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RP (non-canon): D&D Post Mission 1: Changing of the Guard

Ghira paid the receptionist his dues and headed straight for his room, unpacking his things. On his bed, he brushed out his scholar's robe for the meeting to come. The Imaskari looked out the window, raising an eyebrow at the sun.

"Confound it all, the sun was rising, not setting," He sighed, changing into the robe. Ghira exited the room and waited in the lobby for when his companions might be about, considering that both of them probably wouldn't go to sleep like he had mistakenly anticipated.
 
Talarin paid for his room and dropped his stuff off. He soon re-emerged with Joanna. She was walking on her own power and next to Talarin. He walked over to Ghira. "So what now?" he asked.
 
"Well, considering I am entirely unable to tell time from the sun, we should go to the royalty so I can deliver my report," Told Ghira, holding up a rolled up piece of parchment. "I just hope that I have enough here for them. Now, where is the dwarf?"
 
The dwarf was already waiting for the other two in the hall when they emerged. "I would agree. Your report would be useful in letting them know what's going on. I have some collaborative knowledge from the elders that could be mildly useful, just small things that we've observed. It would be best to go to them before our contact anyways, he probably wouldn't fit in with that crowd."

The dwarf led them out of the hotel and across the town. Once they were about a block away from the palace he led them down to the bottom layer. He then walked one block over so that he was diagonal from the palace and approached a small house, one of the few buildings that didn't proceed to the higher layers. Eberk then walked up to the door, at which point he grabbed the door handle and paused. After a moment there was a small click and he opened the door. He began to lead them down a staircase and through a hallway that led in the direction of the castle.

While they were walking, Ghira instantly knew of their path the moment Eberk led them to the bottom layer. His thoughts were confirmed when they entered the building. The house was the same one that he would use when entering the castle to deliver updates, and it was used so that way people wouldn't see the spies entering the castle.
 
"I must say, I am a little surprised, Eberk," Ghira stated as the trio made their ascent, "I didn't know that you knew this path too. Tell me, what manner of deal has the Crown struck with you in the past? I am curious, most certainly, as to how well-traveled you are, to know this path."
 
Eberk glanced back. "Let's just say I sailed with some pirates a while back, mostly be doing repairs and making weaponry. Started fine, just be stealing the wares of corrupt aristocrats and rich businessmen, people that were cheating the common folk for selfish gains. Then the crew got greedy, didn't agree with them no more. Kinda like ye, so here I was for a while, moved north, and now here I be."
 
"A pirate huh?" Talarin's mind filled with imagery of him as a swashbuckling Pirate King. Robbing the rich to feed his crew. Oh but he'd be an honorable pirate no doubt about it. He smiled as he let's his thoughts ran off along those lines. He presently came back to awareness of his surroundings. "I wonder if it's as much fun as the stories say it is." he said to Joanna who simply cocked one eye at him and continued gazing at the new interesting place.
 
The group continued down the passageway for a hundred or so feet before coming to a door. Eberk knocked twice and a slide opened up at about eye level. "Not all who wander are lost," he said quietly. The door then swung open and inside was a guard, but he was different from the others. As opposed to the leather armor of the rest of the guards this guard wore chain mail over a blue, long-sleeved shirt, steel plate leggings trimmed with blue, and a steel helmet with a blue feather. There was a very subtle glow to the armor that he was wearing.

"So it would seem Master Eberk, for you have found your way back quite splendidly, and in the company of Master Ghira. How interesting..." The guard stepped to the side and allowed them to pass, but stopped Talarin. "Since you are not of our trusted group, in order to enter you must wear this ring." Seemingly out of nowhere, the guard procured a ring with a red ruby on top that pulsed every few seconds. "Not only does it signify the guards of your limited freedom within the palace walls, but it will also disable your ability to cast arcane spells. And don't bother trying to take it off once it's on because it won't come off, and then when the time comes for me to take it off the ring will notify me of your attempted dishonesty."
 
Talarin nodded his understanding while Joanna drew up next to him and puffed out her chest at the guard. Cause Talarin to smile and stroke her neck which in turn made Joanna deflate and make a soft purring hiss. "That's a good girl." he said soothingly. He accepted the ring and slipped it on his finger with no problems. He felt his energy lock up inside his chest in an uncomfortable way. He simply accepted it as being young and new to the world at large. "Let's hurry up and get this over with." he said to his companions.
 
"Yes, strange feeling isn't it? Those rings are possibly the greatest oddity I have seen so far, though they aren't particularly bizarre in appearance," Ghira informed Talarin, taking the lead. Searching the pockets of his robe momentarily, he pulled out a rolled up piece of parchment, sealed in the middle with wax from his own insignia.

"Not much further now, just around the corner," He told the sorcerer, round about said corner and approaching a large door. The cave-dweller knocked three times, then waited.
 
After a few seconds of Ghira knocking on the door it opened to reveal a very formally dressed man. The room was well adorned with luxury items, usually in the typical blue hue that signified the Empress' colors. He motioned for them to enter and waited for them to do so. Once the group was inside the man spoke.

"Good day to you. If you would please take a seat I will inform the Herald of your arrival." With that the man exited out a separate door and closed it behind him. After a second there was a click, indicating the door being locked.
 
Ghira nodded to the man, and took the first available seat.

"I'm certain that they won't be that impressed with my particular report. I was only involved with that agency for a short period of time," He causally told Eberk and Talarin, looking around the room.
 
Talarin took a seat next to Ghira, and as he sat, Joanna climbed into his lap. He started stroking her absently like an overlarge cat. She even purred in her own way. "Still probably for the best you weren't. They were bad people."
 
A few minutes later, a man walked in. He was very elegantly dressed, with a sash going across his chest and a necklace bearing the symbol of the queen's court. Eberk and Ghira would immediately recognize him as the herald. "Greetings gentleman! I have considered what to do with this particular report. I have been made aware by several contacts that your cover has been blown cave-dweller. However, we now have proof of the group's involvement with terrorist activities. I have concluded that this news should be brought to the Empress herself."

The herald clapped his hands and a guard opened the door that the Herald had come from. The Herald led the group down the corridor and stopped at set of large double-doors. With a nod to the two guards manning the doors they opened the way for the party to enter into the Empress' Throne Room.
 
As Ghira entered the throne room, he did a very slight sweeping bow, greeting, "Good-day, Highness. I have my report right here, should you wish to view it immediately."

The Imaskari cut straight to the chase. The sooner he was done here, the sooner he could proceed in his journey for the Tomes.
 
"Ah, Eberk. I see you have graced the court with your presence again. It is nice to know that Ghira is in good hands along his journey. Of course, there's no need to dilly-dally. After all, time is of essence." The Empress took the scroll from Ghira that contained his report. After a few minutes of reading through it and making small mutter comments she handed it to one of her handmaidens who took it into a backroom.

"This is quite troubling news. I was afraid your arrival in the capitol so soon would mean that your cover had broken. However, this is exactly the type of information that I needed to confirm my suspicions." The Empress paused, clearly in deep thought. After half a dozen seconds she popped her head back up and motioned the Herald over. She whispered something to him at which point he left the room. "Well, at least we know that the terrorist acts that have been occurring are not the cause of Madsonia, which definitely suggests that the entire war was a fabrication of the Weiss region. Now, between information that I've gathered from you and from a few other similarly skilled individuals I have complete certainty that the worst has been realized. There is a village in Madsonia, near the border of Weiss, that is aiding Weiss to secede and dominate the region. They are very powerful, and I'm not even sure if the entire Empire can compete with the wizards. The only way to secure the safety of our nation is for us to end the war with Madsonia, ally with them, and move to strike the mages to the south."

"Now, this is where I would like for you guys to come in. I have sent my Herald to draft a diplomatic letter explaining or plight. The obvious problem is that the moment the wizards hear that a diplomat has crossed into Madsonia they will do whatever they can to delay that diplomat from reaching his destination. So, if you are up for it, I ask that you act as my diplomats and deliver this letter to the Madsonian Senate. There are few that I would trust to withstand the attacks that will befall you, and the safety of the nation rests on the safe delivery of this letter."
 
Talarin glanced at the other two. "Just the three of us to carry a very dangerous message?" he muttered to Ghira, who seemed to be their spokesman here. "Think we could get a couple soldiers or hired hands to help?"
 
"Some more. . . muscle would be appreciated," Ghira plainly stated, listing the following with the aid of his right hand. "Of course, they would have to be less structured individuals, as well as small in number. A larger group makes it more obvious that we are protecting something, and trained soldiers I would assume would have a much harder time passing off as civilians."

He took a pause before continuing, "Of course, that is just how I see it. It is your call, Empress."
 
At this point Eberk spoke up. "Actually, I already have some assistance already lined up. Additional muscle won't be necessary."

The Empress smiled at Eberk and nodded. "I will assume that means you will be accepting this job? Depending on the amount of resistance that you encounter, you will be compensated appropriately. Let's just hope that not all of the traitors are aware of Ghira's cooperation with us. It might go a long way to making your journey easier."
 
"Well, unless they happened to try and see if I survived the townsfolk's wrath, I find that rather unlikely." The Imaskari told them, glancing at his ring a moment. Turning to the dwarf, he said, "I should expect to return to my search after this is all over, so your help had better be adequate."
 
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