text | un: off scarlet

[westviews]

I took Rathakku a message on behalf of the king a few days ago.

"A few dozens, strong. Containable. The fortress occupies them."

He said Deimar can keep half.

Interesting, isn't it? Anyone want to guess what this could be about?

[Not trying to stir the pot here, but there's a reason she didn't share the entirety of the message with Rathakku. And one more thing:]

Also... he's disgusting. I don't recommend trying to get an audience with that thing.

[[ooc: Backdated to the 7th, after her curse has ended. If you want to thread out or handwave an encounter with her during that time (she was probably suspiciously skittish), feel free to send me a message! Otherwise feel free to have your characters chat here.]]

Comments

text; un: oil change

[nachocheese]

Can't be about us, can it?

[westviews]

Why would he share our numbers?

[nachocheese]

I don't know. But think about it. What else could it mean? You have any other ideas?

un: sling shot

[slippin]

[ Piggybacking off Nacho: ] So you were like a free sample?

Did he do something? [ What the hell does she mean by "disgusting"? There's a sizable pause as he considers tracking whoever this is down in person. Or just leaving this whole fucking mountain. ] Look at your teeth or whatever?

[westviews]

More like I have ways to get out of sticky situations. I'm not a good measure of our general force.

[Did you just call her a snack, sir? Anyway--]

He left me with a particularly nasty curse. Temporary. Not sure if that was a limitation or by design.

1/3

[slippin]

[ Look, he's not the one talking about sticky situations here...

But whatever he was going to say on the subject of bartering(?) human lives(?) flies out the window because: ] What?

2/3

[slippin]

He what????

[slippin]

oh ha ha ha

go easy on me with this crap, I'm not from [ —quick, Jimmy, name a fantasy setting— ] mordor

( text | un: jbb )

[traumatology]

And here you were warning me not to get into shit.

[westviews]

I never said I wasn't a hypocrite.

[traumatology]

True.

That all that happened? You got some cryptic quote?

un: civil serpent | text.

[inferus]

The king may have a deal with Rathakku.

Provide accurate information in exchange for envoys getting through, people getting out, or some other favor.

( It is, of course, a deal with the devil, but... Wrath would know more than a thing or two about that. )

[westviews]

I only told Rathakku the numbers, nothing else.

If the king has a deal with him, I doubt it's something that we'll like.

un: absterge

[downswing]

( But first: )


Unharmed?

[westviews]

Unharmed. Just irritated.

un: yiling laozu | audio

[weifinder]

Congratulations on not dying! Here's to hoping he's not promising our numbers, given how useful we're supposed to be to their deathless lords, ah, but if he is, he'll hardly be the first leader trying to sacrifice us we've run into here. In which case: congratulations! Leaders want us dead. Again!

[westviews]

That's a lot of congratulations.

un : dappled peals of the parted seas (voice)

[beitangmoran]

That sounds concerning. Not the parleying itself, it's expected in a siege situation, but what are they trading?

It certainly sounds like living beings, at the very least.

[westviews]

It sounds like us. I don't want to believe that's the case, but what else could it be?

un: white pawn; voice

[chosenbylight]

[Anduin prefers speaking to typing, sorry Wanda.]

Deimar did say that there were benefits to allowing information to pass to Rathakku. He seemed to imply that the benefits were worth the costs.

At the time I had thought this meant their thwarted attempts at escape. Now... It would seem his words had a double meaning.

[westviews]

So us, potentially. If there isn't something else going on that we don't know about.

@taken for granite

[rumorate]

Not sure, but I already don't like it.

[She's willing to bet it has something to do with the caravan. They likely number a few dozen, and they have been quite occupied with the fortress. And given the stress of the situation, Allison's willing to take ... drastic steps.]

Do you think we should try and get more information out of Deimar?

[westviews]

Is questioning a king on whether he's about to make a suspicious trade treason?

un: headless ragdoll

[matermali]

You nearly make me wish for an audience all the more.

[westviews]

I wouldn't recommend it. He's hideous.