Finding the emissary from Bahamut's fairly simple. He's waiting in a guest room, supping on a simple meal of beef steak and more beef steak. The celestial appears human with a radiant glow, yet his smile shows sharp, draconic teeth within his mouth, the faintest gleam of gold on him more scale-like than radiant. He is tall, broad of body and bald, wearing the form fitting pants and shirt of many a monk.
Go ahead, you two. Knocking your immediate todos first.
"Greetings," Afina says, her initial gladness at seeing a human-like celestial tempered at those draconic teeth. Then again probably all of Bahamut's servants can see the big brand on her forehead, dragon-blooded or not. "I am general Afina, and this is general Jaela. You'll forgive us if we don't stand on ceremony, as you've arrived at an inopportune time for our crusade. What is it that brings you to Aurora?" she asks, eager to get to the point quickly.
Quick OOC note: Waiting for Jaela here, since first impressions are worth getting here.
"Then again, it might be a very opportune time indeed," Jaela muses, having nodded at Afina's introduction. The probable dragon's reaction should be informative, in any case. For her part, she had decided to go with her usual silver and forest-green chainmail, spotless via magic and dedicated to the Triune.
"Seven days ago, a devil defected from Hell and sought protection from Bahamut in exchange for information. This devil had fallen afoul of the Order of the Fly and believed his assassination was imminent, as well as that the single clergyman of Bahamut he could reach was his only chance to survive." The dragon withdraws a scroll and places it on the table, "Lifasa came up in passing, we do not know how useful this information is to you, but we will give it to you. We have deep differences, but none of us want to see Hell triumph there."
Afina flutters closer to look at the scroll before she offers comment.
Jaela isn't sure how to handle offering refuge to shitty devils rather than reformed ones, and so focuses on the message itself. "I know I speak for all of us when I thank you for the information," she voices, actually feeling grateful the emissary didn't go crazy at the sight of she and Afina. Perhaps she has developed low standards when dealing with servants of Bahamut....
It looks to be references of troop formations and forces drawn from Avernus. It's fairly recent and mostly deals with the areas Yian used to control. Assuming they're accurate, they'll be a small but notable bit of tactical aid.
"The growing urgency of the Lifasa crisis prompted these choices," The dragon-man says gravely, "We desire that our choice to give that devil refuge is not further spread. it is distasteful, but the lives and souls saved from this information is acceptable. He will be given indoctrination and watched. He may think himself clever, ready to sneak away and strike out on his own. We will not let him wreck further evil on innocents."
Jaela tries to see if she can tell who is in overall command.
"It's not our place to cast judgement on how you deal with those who come to you for sanctuary, we won't say anything of it," Afina says. "The information should be helpful to us, although the change in situation that today has brought may leave it rapidly out of date." She flutters back to her previous position and nods. "We take this gesture with gratitude and the spirit it's intended."
It appears Harkin is overseeing this particular section of Yian's former holdings.
"It may, Bahamut contacted me to warn of it. Bel's actions ripple across Creation." The dragon-man adds, "May righteousness walk with both of you."
"And you," Jaela responds, retrieving Ferrum Incendia. "It's ironic," she muses, offering the ring to the emissary, "given its origin and all, but please accept it as my gratitude for this visit and the information provided." This might just be what the Triune wished for her to do with it, come to think of it.
[spoiler]
Ferrum Incendia (http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,101729.msg1036528.html#msg1036528) had already been doused in the joyous cries of newborn eternal life, I wish to use it as the reciprocal first step to bury the hatchet with Bahamut.
The ring is taken - and a thunder crack sounds. The dragon-man looks on at it calmly in spite of that, as blood leaks from the ring. An anguished howl as the ring melts. No, only an outer layer. Beneath it is a pristine steel ring, smooth and unblemished.
"Bahamut's scales." The curse is said with barely a ripple of the dragon's composure.
Afina's eyes widen a bit, but that's as much as she lets through her iron-clad composure!
That's approval from the Triune if she'd ever seen one!
"An occasion worthy of celebration," The dragon-man notes, then turns his gaze to Jaela. "What just happened?"
"There was once another occasion worth of celebration," Jaela reminisces. "We've just freed a thousand of our countrymen from the Burning Aeropolis, going through all manner of opposition there." She nods at the now-pristine ring, continuing. "Ferrum Incendia belonged to a Nessian we took down, but when I asked the Triune for a way to undo what had been done to it, her quest to me had been on the cryptic side. But recently, I've managed to figure it out with the elevation of Benfal and you've just seen how this quest ended." Smiling, she adds, "I like to think I'm getting wiser with time. As for the ring itself, please use it well. What you've witnessed is the best proof I can offer of wishing those deep differences you mentioned went a bit less deep, and the commonalities between us grew more pronounced with time."
"....An omen," The dragon-man finally says, "I will present this and your words to the Draco Paladin." He closes his fist around the ring and puts it away, "An omen like this cannot be discarded."
Jaela nods, further words not necessary.
Anything to add, Afina?
Nope, I'm just floating there acting like I know what's going on.
Soon enough the dragon-man departs. Once he's out of the room, Elena pops in. "Wow," she says, dressed up in riding breeches and a tunic, a sword on her back, "What happened? I felt that one across Aurora!" Her eyes are wide and breathing quick, waving her arms.
"That was the Triune doing this," Jaela responds with a smile, holding thumbs up to Elena.
"Whatever it was it worked well," Afina says approvingly. "I think we'll have a lot less trouble from metallic dragonkind. Lets all do our best not to provoke them either so we can stretch this out?"
"I think we can do even better by following up on their lead," Jaela voices. "It'll display trust, and the information they received seems legitimate."
"Better to act before the information becomes stale," Afina agrees. "Think Harkin might be vulnerable while all those new troops are getting used to working under him?"
Jaela nods. "Plus it's Yian's old haunts, so he can't be feeling too comfortable there. The best part, though, is that they'll strongly suspect they have a mole afterwards, regardless of the outcome. With the way Hell lords information on a need to know basis, where we got it probably won't be known to the traitors and with luck, they'll grow more paranoid and dismiss any recent reinforcements before they get backstabbed by someone jockeying for a better position at their expense."
"Draw up an attack plan and I'll back you up," Afina nods. "There's one more thing I need to do around here," her lips purse distastefully, "A recent arrival with a bad reputation I thought we could overcome. But given every crusade he's joined has ended in disaster and this happens the day after he came here? We can no longer afford the risk."
Going to go do that, Afina?
What about you, Jaela?
That's my plan.
As per the nagging post, going to come up with an action plan once I have the info.
Action plan on what, Jaela? There's a lot of nagging posts, could you be more specific?
Here. (http://www.soulriders.net/forum/index.php/topic,101729.msg1096614.html#msg1096614)
[spoiler]
Dune, can you please post any relevant information from the scroll? Anything that could be used to form a plan of attack. Troop concentrations, schedules, Harkin's residence, what we know from Yian about secret passages in the area and what not. Best times and places to strike, what Harkin seems to keep the most protected, locations of any prisons, that sort of thing.
Okay, you're splitting to a new topic, Jaela. Fair warning, an interrupt is coming your way. A planned one, but just as well since I didn't get to prepping all the fine details this morning. For now it's Afina time.
Tailiel is found in the courtyard. He's overseeing his forces. He goes from them, "No, a little more force there," To a mace swinger, then spends a few moments talking magic with a healer. So on and so forth.
"Tailiel, would you come with me?" Afina asks as she flutters alongside him, not wanting to make a public spectacle of this.
"Yes, general," Tailiel follows you, after a few more instructions for his soldiers.
Taking the astral deva through a portal to one of Aurora's empty meeting rooms, she turns to face him while hovering in the air. "You came here with a reputation, Tailiel," she begins. "I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that either. But I thought we could work through it. All our precautions indicate no malevolence on your part, and if there is some curse on you that dooms everyone you fight beside? I honestly thought that we'd handled worse."
Tailiel's gaze narrows, a moment of oppressive anger writ large and unhidden on his face. It doesn't last lone, buried down as he manages to get out, "Are you implying that Bel's actions are my fault somehow? That's where this is going, isn't it?"
"It is," she agrees curtly. "As I said, I don't find you at fault, but the facts are what they are. And with the fate of Lifasa hanging ever more precariously in the balance, we can't accept the risks your presence brings. I wanted things to be different Tailiel, but the stakes are too high for me to be making a point about trust or overcoming challenges. You and the Upraised Banner are going to have to leave here."
Make a Diplomacy check here, I want to see how powerful and controlled your words are. May matter.
[19:13] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+30 I have been training my diplo at least
[19:13] <Serith> Ebiris roll for Serith < 50 > [d20=20]
Clutch.
Tailiel is...calm. Cold but calm. He gives you a gaze that would be worthy of Auril. "Fine," he says tersely, "We'll be gone by duskfall. Is there anything else, general?" His voice isn't any warmer, either.
"No," she shakes her head, letting him go. Honestly it's a pretty entitled attitude he's got, but after today he won't be her problem anymore.
Tailiel promptly marches into the portal and out. Once gone Elena appears, dressed in winter furs. "Whew. I'll keep an eye on him, he's pissed. I already sent Gisfal and Adrian an update. Jaela's busy with a diplomatic meeting from Aurilites, so she'll be out of the loop until that's done."
"Thanks Elena," Afina says. "Honestly I should have turned him away at the door from the start, but it's easy to think curses and things don't apply to us after we've had a run of successes."
Elena smiles - a sad, melancholy thought. "I think Medi thought that sometimes." A sigh follows, "So don't go getting yourselves killed or cursed. All it takes is one mistake. I'll chase all of you to your cells in Hell to haunt you if you screw this up!"
"Pressure's on now, isn't it?" she agrees. "Jaela's working on a plan for potentially hitting Harkin which we'll act on as soon as she's done. I better go to the forges for now, I'm sure a lot of orders just came in."
"Good luck," Elena says, "Oh, and by the way. I don't think it's reached you yet, but Hamogan has to depart for a few days. Three at the most, he'll be back before reinforcements reach us. It's a personal matter he can't delay. More of the crafting work will fall to you, I've already asked Sylvie to pitch in."
"That's fine, there's not much overlap anyway since he mostly makes psionic items I can't really help with," Afina says as she drifts towards the portal. "I won't keep you any longer, Elena."
Okay, cool. Next move?
Waiting till Jaela's done her prep and we can go attack Harkin based off the recent Bahamut info.
That will just be a bit, so...
"Hi," Elena pops in next to you, "Bubbles could use your help. She's trying to prepare Calleigh for the Padisha's Court and it hasn't gone well at all."
"Oh alright, I'll go see if I can help," she says. "They're in Bubbles' room?" she clarifies before heading to a portal in that direction.
Moving you over.