OOC: Hostage rescue missions don't tend to be that profitable, but appealing to her vanity might work... if she's got it. On the plus side, negoitiating with the goblins will probably be easier. "Give us the prisoners and we don't break your kneecaps." *growl* "Or tear your head off."
OOC: It seems like we're the only ones who think this is a big deal, her reputation probably doesn't need boosting either since shes already hot shit here. I agree that we should say we'll hire a healer.
(OOC: Let's continue this in the OOC thread: http://forum.chyoa.com/threads/for-queen-and-country-occ-and-chater.812/ )
Nalana smiled – politics, it was her playground. “My dear.” She purred. She couldn’t fuck the woman physically, she would fuck her over politically. She was an evil witch and a slap of refusing her advances was still fresh in her mind. “Who else do you have to send? The situation is urgent, the actions that you are required to take must be immediate. What we lack – a healer to heal the wounded prisoners, a tracker to track the goblins, supplies for us and our escorts when we will be returning with them, tools to getting through difficult terrain, weapons to fight our enemies – you will supply. We will even throw in a free-bee – we will escort the rescued people back.” Nalana slowly walks around woman’s desk “The reward? You will make sure that it’s substantial. After all, our offer of help was clearly heard downstairs and you accepted us inside your office. To refuse us now, would make many people wonder… is the group inadequate? Or does a priestess have a business in not rescuing the kidnapped people?” Nalana let the indication hang in the air. Let it be known that witch is a spiteful woman. To refuse her is to bring her wrath upon oneself. Of course, Nalana would never admit to that – she would tell – in business war and politics, there are no rules… and should the diplomacy fail, she will go with intimidation. {25 = Roll: 15 + Skill diplomacy: 10}
The Keep purses her lips, then looks at Nalana with a glint of mild annoyance. "As you wish Madame, I will support your venture in this matter. You will be accompanied by Brother Saul, an acolyte from my order, and I will pay the solider downstairs to serve as your guide," she begins. "Further, I will requisition some equipment from the stores of this Hall for you: which will be 'On Loan' for the duration of the operation with an option to purchase it with the procceds from 'removing' this goblin menace," Reverend DeLaHunt continues, then takes a stack of fourteen pre-written contracts from a bottom drawer of her desk. She swiftly-yet-painstakingly fills in a few blanks on all of them with dates, numbers, or her name, then hands two of them to each of you. "This is a standard agreement for temporary and limited membership-in/authorization-by the Adventurers Guild of the Queensland of Lore. You will be approved for the next standard month; twenty days; and for operation in this county or for such additional areas as are strictly required for this one mission of rescuing the hostages during the allotted time period. Should you not have succeeded in your mission by the dawn of the 21st day after you sign these contracts you will be required to seek out Myself, another Keep, or a Guild Recruiter to negotiate a fresh contract or full membership before continuing. I warn you though, having failed to accomplish a simple rescue mission in a full month will reflect quite badly on your relative competence," she pauses before going on, letting her words sink in and all of you perhaps have a chance to speak...
Nalana smiles “Of course, should the mission be successful, we would be guaranteed and granted, a full permanent membership, yes?”
Syleen listens quietly as Nalana tries to negotiate with the Keep. I can't tell if she's trying to convince her, threaten her, or a mix of both, but t seems to be working... The Keep pauses and Syleen is about to ask if success will grant them Guild membership when Nalana beats her to it. Good to know we're on the same page here... The elf continued to listen quietly.
"You will each receive a budget of one hundred Crowns or any one item of less than four hundred but greater than one hundred Crowns in value, I will requisition what you need within that price range, within reason," the Reverend explains. "In all likelihood, yes, but that is not mine to determine. Only a recruiter can offer you permanent membership, the best I could possibly do is a-year-and-a-day for a specific and limited purpose, and even that I have to send a coded message to the capitol outlining my reasons and asking permission. I've already given the longest term I can at my own discretion and on my own authority," she explains.
"Very well." Damar begins. "In that case, I would like to requisition a breastplate, sized for me as I currently am." He says, gesturing to his lupine body. That done, he twists and morphs back to his human form, now stark naked. He does not seem at all bothered by his nudity. He smiles, asking: "So when do we leave?"
"I'd like to ask for 2 potions of Cure Light Wounds. Just in case - it never hurts to have some extra healing on hand." Syleen says after a few moments of considering her options.
Keira stands next to Syleen, and throws an arm jovially around her shoulders. "Yeah! Potions for me too please~ and if we can, lets add a waterproof latern!" She adds without retraint, beaming an annoyingly innocent smile all the while.
Syleen gives Keira a quick sideways glance, surprised by the white-haired woman's sudden friendliness, but does not object, curious to see what might be the reason behind it.
Damar walks over to Syleen, his expression jovial, before saying to Keira. "Can you please give us a moment to speak in private?" He then leads her a few steps away to talk without being overheard.
Syleen whispers back, then waits to see if Damar or anyone else has any further questions for her - be they private, or not.
Nalana looks at the priestess and narrows her eyes. She would like to say: If you have a wand with one or more charges of any first level offensive spell with an ability to recharge it’s loads every 24 hours, then it would suffice. If not, then I merely require a traveling clothes with enhanced protection. But there are some borders one should no push. She sighed and said resigned: “I require nothing.” She then walks up to Keira and puts a hand on her head. “I’m counting on you, my shield.”
Keira salutes, and stands at attention like a big goofy toy soldier, making her chest bounce unintentionally under her modest top. "Aye!" She smiles happily in reply, "I'll do my best captain~"
"I won't be needing anything. Unless you have minor magic items available within that price range, which I find unlikely... not because the guild is, by any standard, underequipped, but because they're expensive."
"Very well, for your Monk and Wizard companions I will procure two potions of Cure Light Wounds, for your Were-Kin warrior a breastplate, and for the others who have decided to eschew borrowing items I will devote their portions to providing more potions, and a waterproof lantern," Reverend Flo says. "Now, to go get your other two companions," She says, rising from her seat and gesturing the rest of you to proceed her out of the office. Back downstairs the situation is explained to the mercenary, who takes it all in stride and signs readily enough, save that he insists on being the 'Senior Officer' of your group for this mission: he has gauged your skills and knows that he is the most experienced among you, even if not by much. He also fully introduces himself: "Name's 'Sergeant-At-Arms Noah Plasterer', and you all would be well advised to follow my lead. I'm an experienced hand at this 'Killing-things-for-money' business. Even if I mostly do it on field, hill, and glade as opposed to cavern and crypt I still have more experience than you lot. I've worked with adventurers before, and know a thing or two about surviving these sorts of excursions, such as how to probe a chest with a collapsible rod to test if it's a Mimic or liable to explode when touched," He explains at length. "Very good Seargeant, but for now we must retrieve Brother Saul and sign him on to your group so that you may be on your way," Rev. Flo declares and leads you all out into the driving rain for the short walk to the local temple of Pharasma... It is a miserable fifteen minutes that you slog through the rushing waters of the local streets. Even though this is the county seat the Royal Engineering Corps has not seen to the infrastructure here in some twenty years and the walkways are in a sad state. Your way is mired with puddles; broken sections where the pavers are smashed to pebbles and the mortar to dust, and slimy patches of rotting refuse and less savory material. You wonder why the count takes no pride in his town, or if perhaps some debt or fee that he owes due to gambling or other foolish indiscretion saps the monetary vitality of his house and lands.However, soon enough, you are under the awning at the doors of the temple of Pharasma. Like most temples of the Judge of Souls, Pharasma's temple here is built in a great colonnaded circle with high awnings to the north, east, west, and south. Within there are three levels in each of the four quarters of the structure and a large circular central hall which surrounds a spiraling central dais adorned with her holy symbol in glazed tile. Above the Dais is a domed roof with a large hole at it's apex, the Oculus, through which Pharasma is said to look down on those laid out on the dais before they are cremated or buried. Your guide takes you up a spiral stair to the third floor, where the clergy have their Bedrooms, and then along the halls to the door marked "Brother Saul", under the frame of which shows yellow candlelight, where she knocks once. "Enter." Comes the reply from within, and Reverend Flo does so, the door having no lock. You see before you a young man of Human stock. He is kneeling before a low lectern upon which rests a large Illuminated copy of "The Bones Land in a Spiral", Pharasma's main holy text. Two candles burn in sconces to either side of the book which he appears to be reading. "The time has come for me to leave the cloister, hasn't it reverend?" He asks, without turning around, though he closes the book on the lectern. "Yes Brother Saul, it has, the moment we both have known would come for some years hence is at hand," Reverned Flo DeLaHunt declares, and he rises. "I must say 'Good Evening' to you then; you, who are to guide me to the day of my death; may it be deferred for as long as I am still able to do Pharasma's holy work..." He declares, and approaches the door, at which point you all notice that Pharasma's holy symbol is seared into the flesh of his forehead as if with a branding iron...
