([Completed] Corvin/Mordred Adventure 2): Hole in the Thornwall

[archolewa]

Princess Flora listens with rapt attention. "So, these Marks can affect wizards as well. And this Terri bears investigation. Perhaps she is an ally. Perhaps an enemy. Perhaps merely someone to be left alone. A shame we cannot study his Mark, but perhaps this is for the best all the same. Have no fear, Corvin your friend's body will be sent home in full honors. He died defending the Refuge and its people, and will be treated as such. Now, about the Outside halflings."

Princess Flora's gaze sweeps the room a third time, and a hint of a smile touches her lips. A bit of a sad smile. "I remember well the day Azure convinced Prince Roland and I to allow the Lupine into the Refuge. I have rarely regretted listening to her, and in that matter least of all. I am hardly in any position to judge your decision. Indeed in your place I would have done the same."

Princess Flora's smile fades. "However. This does create a problem for me. Word will spread that my people brought goblinoid halflings into the Refuge. By the time it reaches the West, whether through benign miscommunication or malignant manipulation, I have no doubt the 'halfling' will be lost. I'm sure you can see how that could cause problems for me. I will need to get ahead of this. First, of course, is to make sure my version of the story reaches the West as fast or faster. That people under Princess Flora rescued a band of Halflings who had been stranded Outside the Wall. But that is only half of it. The other half is to undercut our enemies. Muddy the waters, distract people, give them something else to gossip about. I need something I can reveal at the opportune moment. My rivals have plenty of skeletons, and you will help me find some of them. A sordid business. But then, you have created this problem for me, it would only make sense that you help solve it. Yes?"

[shaidar]

Corvin

Corvin sighs "Yes, yes I suppose I did. Even after all they had done, I could not condemn their children to that life, or their desperation to survive. This is the one thing that concerns me. The abbot hopes the church might be able to return them to normal halfling looks, but until then they are at the mercy of the inquisition and those with a similar view. If I can do something to help prevent that then I will do so. However, as I said at the start, I pushed my friends into helping the outside halflings, pleaded their case. I will happily do whatever you require of me, but I cannot speak for my friends. Your highness, I know I have no right to ask, but I humbly request they are given the option to decline your request if they so wish."

[Edeldhur]

Jalko

"I will do what needs to be done" - Jalko voiced his opinion - "They deserve a second chance. If we have to pay for it, so be it"

[archolewa]

"I'm not ditching the only family I have left," says Astrid.

"I for one have no interest in seeing some Clenched Fist patsy take Princess Flora's place," says Sebastian. "They aren't big fans of the Druidic faith."

"Nor do I," says Kasper. "We have already seen the damage done by their mere existence."

Princess Flora nods. "Very good. And it just so happens, it is against the Clenched Fist you will be acting."

"Your job is to bring me some dirt on Richard, brother to the Baroness Gale. He is a talented Magic-User stationed here in Thorncity, and is something of a point man for the Clenched Fists' people here and along the Wall."

"The Inquisitors have a presence here?" asks Sebastian. "But you have forbidden them from operating in your lands!"

Princess Flora smiles grimly. "That just means they don't operate openly, and are more interested in undermining me than they are in finding a new heretic to burn. You are to find me something I can use against him. It is very important that he does not find out we know about him. If he does, he will return home, someone else will be sent to take his place, and we will have to start all over again. Nothing spoken of here leaves this room. You will bring your information directly to me, and nobody else."

"Lord Richard is leaving tomorrow to spend the summer solstice with family, and will likely not be back until the beginning of July. I would encourage you all to rest, enjoy the Solstice and begin your work after that. Once you are ready, speak to Ol' Will. He can give you some ideas of where to start. Questions?"

[shaidar]

Corvin

Corvin smiles as his friends say they will help.

"Ol' Will? I've been starting to think he's more than he looks, and now he's known by the princess." he thinks for a moment before continuing "I can't think of any obvious questions, your highness. If we need to speak to you urgently about this, what should be do?"

[archolewa]

"Talk to Ol' Will. Tell him you're looking for some flowers for a cute girl, mind the thorns," says Princess Flora. "He'll take it from there."

Astrid snorts a laugh into her hand. Princess Flora's lips twitch into a hint of a smile as she glances at the young woman, who coughs awkwardly into her hand.

"When you're ready to begin, tell him you've always wanted to go West, but maybe not quite all the way to Greenspan. Or maybe South, though the ocean is cold come winter."

[shaidar]

Corvin

Corvin nods, "I think I can remember that..." he eyes widen "...Oh. Sorry your majesty, there is one last thing. There is one outside halfling that may cause trouble. His name is Grimm and he was Gribbl's partner, both romantically and in leadership of the halflings. After Gribbl he was the most goblinoid, and enjoyed being in charge. When we killed Gribbl, Mordred used a charm on Grimm. He slipped away the first night we were back inside the Thornwall. We were going to report it, honestly, but it slipped my mind with all this other talk."

[Edeldhur]

Jalko

The halfling shifted uncomfortably - he was a soldier, not a spy or a gossip dealer... Again he remained silent.

[archolewa]

"That is good to know. We will watch for him." Princess Flora nods. "You are dismissed. Rest. Grieve. Enjoy the solstice."

Princess Flora stands and steps out.

High Priest Derek stands up, and pats Kasper on the shoulder. "Well, look at that. A mission directly from the Princess. And a sensitive one too. She must like you. Just be warned, if you get caught she will deny any involvement, and if it comes down to your word against hers, I'm sure you can imagine who people will claim to believe. Do not expect any support from her. Officially anyway. Politics, you understand."

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OK, I'm closing this thread here. I will get a couple of more threads started shortly. One for the conversation with the other team about giving them Mordred's sword, one for Corvin's visit to the Grove during the Solstice, and one for our next adventure. We'll handle the team's training and the like there.

55 pages and something like 9 months! This has been one heck of an adventure!