username: lady of the willow tree | audio

[aprescoup]

( She is heat and storm and hissing anger: ) You fools. And me, fool, listening to the master, helping! ‘Who could have known, Karsa, who could have known?’ I could have known, you could have known, any woman with sense could have known! Men? Men know nothing. You steal from a merchant, what does he do, eh? What does he do?

( A pause, as if she nearly expects an answer — before continuing, impatiently: )

He makes more coin. Do you know whose gold you took? Whose gems you took? Who made a large deposit at La Rea just when you all broke in? Do you know? Do you know who? Torsten. Congraaaatuuulaaaaations. The high merchant. The Torsten who won the auctions, the Torsten who inked a grand salt supply contract he needs that money to pay for. The Torsten who is bringing the great-bellied best, that ship Imperious in a few days. To make up for it.

( But she’s quieting, at least. ) And on it, he brings something powerful. We hear… the master hears. A commission. Because when merchants lose money, pah! They turn into smugglers. They say Unhalad’s brothers hired Torsten to bring in... help for him. Everyone heard about the bodies on the pillars two weeks ago. Unhalad’s own people picked out and killed, no, they can’t have that. No one… no one in the east sent help to Sa-Hareth when the dead took us over, but the dead, eh? The dead help each other. Funny, no? The world. And funny, you. What are you doing? Wasting time, with tales since grandmother was too young to even open her legs. ‘Arne the Red,’ who cares? How can a man survive three days and three nights in the tundra cold? He doesn’t. But you waste time on that, instead of —

( Bitterness and bile and she pieces herself together again. )

There is one matter of gladness. Unhalad’s allies sent him... some sustenance, as well as his weapon. More like you. Hopefully better than you, ah? Not fools? A handful of captives. Every man and woman and child deserves freedom. We will cut them loose. And tell Haltham, if you see him, there is work beyond sniffing the salt.

( Determined, then: ) Now. My people, we infiltrate. And we brave the instrument. But we are few. Eight? And... maybe exercise will do you well, ah? Keeps you from other foul business? Help free your fellows from the Imperious. We go together to the ship, but we each do our part. And we succeed.

I have more of the quartz for speaking, when you free them. Ten pieces? I will send them. Like I sent you quartz to... visit La Rea. And you made gain. So now I ask my cut: some 7,000 coins would provide us enough supply to make a few men friends, to procure some sailor garb… while, alternatively, 13,000 pieces would get us... a more substantial distraction. Who is coming? And how much gold can you give?


( ooc: This is a precursor to the ship rescue test drive & game event that our resident Sith Lord player proposed. Full event details will go up on 27 April! )

Comments

sweet lily of the hidden valley; voice

[bearshermark]

..More like us? Goddess above. I-I have 1,000 gold left myself that I can offer to help with.

audio

[aprescoup]

Good. I take it.

They move fast. They have no choice. Let them. We move faster.

[bearshermark]

It's yours.

[He sounds a little frenetic. This information is new, unexpected, and now there's so much that needs to be sorted and answered in a very short time]

The ship will be here in a few days, you said. I'll be happy to aid you. What will need to be done?

[aprescoup]

You get on the ship. You find the captives. You let them loose.

[bearshermark]

Yes.

[That much is very clear]

I mean insofar as preparations. You're heading a distraction?

[aprescoup]

If we get the 13,000... I think I know how to make it so they leave the ship for a few moments, and we sneak in. I think I know.

[bearshermark]

[It sounds like a good plan, if they can raise that much. They should be able to]

Then once we're below deck, if any of them are injured, I can help heal them. It should help with the escape.

[From there, they can be given speaking crystals and... go... where..?]

[aprescoup]

Then, bring them back, and we... we see how many they are. Tamaiu won't... or maybe. Maybe she will? Pah, who's to say? The master, he makes miracles. I thought, Tamaiu, the old bitch, she won't have you. And then? He talked. He made happen. And now you are here.

[bearshermark]

We'll figure it out. Thank you for this much.

[Damn but he doesn't want to be the one to reach out to Bloodbonnet and beg his aid, but if they can't come up with anything and no one else does, he might have to]

[aprescoup]

Bring me money, ahhh????

[bearshermark]

Yes, of course.

I'd also like to ask you about thralling, if possible.

[aprescoup]

I do not take apprentice. I had one. Stole from me. Made him baby seal.

[descendency]

Eleven, will you have money left over for necessities, or is the 1,000 the full remainder of your funds?

[bearshermark]

Ah- I have a little more. A few hundred. I'd planned to spend it all on supplies, but.. this is important.

[descendency]

Sending her 500 will be sufficient, child.

[ Mingyu will send the difference with his. ]

[aprescoup]

Says? Says who? You are his mother? You fool. You don't have womb. You need me to teach you, what makes man and what makes woman? And where sons come from?

[descendency]

I will make sure the full amount is covered in the end. Don't you have better things to do than nitpick?

You should make fewer assumptions if you wish to keep claiming not to be a fool.

[aprescoup]

I know this: he has money. He offered money. I take the money.

[descendency]

Perhaps I should make the collection after all, if you're simply out to take all that anyone offers.

[aprescoup]

...why? No. I do it. You think I steal? You are afraid?

[bearshermark]

I'm not a child.

[More snippy than he would be ordinarily, but he's panicking a little over logistics]

I'll be okay.

[descendency]

You are. I didn't think I was a child either, when I was your age.

Take the break, Eleven. I am not in the habit of giving out many.

[bearshermark]

You don't need to look after me.

I'm worried if we'll be able to shelter them- the new ones. We have enough to leave, right? Has Haltham said when we're leaving?

[descendency]

I'm aware. I'm offering. I won't offer again.

As for sheltering the captives, you should have a conversation with Archeval about that.

We don't have an extraction date yet.

[bearshermark]

[A hard breath.]

Alright, I accept, thank you.

[Unless Karsa shakes him down for the full amount, he'll buy more group supplies as originally planned.]