Chronicle of the Scavenger Lands (Exalted 3E) - IC

[Esbilon]

The thoughts that spawn in Ysandre's mind at the guard's words are many and varied. Outrage at his form of address, at his implications regarding her relationship with Quill, and of course the always conflicting emotions she feel when confronted with the fact that the religion she was brought up in considers her the vilest of demons. She tries not to show this, of course, but an astute observer would not be fooled. The guard, however, she answers coolly, "the blood of gods flow in my veins as it has in my family for generations. And I would advise you to never address another person by that word. If it is false, people will be insulted, and if it is true, you will have spilled the secrets of one far more powerful than yourself. Neither seems conductive to a long and happy life."

Her piece said, she pays him no further heed and follows Quill into the city. "I do have the blood of a goddess," she answers him when he urges caution, "and I find the notion of hiding like a thief in the night quite detestable right now."

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Quill sighs "My dear, I do not care what you are, except that carrying that weapon openly could bring more trouble our way. We are here to gather information, not raise alarms. Besides, from what little you spoke about your past, carrying this blade could likely cause your brother to come looking for you, either with an army, or with assassins." But seeing her about to say, probably that she can handle whatever trouble comes her way "I am certain that you are more than capable of fighting. But I am not much of a fighter myself, and neither are most of the people around, who are likely to become collateral damage if a battle takes place. It isn't about being a thief in the night, as it is about prudence. Sometimes, especially when one is a ruler, one must learn to show prudence to achieve one's goals. And yes, there are, and likely will be times, when I would ask you to proudly carry that sword."

 

[Esbilon]

"Do not presume to lecture me on rulership, Quill," Ysandre replies without taking her eyes off the road before them, "and while I have no wish to see the good people of Marita hurt, they are not my subjects and I have no obligation to them. That said, you are right that we have come for information and the blade being recognised may be a hindrance to that. Do you have a length of cloth or some other means of disguising it?" She finishes, finally looking at the man walking beside her.

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Quill's reaction to Ysandre's rebuke is almost like she slapped him. Though he knew that he may have crossed a line.
But he recovers quickly, and says "We can probably find one in the market, though, if I can be suggest something, if we get into an in and refresh a bit, I might have another solution, which might not be easy, or to your liking, but would make it easier to hide"

 

[Esbilon]

"And what, pray tell, is that solution?"

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Quill hesitates before answering. He should have thought about it before, and was mentally kicking himself over it
"As you have undoubtedly seen, I have hidden my weapon far beyond the reach of anyone searching my person. I could do the same with yours." I just hope she does not pry too much. I am not sure whether I need to attune to the weapon or not to do that trick.

 

[Esbilon]

Ysandre regards Quill coldly, "I like you well enough Quill, but we have quite some way to go for the kind of friendship where I would trust you with my ancestral blade. Do you have a piece of cloth, or should we keep an eye out for a suitable merchant?" She adds, closing that particular line of enquiry.

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Sensing her mood, Quill backs off, for now but his curiosity about her blade just rose a thousandfold, knowing it is ancestral blade, he desires to study it, and help Ysandre plumb it's secrets.
"Let us go to the market, and find a piece of cloth, or two, that will compliment your skin."

 

[jaydude]

As they continue to walk and talk, it isn't long before Quill and Ysandre enter the Market District of Marita, and find themselves stepping into a large cobblestone plaza with a fountain at its center. As the district's name might suggest, the plaza and the surrounding streets are packed with all manner of mercantile establishments, ranging in scale from small market stalls and street corners occupied by travelling peddlers, to shops in buildings of stone and timber. All manner of goods can be found for sale, from basic essentials such as rice, vegetables, meats, fish and herbs, to more luxurious items like jewelry, silks, fine clothes and other such things. One stall operated by a pair of scavenger lords even has a handful of jade weapons on display. Unsurprisingly, it doesn't take long for Ysandre and Quill to find a place where they can buy something to hide Joy while Ysandre wears it for an affordable price.

The district is a hive of noise and activity in the afternoon, with dozens of customers looking to make purchases and find the best deals, merchants competing loudly with each other to sell their wares, and numerous guards patrolling the area while keeping a lookout for thieves and other miscreants.

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Quill starts looking around for merchants dealing with gems, metals, or jewelry, and strike up a conversation with them, seeking to hear the latest news.

 

[jaydude]

Quill's enquiries allow him and Ysandre to pick up a few snippets of news and gossip from around this part of the Scavenger Lands, including the assassination of a prominent archduke, the discovery of a fresh silver deposit that the Guild is planning to exploit, and the latest conquest by the Kingdom of Izamir in the north of the Hundred Kingdoms. They find no news of Nalia, however, until they talk to a jeweller whose eyes widen at the mention of the name.

"Nalia, eh?" asks the jeweller, a rotund and wealthy looking man around Quill's age. "Funny you should say that name...it just so happens that about a week ago, a man I recognized as a Nalian count came to my shop and sold me a number of fine pieces of jewellery. I didn't make any enquiries of him, but from the way he was dressed and how he acted with me, I got the impression that he had been forced to leave his home and his lands in...how should I say...less than ideal circumstances."

 

[Esbilon]

"Do you know where the man went afterwards?" Ysandre enquires. She keeps her face carefully schooled to hide her exact level of interest in this matter as her eyes take in the man's wares, looking for pieces that may have come from her homeland.

 

[jaydude]

"Hmm...no, I'm afraid not." says the jeweller while looking to the left, not meeting Ysandre's eyes.

While examining the jeweler's wares, Ysandre notices a silver ring with a relief of a lion on it, as well as a small ruby. She recalls seeing this ring once before, on the finger of a Nalian count during a ball held in celebration of her 17th birthday. However, she cannot remember any more details about the count in question at the moment.

Spoiler: OOC

Ysandre can roll Intelligence + Lore to try and recall the count's identity if she wants.

 

[Esbilon]

The young queen lifts the ring and traces its delicate features with her thumb, thinking back to the better days before her father died. Before she had to flee her home.

At the man's non-answer, Ysandre flicks her eyes from the laid out jewelry to the man's face, the piercing gaze of her sky blue eyes compelling him to look at her again. "Are you quite certain?" She asks, her voice like silk over steel, "I would take it as a kindness if you could help me find the count."

Spoiler: ooc

Assuming a rank 1 stunt for the roll, this gives me 5 dice for a total of 2 sux.

 

[jaydude]

As she examines the ring, Ysandre is able to recall its former owner; the Count of Cannet. A man around her father's age and one of his vassals, with the two being on good terms with one another. Ysandre also remembers talking with the count herself, during which he indicated that while he thought it strange, he would nevertheless be willing to support her when she took the throne.

In the present, the jeweller is answering Ysandre's question. "I just said I didn't know where he went." he replies, before giving her and Quill a wary look. "Why do you want to know where he is, anyway?"

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Quill found the merchant's action a bit troubling, almost like he was under duress, and so, he decided to come to his friend's rescue and deflect any potential problem. "My friend here was born and raised there, but has been away for a long time, and has asked me to fashion a piece if jewelry for her to remind her of home. Perhaps, if I got to talk to this person, I will gain a glimpse into the place so I can fashion her a piece to capture it's essence."

 

[Esbilon]

Ysandre sends Quill a quick, annoyed glance, but does not speak up to contradict him. The lesson on why exiled queens with bounties on their head might not want to say more than they have to regarding their birthplace can wait for another time.

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Quill knew the look was coming, and the likely scolding, if not worse, but he pointedly ignored her, for the moment.
Something felt wrong here, and he wasn't about to step into the horse's manure, so to speak

 

[jaydude]

The merchant just sighs and shakes his head, looking only slightly mollified by Quill's words, and ignoring the byplay between the two. "All I know is that he's somewhere in this city. I don't know where exactly he is; I didn't feel the need to ask him that."

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

"My friend, none of us merchant's needs to know the whereabouts of our customers, especially ones we met only once. If luck is with us, we will find him, and if not, then we won't. It is in the hands of the gods." Quill says, in an attempt to ease the situation.

 

[jaydude]

"I'm glad we understand one another." the merchant says to Quill, looking a little bit more relieved. "Though I wish I could be of more help to the two of you."

 

[Rykon]

Ryan approached the gate with Warden on his back and a few troops from his first days in the old military at his side. Dressed in his usual attire, even though he might run afoul of immaculate itinerants, he had to advertise. A crest bearing the marking of his company, the Crimson Fangs, was undeniably stamped upon the chest and shoulders of each man's coat.

With a casual wave and a smile to greet the gate's guard on his turn he merely stated, "Evenin' gents. Here to make friends s'all. Know a good place to grab a meal around here?"

 

[jaydude]

The guards - the same two who greeted Quill and Ysandre earlier - look over Ryan and his troops with wary interest, before one of them speaks.

"Mercenaries, are you? You'll likely want the Darkened Dirk Inn, on the edge of the Decadence District; besides providing decent food and drinks, it's frequented by both fighting men and people looking to hire them. Best place to look for recruits...or work."

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

"I'm glad we understand one another." the merchant says to Quill, looking a little bit more relieved. "Though I wish I could be of more help to the two of you."

Quill slaps the merchant's shoulder in a friendly manner, before he adds. "Well, there is something else you might be of help. I am looking for some blue sapphires for a new jewelry piece, might you have some perchance?"

 

[jaydude]

Quill slaps the merchant's shoulder in a friendly manner, before he adds. "Well, there is something else you might be of help. I am looking for some blue sapphires for a new jewelry piece, might you have some perchance?"

The jeweller looks relieved at the change of subject. "Why yes, I do believe I have some that I've yet to use myself. If you'll excuse me..." he says, before taking out a key and unlocking a drawer around the back of his counter. Opening it, he takes out four pea-sized cut sapphires and holds them out for Quill to inspect.