Everything So Far

Lezek Urral


An incandescent choir rings out, the sounds of a thousand mortal voices blend in perfect harmony into one singular perfect Lezek voice. Bells jingle, trumpets blare, strings sing their tear jerking vibrations and Lezek Urral Leketh laughs. It was like being blessed by the presence of the Highfather himself. For just a moment, Urral was a conduit. Her laughter reaching everyone in the room on some sort of level. All of this enhanced greatly by the harmonics of the helmet so lovingly and skillfully crafted. Unable to resist the temptation of Pride, L'amnia's display nearly overwhelming, she flips her latches and plants her halberd firmly in the floor. The tile cracks. 


Her braided hair falls free as she tucks the helm under her arm. Golden eye beaming like a lighthouse cutting through a fog bank. Patched eye hidden under locks of braids. She lifts her wings and grabs her halberd and immediately falls in step behind L'amnia with her wings outstretched. Sparks from the static wake of the Spire princess play off Urral's body and wings. 


Her smirk contains for once, all the words needed to be said as she basks in her own Pride. 
 
Roland Macrus


"You hardly need to ask for permission, Colby. I'd be glad to." Roland assured him. "Now if you could conjure up diamond, we could make a hammer hard enough to get through Urral's skull. But if miracles were commonplace, we'd be seeing Celestials as much as Infernals."
 
Upper Spire


The royals say nothing.  You can almost feel Lucius wrathful glare burning against the backs of your heads.  The guards watch you even more carefully.


You have the distinct feeling you've made more enemies than just Lucius today.


On passing the Lounge you espy Heresh, Macrus, and Colby relaxing with drinks at the bar. 


The Lounge


It's impossible to miss Urral at the periphery of your vision.
 
Llorn Miles


Beating a cautious but unhurried retreat


The back and forth between Lucius and L'amnia was becoming not so much heated, but colder. Indeed, Llorn fancied he saw the air between Stormlord and Stormmaiden turn misty with ice crystals, charged with the venomous wrath of a thunderstorm. This whole event was testing even his best poker face and he fought to keep his hands resting lightly on his belts, rather than gripping his weapons tightly. Then, like a sudden break in the clouds, L'amnia took her leave. Urral, arrogant Pride cascading from her like water from a water fall, strode alongside her. Llorn, for his part, took a more cautious avenue of departure. He placed himself in direct line between Lucius and L'amnia's back, walking backwards with a measured pace. His eyes took in the tense-featured rodents around the room, along with the other members of the court, letting his gaze rest nowhere for a moment longer than necessary. He kept his magics to hand, a mazy wall of fractured dimensions ready to redirect and diffract any hostile sorcery that might spring from any one of a dozen pairs of hands about the reception room. But, fortunately, decorum won out and the three were free to leave unmolested. At the doors, Llorn bowed to the court in general, and allowed a knowing smirk to cross his face. Let the little bastard sweat.


Once they were free of the Upper Spire and on their way, Llorn tugged another cigar from his pocket, bit away the end and lit it with a lucifer stick.


"Dear L'amnia,", he sighed, as he tossed the smoking stick out the carriage window, "I think you didn't so much poke the sturmhornet's nest, as you gave it a damn good kicking. Might I ask, were you intending on declaring war on Puddlegum Spire's nobles?"
 
L'ámnia Silverlight


She couldn't help but grin. "Me? I didn't declare war on him, he declared war on me. That was just negotiating terms of defeat. When we win, to the spoils go the victor. I just might set myself up as Grand Duchess of Puddlgum. I don't have a duchy and I think I might like one. It would definitely give my cousin Batina something to shut up about. She's been trying to get Hagan as long as I've known her. But she's only fourth in line and I'll literally die before I'd let her get her scrawny claws on my inheritance."


She pulled herself together.


"He knew who I was the moment I walked in, he knew I was coming too. And whoever knows my whereabouts all this time has informed my uncle and my uncle has made an alliance with him. My dear Llorn, we were at war the second we entered Puddlegum airspace. We just didn't know it yet."


They went further down until they found their friends idling in a lounge. "Master Roland, Cousin, Master Colby," she called using high language, "with Us. We retire to our ship where we make ready to unleash the hounds of war. Puddlegum has conspired against Us and We are not amused."
 
Roland Macrus


Roland rose up at once, though there was a look on his face that questioned her language. "What did Urral say?!"
 
L'ámnia Silverlight


She looked at the ship's mate and closed her eyes and took a deep breath. And then she took another one. She then looked at Urral. "Nothing more than she needed to say, if that." She then shook her head to clear away one persona for another.


"If you would be so kind to wait, I think this is something that is best told once. And, to be honest, I don't think the captain will be too happy to hear what occurred. And Urral didn't start anything. And Master Colby, for when we get to the ship, I would like to apologize now for the words that I spoke when they are repeated. They are nasty, vile things said about certain members of your race. And I think it best if Llorn and Urral tell you what happened from their point of view before I tell you my side of the story."
 
Lezekim Urral 


"For the record, I was remarkably composed and well behaved despite the beady little eyes all over me." Urral hangs her helmet upon her hip, letting it jostle enough to chime it. The craftsmanship masterly enough to hold the ringing for a few moments. "I am of high doubt that Mr. Colby would take offense at what you've said in comparison to some of the things I've said. He knows that regular...vermin and Rattus shouldn't be confused." It is clear that Urral is clenching her jaw, doing her best to apply some of the lessons learned to the situation at hand. Rats, the small real ones, weren't Rattus. But still, through coaching and seeing the similarities as a sort of enemy she was managing. 


"But yes, I've seen similar scenarios play out. It was easy enough to fall back into the role. I'll simply be killing the snaggle toothed fiend. Though I do have some mounting concerns. And an idea of sorts." A golden hue'd light device had appeared in her mind, Urral was never one to toy with the mechanical and magical aspects of her armory but something was gnawing at her mind. "I need all of the engineers later on the ship. I wish to explain my idea and see what they think." 
 
Heresh


The Bar, and A State Of Consternation


We're doing what now?


"My word, Cousin, but we work quickly."


Dropping back into Trades, Heresh continues, even as she grabs her stuff and prepares to get moving.


"What  happened up there?"


Well, shit. To be quite perfectly honest, the doctor is most likely to give me a straight and perfectly clear answer.


"Dr. Miles, exactly what was said? Was it merely petty, or are we genuinely in for a fight? What's this about Urral having to kill someone?"
 
Llorn Miles


In a mounting state of high tension


Llorn, who had hung back when L'amnia and Urral had entered the bar to watch for any pursuers and had then grabbed himself a stiff drink, dragged over and slumped down into a comfortable armchair. He took another couple of puffs on his cigar and coughed heartily as L'amnia deferred to Urral and himself. Damn these highborns and their foolish way of doing things! Then he grimaced as Urral proceeded to place her shapely size twelve heavily-armored boot into it by talking openly of killing 'snaggled-toothed fiends'. Then Heresh turned to him and spoke plainly, " Dr. Miles, exactly what was said? Was it merely petty, or are we genuinely in for a fight? What's this about Urral having to kill someone?"


Llorn took a swig of the coarse rum and drew his lips back as the alcohol did its own inimitable magic and soothed his jangled nerves.


"Well.", he said, flicking cigar ash onto the floor, "I can't say that I'm an expert in the dynamics of Stormlord politics, but if what passed between me'mselle L'amnia and that sanctimonious, trumped-up little prig had occurred in the circles I'm accustomed to, it would have been swiftly followed by a much less civil conversation in a dark alleyway involving knives. Blunt, rusty knives."


Another sip, another puff on the cigar.


"Let me be frank, me'mselle L'amnia was in her right to say what she said. It turns out the Prince is in his dotage and his son, not his heir, was running the court. The runt seems to be in the pocket of L'amnia's uncle and made pains to outright call her a liar and a fraud in open court. Words were spoken both ways, barbed ones, and we left. Needless to say, I figure that by dawn tomorrow at the latest, L'amnia may well be receiving notice that she has pissed off the runt and he's wanting satisfaction, either an apology or a more violent assertion of her comments in court."


He shrugged.


"Doubtless, the captain is going to rage over this."
 
L'amnia Silverlight


"Actually," she said softly, "he did challenge me to a duel. And then I had words with him about how a gentleman, if indeed a gentleman he is, doesn't go about making duels with ladies, or indeed, females of any sort. In one instance he recognize me for who I and what I am and then he turns around and tries to suggest that I am not who I say I am. So I called him out on that and told him what needed to be said. His sister is actually the heir but she's not exactly in the Spire, least she's not free roaming in the Spire. And if that creature is anything like my father's murderer, then well, he would see nothing wrong in killing his sister."
 
Heresh,


Listening to Llorn's Account


"Oh, shit."


Heresh falls silent for a moment.


"I don't know much about Puddleglum's political culture, so I dunno what's expected in regards of formal challenge and whatnot."


She looks up towards Urral.


"Yeah, if it turns into a serious row, or a duel, we might need to further tinker with your armour. I can insulate it against lightning, grant you some protection, and whatever else you want done, well.....yeah."


Yeah, speaking of......


She turns to Llorn and L'ámnia again.


"Yeah, speaking about enhancing people's stuff, it's probably good that we have several magi as part of the crew. Myself and L'ámnia, Mr. Colby, Doctor Miles. Uh, Spires can be a bit, uh, fuck, chauvinistic about magi, favoured. Having a bunch of us working with Infernals looks good for this sort of thing."


A wry smile finds its way onto her face.


"You're gonna hafta tell me some dreadful old stories some time, Llorn, about terrible things done by sneaky bastards in dark alleys."


And, Lenore might be a little bit peeved. Then again....


"Lenore might actually prefer to have an enemy out in the open for once."
 
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Colby

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When the three of them approach, with such expressions, his animal instinct tells him to go very still.


When Urral... backhanded compliments(?) him, his animal instincts tell him to start bloody running.


As everyone starts to collect their things and leave, he glances at his half finished drink with almost aching forlornness. 


Can't have ten bloody minutes without SOMETHING ruining my fun...


He pulls on his coat and follows them all, clattering a tip of coins on the desk before going, grumbling through his whiskers.
 
Roland Macrus


Roland groaned and got up. "Bloody politics. And bloody idiots for blunt, rusty knives. Their blood - using no good weapons like that. A difference between noble pretensions and the truth. They talk about their culture and honor - and throw it out the window when it becomes inconvenient. Of course, the hypocrites will whine if I nailed the brat from a distance and got this over with."
 
Urral 


"Let it be known that this was the very thought I had Heresh! I've seen too often the results of your magic, I've even felt the concentrated form of it. But when you showed me the engines, it made me think that I could possibly attack and destroy them if there was some means of channeling it away. It would not require too much additional work to incorporate all these ideas would it?" Urral muses her question to Heresh while eyeing the assembled group up and down. 


The others seemed no worse for wear physical, a rarity considering the party track record. But even from her position far above, she could see the oddity that was Mr.Colby grumbling. She needed to clear things up in regards to what she said. 


"Colby" She states his name bluntly, foregoing titles in favor of a sense of casual comfort. "Be aware that what I said and do does not apply to you. If another being wished to call you such things, I would strike them down or fight to the death for your honor. But vermin act in a way that demands such terms and I will not hesitate to describe the reality of their station." 


She casts her eye briefly to Roland. "But there is no honor in that, even pride gained from that act would be of dubious quality at best." 
 
Colby


The ratkin fights a wince as Urral addresses him so directly. The informalness catching him completely off-guard.


"I ... uh, Thank you. Thank you, very much," He makes the conscious effort to lift his ears which instinctively pressed to his head, "That's very kind of you..."


He strides rapidly to keep pace with everyone's much longer legs, tiny paws hammering in a blur, expression faintly bewildered.


The last vestiges of the mana surge still winked on the edges of his vision, making him light headed and a little delirious. At least, he was pretty certain that wasn't the cider talking to him. No, he was certain about that. He could feel the tiny flecks of metal in the floor under his feet, he could place every nail and bolt and screw in the walls. He could make out the gold in peoples teeth, in the frames of their glasses, in their guns, blades under their clothing, buttons and rings and necklaces and ear piercings... The entire internal structure of all the buildings was ... was... present in his field of vision... was it even vision anymore? No, it was more like a weight, gently pressing on his personal space, notifying itself of its existence, without quite touching him.


He was always aware of the element around him, it was always there, but.... before now he had to look. He had to focus to find it... now, it was ever present, like background noise.


This new sensory overload was going to take a while to process...
 
Heresh


Tramping Through Baroque Halls


Well that's...progress!


Heresh smiles back at Colby and Urral for a moment, then returns to scanning the corridors of the Spire. She'd sling her rifle around to the front, but it's one thing to have it and quite another to appear ready to use it. The only thing stopping the Spire guard from pre-emptively intervening is the double barrelled fact of her clearly being a full blooded Stormlord in her own right, and walking in the company of an Infernal. Otherwise, well.


Besides, it would make us look nervous, like we expect to get jumped on the way back to the ship. No knowing how they'd react.


I do wish we could have avoided this, but I suspect the little fucker goaded L'ámnia, looking for a confrontation.


Thinking with a slight tinge of paranoia, Heresh stirs the simplest part of her power to form a gentle whirlwind around the group as they walk, scrambling the air to hopefully prevent eavesdropping.


[Jim consults character sheet, Academics 2]


"Right, keeping this quick. If there's a challenge, it can be L'ámnia or she can nominate a champion, so far as I can recall. Thing is, if she nominates a champion, it looks way better for her if that champion is armed and protected with Stormlord enchantments. Makes it look like the champion is your direct representative, blessed with your power, see? Now, if Urral is accepting the challenge I think it would be a good idea for you to bless her, give her a wind charm before the fight. No?"


Heresh lets the zephyr dissipate and continues without a break, lips cheerfully chattering, "-iles, did you catch the name of the troublemaker?"
 
L'ámnia Silverlight


Did I hear what I just think I heard? She smiled at Urral's words. Well, well, well, will wonders never cease.


She couldn't help but smile. They were all starting to get along. Finally. She just hoped it would stay that way. I don't think Lenore will be angry, but she won't be pleased either. Or she might, one never knew with her.


She noticed Heresh changed the angle of her gun as they made their way back to the ship. What surprised her was that she was unconsciously watching about her as well. When had that happened? She had never before been so vigilant of her surroundings. Maybe you're growing up.


She then felt Heresh's spell as winds blew about them, keeping their words from reaching ears that they didn't want anyone to hear. "Right, keeping this quick. If there's a challenge, it can be L'ámnia or she can nominate a champion, so far as I can recall. Thing is, if she nominates a champion, it looks way better for her if that champion is armed and protected with Stormlord enchantments. Makes it look like the champion is your direct representative, blessed with your power, see? Now, if Urral is accepting the challenge I think it would be a good idea for you to bless her, give her a wind charm before the fight. No?"


She nodded. It did make sense. Her champion should be either Lenore or Urral and her champion should have Stormlord protections. She looked down at herself and at the wealth of sapphires that adorned her and her face grew hard. It was stupid for that creature to challenge her for she might not be good at creating Stormlord weaponry and protections but Heresh was and all Heresh really needed was sapphires. And sapphires they had in plenty. She would happily give up every single jewel she had to defeat this upstart.


"Heresh, I think you're right and I think you're going to need sapphires." He looked at her cousin. "I'm guessing you're going to need lots and lots of sapphires. It would seem as if I have a few you can use for your little project. I don't want to just win, I want it known to anyone who challenges any of us that it's not a smart thing to take us on." No, she didn't want to just win, she wanted to destroy and annihilate. What was the saying? Leave no enemies behind. She'd turn the entire Spire into rubble just to prove a point if it wouldn't cause the unnecessary deaths of tens of thousands of innocents.


By the Dragon, I think I've been spending too much time with blasted Infernals.
 
Llorn raised the glass of rum to his lips, but suddenly everyone else was on the move! With a sigh, he downed the glass and joined the general exodus. He trailed along in the rear, while Heresh and L'amnia talked. He'd set his hat at a jaunty angle, thumbs hooked into his waistcoat pockets, head turning this way and that offering a cheerful smile to any he passed and his feet setting him on a slightly unsteady gait. Outwardly, he resembled a man who couldn't handle his liquor, but it was a clever ruse. The hat was set at an angle that would prevent the sun from getting in his eyes, his hands were positioned so that they were close to his weapons, his head turns allowed him to watch the rooftops and alleyways they passed and his movements made him an uncertain target for snipers. He was not drunk, he was fully alert and ready to respond to any potential threat that might assail his charges.
 
Roland Macrus


Like Lorn, Roland was watching, waiting and ready even on the move. The only distraction - slight, that was all - was that a partial miracle had indeed occurred with Urral. ...He would have said something about lightning striking twice, but considering the apparent feud declared between Lamnia and the ranking Stormlords of Puddleglum, that would unwise.


Was there a way to make his Colby-wrought armor non-conductive?
 
Heresh


Returning To The Rose


As the group return to the docking cradle, Heresh glances around, looking to see if any of the officials she had contact with earlier are here, watching.


Stepping back onto the deck, she hopes to see Lenore's Bones on guard duty.


"Captain! There's a thing!"


@Silvertongued
 
L'amnia Silverlight


"A thing?" she asked with humor. "More like, put the Rose on notice and make sure everyone is armed to the teeth. I don't trust that measly little, stinking, no good, snivel faced weasel as far as I can throw him." She paused. "No offense to the weasel, of course. Our Master Colby, at his worst, is a thousand times the prince that that piece of slime could could ever hope to be on his best day. No offense to slime mold, of course."
 
Olimak Lenore - Top Deck, Ember Rose


"Armed to the teeth?" is the booming reply from the Captain.


She stands at the head of the gangplank, still armored sans helmet. Her expression carries a faint smile that doesn't reach her eyes, blazing as they take in the arriving crew.


"Please, do explain as to why,"


There's no humor in her voice.
 
L'amnia Silverlight


"Because we didn't exactly get the reception I was expecting. The Prince is old and his daughter is his heir, but he also has a son who has ambitions reflecting those of my uncle. There were words. He insulted me, my house, my pedigree, and everything else he could think of. I responded and informed him that he was less than a gentleman. The words were very poetic and full of political flavor that was meant to insult without insulting. He tried to suggest that I was not who I was said I was when he acknowledged in the same breath I am exactly who I say I am.


More words were said and he challenged me to a duel. I informed him that I didn't have to take him up on it. I also informed him that I was under your employ and that such things should be avoided. But he insisted. So we're at war. And considering that the upper society of Puddlgeum are Rattus, and they were insulting a friend, Urral didn't so much as maim a single individual. However, I do believe that he is in leage with my uncle so I do not expect him to abide by the rules of gentlemanly warfare and the rules of the duel. I would not be surprised if he tried a sneak attack when he thinks we aren't awake.


Heresh has already stated she can make some sort of armor that will protect the rest of you from anything that insect might try and throw at you and I have already offered the use of my sapphires, as sapphires are a great medium for conducting Spire magic."


She sighed. "I really was trying to keep this from happening but it was obvious from the moment he opened his beak that this was not going to end well. I do not know where his sister is, nor what condition she might be in, but the Prince is old, sick, and I don't think his son is going to suffer his presence much longer. And he also seemed to know that I was on a and I quote, pirate ship, and he already knew things he shouldn't have known. I don't think he's concerned about the fact that he has angered an Infernal and that she didn't relieve of him the burden of his head." She paused to think, then shook her head. "No, I don't think it would have been politically the smart thing to do just yet, though an argument could have been made that he had insulted me to such a degree as to cause my guardian concerns for my continued welfare, causing her to preemptively act as to protect the life of her charge."


She then looked at her two friends who had been with her. "Am I missing anything important or did that sum it up?
 
Olimak Lenore - Top Deck, Ember Rose


"I see," replie the Olimak evenly, staring at L'amnia, her expression completely impassive. "Did you agree to the aforementioned duel, or was it a more literal declaration of hostilities?"
 
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