audio | username: raven master

[pulvisetumbra]

( You might remember this voice: )

Good afternoon. To our newcomers, I introduce myself as the Merchant. You have heard of me. I have heard of you. To our elderly additions, I note you have prevailed against the odds to persist among us. A triumph.

( Dry laughter. ) Further pleasantries at a later, more forgiving time. For now, it will not surprise you that certain gestures have been entertained. Crude, direct and mercenary.

Absent a contact point, Unhalad’s lieutenants have left word with several port masters, who have conveyed his message. He believes you have been well positioned to access Anurr’s forces and woodland allies. He asks for any remnants of the mirror his brethren sent aboard the vessel Imperious and for assistance to cleanse the woods of Anurr’s supporters. In exchange, he offers free passage from Sa-Hareth once the storms clear and a letter of recommendation that will ease voyage across the eastern provinces commanded by his brothers. He threatens the full force of his allies, if you do not comply.

( A moment’s peace, to let that sink. ) I expect our forest visitors have kept Lord Anurr better informed of your whereabouts and affiliation. He has addressed my liaisons to request your assistance to shut in the salt mines and the source of Unhalad’s local force replenishments. He too offers to facilitate your departure from Sa-Hareth, once he gains the terminals, financial provisions and free return to the citadel, should you wish it done. He threatens nothing, but notes that you are alone, and have been alone for some time, and where has it brought you? ( Laughter, outright) To me.

( Second verse, same at the first. Silence is a strength. ) Quite. Given the limitations of these creatures, you will forgive me for excluding any physical evidence of these interactions.

If you want counsel: you have sustained neutrality for the better part of two months. Your position to do nothing has been self-serving, but clear. Do not stray course at the last hour. If you intend to proceed otherwise… alert me. I shall endeavour to broker the relevant agreement, so that you may at least benefit from your gumption.

You will otherwise be pleased to know I expect to receive the pertinent passport papers and two potential routes for your strategic departure within days. Until then, good day.


( ooc: feel free to use the Merchant’s or other character posts to debate the course of action! The Merchant will be scarce. If most/any characters plan to side with Unhalad, Anurr, either warlord or even both of them, designate a character to let the Merchant know. Address messages to the him this time! )

Comments

audio;

[soulsrob]

Master Raven! How have you been, dear? It's been too long since I've been able to hear your voice. I thought perhaps you'd grown tired of us.

If I'm to understand, does it really matter if we do anything or not? It seems better to not muddy our hands any further than we already have and try to make a clean break from them. On the other hand, having power at our backs would be nice for whatever lands we venture to next... Assuming Mr. Unhalad is on good relations with his brothers, it might better to side with him if we're thinking long-term.

Or we go to Mr. Anurr and let him know we need to pretend to wipe him out. If Mr. Unhalad thinks they're wiped out, we get free passage through him, plus he thinks Mr. Anurr's forces are lesser, giving them the element of surprise on their side. [She hums thoughtfully.]

Or something like that!

But when he mentions wanting all of to mirror remnants... [Does it include her own mirror?? Because no thank you. She's parting with that over her cold dead body.]

[beitangmoran]

You would side with the person who brought us there and actually used those mirror to steal memories from some of our companions, Young Lady? And someone whose power over his own citizenry is more than shaky?

[pulvisetumbra]

Madam. You are lively, as ever. I trust you have been well?

audio;

[corvis]

Why would you ever trust either of them to be convinced that would work ?

[somebadnews]

[ He's absolutely not surprised this came out of her. ]

You've been thinking about this for a while, haven't you?

un: sweet lily of the hidden valley

[bearshermark]

Some presumption. Who is it that Unhalad counts among his allies?

[pulvisetumbra]

Several of his brothers hold citadels in the east. As for the... subtleties of their relationships, those depend, kin to kin. As a whole, they support each other against outsiders. ( Laughter, mulled. ) Within their ranks, I expect there is... opportunity for uprising, now and then. Sa-Hareth is sufficiently isolated that the weakest of the brothers could be trusted to keep it.

Until now.

un: dappled pearl of the parted seas [voice]

[beitangmoran]

A hard bargain as expected...

I must say that as far as I am concerned, I do not quite enjoy being coerced, and Unhalad seems to have more sinister motives, including bringing us here. I also do not believe it would be wise to give him back any of those mirror shards.

Although I have little expectations that many among us would choose to ally with Unhalad under these terms, humans are surprising at times.

[pulvisetumbra]

I am not unaware that all your actions so far have, intentionally or otherwise, supported Anurr.

[handmaiden of unsheathed swords] voice posted:

[darkeststars]

Hand over any bit of the mirror to that worm?

Hilarious.

That he turns to negotiation only last exposes his moment of weakness.

un: dappled pearl of the parted seas [voice]

[beitangmoran]

Agreed. He brings the least to the table and has the most demands and threats.

[pulvisetumbra]

If either was sufficiently strong or savvy enough to dispose of his enemy without a third party's assistance, he would have done so. They are both weak. And yet, they are both stronger than you.

un: deft hand of little deaths [Voice]

[scrapgege]

Ah, Master Merchant, excuse me, but what exactly does that mirror do? I couldn't even figure out what the curse on it was?

It's a bit rude to call people elderly though, it's not like we can help how old we are...

[pulvisetumbra]

What is a mirror, old master?

audio; un: xunxian

[topoiran]

Good afternoon yourself. It has been a while.

[ Xunxian hesitates for a moment, but then does ask. ]

Should the salt mines be actually closed, what will become of Sa-Hareth? Is there no more precise way to achieve such a goal?

[pulvisetumbra]

Good after, young master. ( But... he stops after. ) You mean, whether the citadel can survive the elimination of its once single most glorious resource?

un: tender core of the waiting spring blossom | audio.

[corvis]

[ how does he steal your user name though ]

Well, that's the best advice I have heard yet. [ in reference to neutrality. ]

Why does he want the mirror remnants? Can't he get them himself instead of wasting his army on threatening us?

[pulvisetumbra]

( You are many years too young. )

I expect because he assumes you have it. One of your comrades took the ship that brought it in.

audio: yiling patriarch

[weifinder]

A knife in hand is easily disposed of after any given deed is done, I suppose.

( dryly stated, at that. )

Aaah, have the funds been sufficient?

[pulvisetumbra]

Good day. They have satisfied some of our requirements. They will prove insufficient for others. I shall run the numbers and present in due course.

un: anglicized

[descendency]

And what aren't you telling us, daddy dearest...?

[pulvisetumbra]

( A pause. ) Regarding?

un: ut malum pluvia | audio

[somebadnews]

[ Listening to all this is almost more revealing than gathering them together. He's useful for that much. ]

Define doing nothing.

[pulvisetumbra]

Carry on as you have.

2/2

[pulvisetumbra]

Good afternoon, my good fellow.