FFd6 - Group 1 Part 2

[Teal Mage]

"Alright so we're dealing with a powerful organization who can't enter Cornelia for obvious reasons, thus we are being assigned to enter Holy Land and shake down a Moogle." Ziegmund began as he caught up with Keith.

"I can't really see the obvious part of those reasons." Keith replied, throwing the Paladin a curious glance.

"I'm not sure finding him would be that big of an issue," Ziegmund went on, seemingly reasoning aloud, "it's figuring out how we can even shake him down in such a town. Not only that the Moogle is obviously not stupid to pick this place as a hiding ground. So we are also dealing with a crafty one."

"Yeah, real crafty getting into a fifty thousand gil debt with the N'revat." Keith mildly interjected. However the little guy tried to evade them wasn't important, the N'revat seemed like the type of group that was stupid to cross, let alone try to evade. I wonder what this is all about?

Abruptly, the Paladin stopped and stared.

"He gave you a what?!?!" Ziegmund shouted, clearly somewhere between outraged and stunned.

Keith threw an innocent glance over his shoulder. "An Ultima Staff."

The Paladin caught up to him quickly, "We are dealing with a high powered summoner who is just handing out Ultima Staff's?" Ziegmund incredulously continued. He wasn't shouting as loudly any more, which was a good sign.

"He's a summoner?" Keith asked conversationally, "I guess that explains how we got here." Then, he frowned, "But not how the staff got Ultima enchanted-summoners use White Magic."

And Ultima was the ultimate black spell, not white.

"Oh This mission just got fun." Ziegmund went on, complaining, "We have an insane Blue Mage and you're walking around with a walking stick of doom. Please don't hit the lunatic over the head with it. Or give it to him for that matter."

"I'm a little more concerned about what we're going to do when we reach Cornelia." Keith replied lightly, "I've never been there, but I hear the guards won't let people bring weapons in." Thoughtfully he raised the worn and damaged Kill 'em all Stick to his eyes. "I suppose I should have left it with Mondiale until we got back-but its a bit late now."

Keith shrugged, "Oh well, the maybe the guards will think it’s too damaged to be a weapon. 'Course," he smiled winningly at Ziegmund, "if they don't, I'll just need to come up with a good story, no?"

It would obviously be that easy.

[krogothwolf]

Keith shrugged, "Oh well, the maybe the guards will think it’s too damaged to be a weapon. 'Course," he smiled winningly at Ziegmund, "if they don't, I'll just need to come up with a good story, no?"

"I'm faily confident you can do that, but try not to lay it on to thick friend," Ziegmund said thoughtfully. "There are times when you do over embellish things a bit much. And to fill in the gaps about our good friend, He is apparently heavily shadow aligned. Our good friend Ark did a reading on him and found out not only is he powerful. He also is a shadow aligned summoner, interesting no?"

Ziegmund shrug, best to worry about it later.

"I can't really say I trust Caspin right now with his current mental state. He might put this whole thing at risk and we may have to do something about it." Then he looked over at Ark. "You're being awfully quiet there friend, anything else you can think to add?"

[Menarker]

Ark glanced at the two without very much thought to their conversation as if what they discussed seemed like the natural or best outcome to make.

"Crucial points summed up. Minor amendment to note about our client being a seer or mind-reader of some form."
"On the off-chance that the target attempts negotiation with us, knowing the nature of the client might prove useful in case target is operating under mistaken assumptions about his former employer."
"I intend to make slight haste since the target is either escaping or seeking shelter. The more time wasted, the harder it be to access him under optimal conditions."

[Teal Mage]

"...to fill in the gaps about our good friend, He is apparently heavily shadow aligned. Our good friend Ark did a reading on him and found out not only is he powerful. He also is a shadow aligned Summoner, interesting no?"

"I always thought White Magic couldn't be used by the Shadow Aligned." Keith replied, throwing Ziegmund a curious expression, "Mondiale doesn't seem like the type to cripple himself like that without a reason-if we have time, I'll look into that in Cornelia."

Ark then related some more information about Mondiale, as well as an assessment of the situation.

"That!" Keith stated crisply, glancing over his shoulder at Ark. "Would have been nice to know five minutes ago." He shook his head and crossed his arms-the walking stick of doom still held in his hand. "Mind readers don't play fair. Like, the last time I tried to get one into-"

"-maybe I shouldn't tell that story." The Geomancer quickly amended, throwing a glance at Ziegmund.

"Anyway!" Mondiale's staff mysteriously returned to his inventory, "Ark, if you're getting impatient, have fun running to the city." Keith clasped his hands over his head and stretched. "I'm going to keep walking though," he breathed a laugh, "can't run that fast anyway."

[Truce]

Their discussion was over for the moment. Regardless of their pace, your group makes its way towards the city. Those who went ahead found themselves waiting until Keith caught up. While Ark seemed to notice something following them along the way it had quickly hidden its presence again - but nothing attacked.

There were two elven guards in front of the city walls. Dressed in silver armor, wielding swords and shields that bore the insignia of Cornelia, they watched your group carefully as you approached and barred your entry. One of them, the shorter of the two, stepped forward.

"Only those with a devoted heart may enter the City of Dreams," he said, explaining the situation. "Please state your business."

Though he and his partner kept his weapon sheathed, they looked ready to draw them at a moment's notice. His partner, in particular, kept an eye on Caspin - as if he could tell that there was something peculiar about him. Ark and Caspin could also tell that there were some archer's nearby, just out of sight - though they would undoubtedly appear at any sign of aggression.

[Overcast]

Right around this time was when Caspin decided to hide his weapon, he figured he could get into the city without too much trouble, but he didn't want to get rid of his knife when the time came. After all he was rubbish with his hands. He looked up at the guard that stepped forward and approached him with a professional air,

"Myself and my companions are here looking for a certain gambler under the pseudonym Jrkass under contract by the Adventurer's Guild. As far as I can tell the man is not the kind of person the City of Dreams would like to have inhabiting their walls. He is a stain on your good name and if you allow us entry we plan to apprehend him."

Partial lies, partial truths. In the end all he wanted to do was get inside of the city and find this bastard faster. Hell a part of him just wanted to disappear while he still had the chance, but he didn't have much to work with what with the giant walls and the massive gate and what not.

-----------------------
Caspin uses dagger special property Concealable on his weapon and rolls for Negotiation on smaller guard.

[Teal Mage]

Having arrived some time behind Caspin-who once again had decided to take the lead in the negotiations-Keith had no difficulty hanging back from the rest of the group. This is, Keith reflected, watching Caspin's attempts with idle curiosity, unfortunate.

"...He is a stain on your good name and if you allow us entry we plan to apprehend him."

Keith shook his head, a small and ironic smile appearing on his lip; that could very easily come off as an insult.

But, that was why he was hanging back, wasn't it? Caspin's choice to be totally honest was admirable on one level, but he couldn't very well explain Mondiale's staff in that story. Not and keep it anyway. And, while he didn't think Cornelian soldiery would be fool enough to set off the staff, he wasn't particularly fond of allowing someone else to get a hold of the weapon.

That was why he was trying to look as though Caspin's "companions" didn't include him. He'd arrived after the rest of the group after all; it shouldn't be too much of a stretch to pull that off.

* * *

Acting Check, trying not to look like I'm part of the "Find Jrkass" group.

[Menarker]

Ark stood with Caspin with his sword sheathed in its scabbard, nodding ever so slightly but remaining completely silent with shield at ready in case of any mishaps. The baby dragon companion waddled over to the dragoon's leg, nuzzling affectionately while waiting patiently with nothing more than a few chirps and babyish glutteral growls.

[krogothwolf]

Ziegmund walked up to the location while he was beside Keith. He was observing the walls of the city.

Fairly stout location He thought to himself And easily guarded from any sort of forced entry.

He remianed standing beside Keith and then quickly had to hid his surprise at the choice of words Caspin had used Not exactly how I would go about talking to guards of a holy city, it would question their ability to weed out trouble. Not only that its not like we are walking around carrying proof of his debt.

He then sighed at the thought and sort of stared in wonder at the Holy City. He had always wanted to venture here, what paladin doesn't? It is after all one of the greater locations for those who follow the Holy Path to be allowed to see. Just being near the walls gave him a great sense of peace to him.

"Just being here is a great feeling." He said offhanded to Keith, "You can feel the Holy Light that has blessed this place. It is humbling to be before these walls to be able to enter such a place would mean the path we follow is truly that of the Holy Light."

[Truce]

The guard sighed at the mention of 'Jrkass', shaking his head. He also glanced over to Ark, who stood beside Caspin; androids weren't exactly known for being devout. In his eyes, neither of them looked that trustworthy.

"Oh, you're looking for Mr. Jrkass are you?" he said, shaking his head. "I don't suppose you're looking for his partner, Mr. Prick as well? Only an idiot would pick Jerkass as a pseudonym - and then forget the E. What happened, did he run out of space or something?

"Adventurer's guild or not, you'll have to come up with a better reason to enter this hallowed city. At the very least, you need to lie better than that."

Clearly, he didn't believe anything that Caspin had said.

"And you two," he said, pointing to Keith and Zieg as they arrived. "Would you happen to be with this fellow as well?"