Zepher

"You have my faith, Guts, hmmmmmmm. As long as you give me no reason to take it away." Guffington looks at Hybros, Guts, and then the contract of the Blue Assassin. His eyes fall for a moment, and the heroes who had been inside his head feel a taste of bitter metal in their mouth. Then Guffington looks up, and his eyes are all fire. "You may finish this, heroes. See if you can take him alive if possible."

Zelphie enchants her weapon once again.

Beyond cool.

Only in cases where a quest was cancelled and we'd like to finish it.

I want to go on one of these multi-hosted quests one of these days, I can't keep hosting them.

OoC: BD, did you mean for Shawe to respond to that... or the Duke? It sounds like a Shawe response, so I'm a little confused.

I have one coming after 72 - but would like to take a few weeks off in-between first. So, depending on how soon we reach the end of 72, we may have a new one coming up soon.

"Your time would be better spent examining your own allies than yelling at others for the company they keep. Threats will only build upon threads. When the packs tear each other apart, those who stood at the sidelines will step forth and be the victors. Do not look at the puppets, but rather those pulling the strings."

"Why did it not work the last few times, Imp. Take the variables and control them." Nyx steps into the Dining Hall. "I must maintain my cover, regardless." Avery steps into the kitchen. Everstien drifts over to Nyx. "Perhaps we should lock her in? I do not wish her to feel the pressure to join combat again," he rasps. "I believe we are all ready whenever you are. I have told the imp - set the accusation in your favor, and then let us finish this evening."

Zelphie sits in the corner and half listens to all the anger. "My beautiful children, I didn't know you could spout such anger over so little. When the proud wolf hunts, he converges on his prey from all sides. The herd of sheep run together to protect each other. Such it is now - the herds are most likely not all wolves, or else the attack would be a failure." Zelphie's glasses flash and she smiles while staring off into space. "You are all barking too much. Most likely there are a few wolves in lamb's clothing, and their quietly turning the lambs against each other. We can only trust only ourselves, but working with others is not something that should be condemned, especially when it is in the open. The enemies will lurk in the shadows, not in the daylight. I reserve my judgement for now, but those braying loudly are most likely not the wolves."

"Long time to fight a war. I've never dealt with the furballs before, but they don't see all that friendly. If we can find ourselves a friend in the elves, might be we can go destroy these monsters nice and easy, though my party leader seems to think that the monsters outside the gates needs an envoy sent to them in peace first. What do you think about that?"

Guts leaves the Dining Hall just as the sun goes down, jogging up the stairs and snatching up the lamp that he saw earlier. The room seems eerie and quiet. With so many hours with so many people, silence seems strange. Nyx reads the contract. A ghost of a smile brushes across Avery's face. "I am unable to answer," she says with a shrug. "If you are sure of the traitor, accuse him," wheezes Everstien.

Guts is a baby.

Lord Marsh grumbles quietly, but slips Guts 300 gold and attempts to take the book. "Just ensuring she remains happily at my side." Nyx goes through Watters' pockets and finds the following: -Cloak of the Blue Assassin (SP: 1) -Dagger of the Blue Assassin (WP: 4, Aims become Hits) -500 Gold, -Spinning Bolas (WP: 5, deals the Slowed effect, but the effect is removed when retrieved, throwing weapon) -Contract of the Blue Assassin "Your little imp has surely explained a thing or two of our order to you - he seems knowledgable enough. Tell him, by the way, that we're always looking for apprentices." Avery gives a shrug, as if she doesn't care either way if Hybros is interested or not. "Personal bias does not enter into my contract. My personal opinions on Guffington, or any of the other people here, matter little. I've killed people I admire, and let others live whom I hate. I am not here for Guffington, however. Truth be told, my final contract is to be carried out outside the party, after all the guests have gone their separate ways." Avery wiggles her mouth back and forth indecisively. "Shall we rejoin the party?"

"It is good to see you again too, Duke. You should have told me your business was with House Shadeaux, I'm particularly good friends with them. I must ask you, though, sir, what drew you to them? Gold, no doubt?"

Or they were there first. That quest left first, I think. The Hall has always been a little funky - I like it much better that way. Feels more like a myth/legend.

"Very well. Nerwen, mage, are we ready to head out?"

"Well, seeing as we'll all be meeting at the inn... I may as well stay with Shawe as we go collect the Duke. Which soldier are we bringing along, Shawe - your's or one of the knights? Either way, let's get moving. Soon as we figure out how these elves feel, one way or another, sooner we secure this town."

Hey, we had a discussion. None of my crap is over-powered... for the most part.

Very cool set, Scuba! Can't wait to see what you have waiting for us Strivvi II wise!

Marsh glances back with fretful eyes. "Perhaps there is a place we can talk quietly, where you can explain all this to me. I am not being unreasonable, I think. I'm sure you understand why I have some questions," he says with a composed voice, but his words are too shallow, too controlled - clearly he is unhappy and a little bit afraid.

"You are not a very good business man," says Marsh cooly, and he walks away.

Who knows. It's been a long time since Dastan, and people seemed to like a triple hosted trilogy.

"That seems unlikely..." Lord Marsh eyes the book greedily, then shakes his head. "This Heweyrt seemed like a man who may employ more than one agent... but I can't see the function when I am already here. You are not being honest with me, and I do not deal with the dishonest. If you tell me truthfully how you learned of my interest in the book, I will happily give you some gold for it. 300 gold, to be exact." Out in the courtyard, Nyx awakes to the sounds of crackling paper. Avery stands over her, face bloodied only slightly, a open slice wound in her arm... but otherwise unharmed. A contract, most likely Watters, is cinders in her hand in seconds. She helps Nyx to her feet. "He put me through my paces, I'll give him that. Bloody Blue Assassins. There's a reason I don't kill those I wasn't hired to kill, unless the need arises. Too messy, too dangerous. It's a shame he got to you. I assume you aren't queasy around blood? You can see if he was carrying any loot, the Red Assassins take only the gold of the contractor. Less we carry, the harder it is to find us. We don't encourage trophies as you heroes do." Nyx glances over at Watters. He is laying in a puddle of blood... but finding a cut on him is hard. His throat must have been slit - efficiently and almost secretly.

"Sounds good enough, Amice. I'll go see if my comrades are done bothering poor Shawe." Boomingham nods to the rebels and returns to Shawe.