and prove that Yes they REALLY DO exist and this is EXACTLY YES WHAT THEY REALLY WANT" <OOC> Ashes says, "and human laws, which are just 'the bandits on the hill' deciding whatever" <OOC> Donna says, "Donna is more... sanguine about alignments. Some people, you ask to help break the law. Others, you don't. The right tool for the right job." <OOC> Merek says, "Merek still holds his neutral good ways of a little restraint." <OOC> Merek says, "but changed a bit when the Chaotic Good Angel took him as a bound host." <OOC> Ashes says, "and a Paladin striding int a throne room. like, who would disarm him, all he/she would have to do is ask, 'why? are you Evil? I'm not going to do anything my God/Goddess doesn't want". And likewise, in front of a King, if the paladin says, "Vardama says you're evil and need to die now" who is going to stop him?" <OOC> Ashes says, "if he has his powers the next day, yup, King was evil, dying was good. Gods decreed it" <OOC> Merek says, "That's ya." <OOC> Merek says, "Lawful Good paladins to me means upholding a faith's edict or your own ethics even to upmost honor." <OOC> Ashes says, "who would even DARE try arrest him for violating 'human' laws. That would just be a 'really? You think you're above the gods?"" <OOC> Merek says, "Not necessarily 'follow law'." <OOC> Ashes says, "more head lopping" <OOC> Donna says, "But not everyone has the same view! And that's fine. :D" <OOC> Ashes says, "again, next day, still has his powers. yup, goddess approved. STAMP, be on your way" <OOC> Merek says, "It is fine!" <OOC> Merek says, "Merek's Chaotic Good but refuses to do anything that sacrifice's anyone else's freedom/life for another's." <OOC> Merek says, "He only believes he has the right to sacrifice himself." <OOC> Merek says, "It's why he does not like taking the lead." <OOC> Merek says, "He doesn't WANT that responsibility." <OOC> Ashes says, "Like, look at serious Crusader attitude, and this time they know for sure their Deus Vult isn't imaginary. They have actual real proof of their god." <OOC> Ashes says, "Paladins would be terrifying" <OOC> Ashes says, "like holy crap, this holy guy is going to come in and do whatever at the behest of his God." <OOC> Delilah says, "Lawful Good does not equal Lawful Nice." <OOC> Ashes nods <OOC> Merek says, "Merek does not like killing." <OOC> Merek says, "The irony that he once did what Delilah was accused of." <OOC> Ashes says, "Honestly, if I was a pally I might have gone "okay, final battle time" in the courtroom, "this is obviuosly corrupt, she's leaving with me. if you want to meet your god or goddess, try to stop me." <OOC> Merek says, ">.>" <OOC> Ashes says, "and just walked her out" <OOC> Merek says, "Though that was an accidental thing." <OOC> Merek says, "Just accidentally killed a noble in one shot." <OOC> Ashes says, "No, just walk her off to a temple, say it will be sorted out, the secular authorities have dropped the ball, a god's hand is stepping in" <OOC> Ashes says, "SANCTUARY" <OOC> Ashes doesn't play Pallys for a reason. Hers don't last long. <OOC> Elyanna says, "Most of mine don't last long, either." <OOC> Ashes says, "It's a simple question really. How much do you know, or care, about Ethiopian law? That's about as much as a Paladin should care about the laws of the country he's in." <OOC> Merek says, "5e allows for varied paladins a lot easier." <OOC> Merek says, "it's one thing I /do/ like." <OOC> Merek says, "About 5e." <OOC> Delilah is not a large fan of 5e. <OOC> Merek says, "I honestly think a paladin should only need to be their deity's alignment." <OOC> Ashes says, "I know in the West it's "Rule of Law", and a lot of conservative republicans seem to think all laws are part of the 10 commandments and have a stamp of divinity on them, but they don't. They're just laws. Pot is illegal. Pot is now legal. It _sounds_ like a moral thing, might still be, but legality does not equal morally right." <OOC> Elyanna says, "I agree" <OOC> Elyanna says, "about palading/god alignment" <OOC> Ashes says, "hobgoblins are monster and xp, hobgoblins are people" <OOC> Ashes says, "that's Ash's persepctive. There's nothing in the structure of law that makes it sacrosanct. It's just power and geography" <OOC> Donna raises finger. I know how a Paladin I would play would interperet this whole mess. <OOC> Ashes says, "they're powerful here and say don't do that, don't do that, they're powerful and far away... eeehh..." <OOC> Ashes says, "Like I said, run everything through 'its an Ethiopian Law, and you're in the US' Filter, as an idea of what being in the Divine fold might feel like, and you'll get where I'm coming from." <OOC> Donna says, "'The law is wrong, right now. But that doesn't make it a wrong law, or the legal system wrong overall. If you want to break the law, the best way I can help you is to not be part of that.'" <OOC> Elyanna says, "What I don't know about, I don't have to stop." <OOC> Donna says, "Yup." <OOC> Ashes nods <OOC> Elyanna says, "that was kinda where elyanna's placation was going" <OOC> Donna says, "'What I don't know, I don't have to lie about later.'" <OOC> Elyanna nods <OOC> Donna says, "To Donna, it's like asking a career Rogue to guard a 50-pound diamond. You *could,* but why would you when there are oodles of people better suited to the task?" <OOC> Ashes says, "I'd stop at 'The law is wrong, right now." So how do you plan to fix it? How will you fix it in time that the law doesn't commit more wrong. How will you fix it before the populace loses their respect for the law and the lawgivers and all laws are thrown out. If the law is wrong now, how isn't the legal system wrong? Why hasn't it corrected itself? What should that correction look like? Should I be the correction?" <OOC> Merek says, "potatoes" <OOC> Ashes says, "should I be dousing myslef in gasoline and setting myself on fire to protest the unjust law, if I will not oppose it? that's badass." <OOC> Ashes says, "we called out several times, 'look, seems like there's a mistake in the process, you should stop' it was ignored. A functional system would have done something. Delayed, recessed." <OOC> Ashes says, "at some point, if it's going to be stuck, it needs a hammer to smack it loose." <OOC> Donna points out two things, one IC, one narrative. XD <OOC> Ashes says, "well, like I said, everything is made up. the whole place is changing completely in 6 months, if we want to burn Alexandria to the ground for corruption the only thing stopping is whether the GM wants to go there" <OOC> Ashes says, "narrative, its wide open" <OOC> Donna ....drops everything to point out something more critical. <OOC> Donna says, "Ashes, just because the game is planning to change shortly, does that really mean that nothing you do matters?" <OOC> Donna says, "How do you know that?" <OOC> Ashes can honestly say as a player she's been geting that feeling. <OOC> Donna says, "What would you say if I said you were wrong?" <OOC> Ashes says, "I would say that Whirl has been very reassuring and I'm trusting his words, but logic does not always override feelings. So you reassurance is also nice, but every time someone discusses the new hotness I think I'm hearing my end of game." <OOC> Donna says, "Okay think of it more like this;" <OOC> Donna says, "Treat this game as if it was the sort of always-autosaving video gamewhere your choices mattered and there was no savescumming." <OOC> Donna says, "And what you do in the next 6 months were to define a legacy." <OOC> Donna says, "Also, assume that no game will be GMd as if nothing matters, so you may as well play like it too." <OOC> Ashes says, "I try to play my characters like what is happening to them matters." <OOC> Donna nods. :3 Then keep doing that, because I can say for certain that whatever else we're doing, none of staff are working with an 'eh, who cares anymore' mentality. <OOC> Delilah certainly isn't either! <OOC> Ashes says, "Ok." <OOC> Merek hugs people. <OOC> Merek says, "What you all do matters to Merek for sure." <OOC> Elyanna hugs <OOC> Merek says, "He's mostly the way he is because being killed twice and trapped in the Iron Hells changed him." <OOC> Delilah says, "Which is good, 'cause character growth is awesome. :3" <OOC> Delilah wants to know what the two things Donna was going to point out were. <OOC> Ashes says, "I treat it more than a video save game, my characters are alive to me." <OOC> Elyanna says, "a lot of my chars are changed form where they started" <OOC> Delilah says, "Same here. This game means a lot to me." <OOC> Ashes says, "Ashes is actually new." <OOC> Ashes says, "She's somewhat based on a friend of mine who died of brain cancer in 2013." <OOC> Ashes says, "Pae and Cryo were both characters I roleplayed with her in Tabletop." <OOC> Merek hugs <OOC> Ashes says, "Pae is around 26 years old, I've had 8 different versions of her" <OOC> Delilah hugs. <OOC> Ashes says, "its not a throwawy thing, they're not. they tie back a lot." <OOC> Ashes says, "that we should not feel constrained, that imagination is unlimited, that this is a game about going after big monsters, like dragons and taking them down, or dragons in the form of institutions, is another separate point" <OOC> Donna says, "That was an excellent job of speaking for me!" <OOC> Donna says, "Completely wrong, but good try nonetheless. :D" <OOC> Donna says, "Or I read out of order, which case apologies."