un: unlikely friend

[allforthecause]

[ Stealing a second pendant wasn’t easy, exactly, but not was it particularly difficult. As shrewd as merchants were, they were simultaneously arrogant when they thought they were going in for the kill - so using Kahl as a distraction (deliberately looking both well meaning and slow with too much coin weighing him down) made it easy to slip the device away and make his own exit long before the man noticed. He and Kahl met up again in a dank little corner, dark and damp, and crouched down over it as they changed the username and prepared their post.

They needed to get the word out - and quickly - but doing so as themselves would only paint a target on their back. So. Burner device, pretend to be a native from the city, get the word out, then ditch the device as soon as they were done.

Time to go. ]

To our foreign guests:

You’ve been promised to Rakkathu as bodies for his horde. Our King plays your host but has already cut a deal - your lives for ours. Or at least some of them.

A dozen plus a tax - this is what he has been promised.

My conscience won’t abide for it. You’ve done nothing but help where and when we’ve asked, only to get this in return. Don’t let him sacrifice you. Murder won’t buy us freedom, whatever our masters believe.

Please. If you’re anywhere near as strong as I think you are: help free us from him once and for all.

-L

[ ooc: comments with this icon and the un “unlikely friend” are from kahl and cass’s burner phone stolen pendant. Any replies from Kahl or from Cassian’s un “bee” are from their personal pendants. ]

Comments

text; un: owllady

[traaaaaash]

[ Well that sure is. News.

Not that it wasn't clear as day that something was off about this place, especially considering every other place they've visited here, but she supposes it's nice to have something concrete to go on.

However, she doesn't quite trust this anonymous good samaritan. ]

how nice of you to notify us of his nefarious schemes

and who might you be?

un: unlikely friend

[allforthecause]

A friend. A soldier. That’s all I can say.

Most would be happy to throw you to the wolves. I’ve seen what you’re capable of.

text |⍓| un: kahl

[kahl_175]

Kahl know them. Can trust.

text | un: wooden sword

[vdovy]

How did you learn this?

un: unlikely friend

[allforthecause]

Intercepted communication, between the King and Rakkathu. Please do not ask for more than that - I am putting myself at risk to tell you this.

voice; un: oil change

[nachocheese]

[ Yeah, this is not good, but it's also what Nacho suspected when he saw Wanda's post earlier.

He's not sure what he can actually do, when there are people with literal superpowers here. But he has one thing going for him as far as helping:

He makes good canon fodder. It's not self-depreciation to think so. He's basically a dead body that's been reanimated against his will. His life, his safety, means nothing. So if there's anything, anything at all, he can do to help the living people here return home, and not get murdered, then he wants to do that. ]

How do you want us to help you?

un: unlikely friend

[allforthecause]

Some of you are capable of things far beyond us. I am no mastermind - if I knew what to do I would say so.

But I think you’re the best chance we have.

un : dappled peals of the parted seas (voice)

[beitangmoran]

Well, that is disappointing but not altogether surprising. Distateful, though.

How many lives does he get in exchange for us?

un: unlikely friend

[allforthecause]

That, I don’t know. I only intercepted the second half of the exchange.

My guess is that the trade is you for the evacuation caravans.

un: a civil serpent | text.

[inferus]

( Wrath cannot blame the king for making such a deal if he truly did - it is one of the bloodier, more difficult parts of war, which few ever truly experience. People like to be noble. They like to make what they believe to be the most morally superior choice, ignoring the cost at times, ignoring the many more lives that can be lost in the name of trying to protect every single one.

War changes people, and now there is only the words of one missive which one of their own carried to Rakathu (which can be altered or changed) and the words of someone anonymous over the network to go by. Beyond all of that, there are many forces at play here. There is simply not nearly enough information yet for any decision to be made with this information beyond looking into it more closely. )

How did you come across this information?

It would be unwise to take it as absolute fact when there are many both within the castle and outside of the castle who would benefit from turning this group against this side, turning us against one another, including Rakkathu.

Regardless we should not jump to conclusions nor act impulsively. ( The group has a habit of doing so. )

un: unlikely friend

[allforthecause]

Caution is wise, I can only give you my word. More than that will endanger us both.

But you can’t appeal to him, or change his mind, if you do not know that the exchange has been requested.

un: absterge

[downswing]

Who are you?

un: unlikely friend

[allforthecause]

A friend, a soldier.

I can risk nothing more.

text | un: off scarlet

[westviews]

As much sense as this might make given what I've posted, you'd have more credibility if you gave a name.

un: unlikely friend

[allforthecause]

I would have gotten myself killed with a name.

You think these communications private? The King will know now, as do you. I decided expediency was more important than surprise in this case.

un: sling shot

[slippin]

Why tell us now?

un: unlikely friend

[allforthecause]

Because I did not want to believe it.

I had to be sure.

un: qishan

[silverneedles]

And so goes the nature of war.
Free you from your king? From Rakkathu? From both?

un: unlikely friend

[allforthecause]

I believe my king does this for the sake of our people.

I don’t ask you to trust him, but he isn’t the one who asks for our bodies and our blood.

@whitewolf

[northerndragon]

Anyone who thinks it ends there is a fool. If such a truce exists, I don't believe it would be honored for long. They were under siege long before we came.

[downswing]

We would not suffice as payment.

un: yiling laozu

[weifinder]

Who are you? What gives you word weight we should pay heed to?

And why would any of you who've fought over a year here feel that anything which buys you time to seal your hell is anything but an excellent deal?

The king would be a fool to make that offer. Rathkeikaku has already shown he doesn't need a deal to influence our number.

So where, in all this, is the evidence in intention?

[inferus]

The one this information serves best is Rakkathu himself.

I would not doubt he had his influence in this.

text | un: doubletap

[dog_eat_dog]

[Since other people have other questions covered...]

Which dozen?

un: unlikely friend

[allforthecause]

That, I don’t know.

I’m sorry.

At least that hopefully means you have some time.

un: slothbaby

[cosplayqueen]

That would make a weird amount of sense after Wanda's post. Officially scared for us which is pretty much my default here, I know.

But, everyone here is playing fighting for thrones so IDK. Uh... group meeting on the likelihood of us getting sacrificed to the 80s movie villain? Can we call those????

un: unlikely friend

[allforthecause]

A face to face meeting would be wise.

It is hard to tell who is listening, here.

But you are all spread apart and I could not reach all of you on foot.

un: white pawn; text

[chosenbylight]

Desperation can drive a man in power to make terrible decisions, in times like these, in an attempt to buy some time. To save some lives.

But he should know better than to have promised Rathakku anything in the first. It demonstrates his desperation. And his willingness to bend to meet the warlord's desires.

Given they are supposed to be at conflict, it does not bode well.

un: unlikely friend

[allforthecause]

It implies more communication than one would otherwise assume, yes.

un: Black Prince; text

[blackscales]

I'm not certain how you discovered this, if you ferried a message like our other insider did or learned it from someone who did, but there's likely only a small number of people who knew this before you advertised it.

Which would mean while your identity is a mystery to us, it won't be to the people you're trying to hide it from.

un: unlikely friend

[allforthecause]

That’s why I suggest you don’t dig too deeply into mine.

I calculated the risk. I hope you are all worth it.

text; un: cat's cradle

[wantshappiness]

Is there anyone who would know about this?

[Getting to the King was probably the most straightforward route but if she can confirm this with anyone else then.

What does it say about her, she wonders, that as much as she wants to confirm before she believes that this...doesn't surprise her.]

un: unlikely friend

[allforthecause]

The King. If any of his family know - I’m not sure.

But they may be more sympathetic to you all.

text / un: strange

[rehandle]

What did they say? Exactly. Your intercepted missives.

[ He's caught up on all there is to see so far, but he's also caught up with the king. ]

[allforthecause]

[ He can’t give the exact message - he’s fairly certain that he and Kahl are the only ones that know it, and there’s already a high risk giving what he knows. However: ]

I can give an entire account, but not here.

I don’t know who’s listening, here.

un: song » text

[spoilers]

While I wouldn't doubt such a deal being made, it's a foolish one. And though, certainly, we might have every reason to take your warning to protect ourselves, why should we get involved in your people's power struggle?

un: unlikely friend

[allforthecause]

You’re right - I should not have asked.

But Rakkathu is an evil that threatens everyone he comes across. He doesn’t care about our power struggles, he doesn’t care about our lives.

He can’t be bargained with because he values nothing but death.