RP:Information for Gold

From HollowWiki

Part of the A Line Drawn in the Sand Arc


Summary Gevurah and meets with the mercenary Xzavior to discuss the kraken in Cenril. Xzavior gives Gevurah two names and information regarding Mcracken’s connection to Desparrow. Gevurah asks Xzavior to dig up information on Mcracken, as well as details about Desparrow’s imprisonment, trial, and jailors.


House D'Artes

Gevurah sits in the D’Artes library reading an old history book about the seaborn, particularly krakens. The books bindings are not creased, suggesting that although someone curated this book for the collection long ago, it isn’t a field the drow are interested in. Recently, however, the High Priestesses has been creasing and bookmarking books of this ilk. The words struggle to keep her attention. The lineages are as complex as drow ancestries, but only half as interesting. So-and-so, first or second of his whatever name, conquered such-and-such coral, or trench, or deep vents. Blah-blah brokered a truce between sperm whales and orcas, and on and on this dribble, but the noble perseveres.


Xzavior had been fast to respond to the note. Making his way over to the house he had waited for the guards or whoever to let him in and when they did he went wherever it was they would direct him to. Finally getting to her he offered a grin and a bow before asking, "So what can I do for you, lady Gevurah." Titles never really stuck to just one for him.


Gevurah looks up from her book and has never been more happy to see the naga. It isn’t that he in particular pleases her, but simply that he is not this boring seaborn history book. He has a low bar to leap over here, and succeeds. She waves at an arm chair near her. Xzavior jumps straight to the point, which suits the drow just fine. “I need you to follow someone and bring me information about their movements, interests, skills, companions, and so on. I trust that’s a service you provide.”


Xzavior offered a shrug, "It's a service I can do. Just give me the target and where they spend most their time and I'll take it from there." He moved over to the offered seat and rested his hands on the armrests while looking to her for answers patiently.


Gevurah smirks at his response but doesn’t reply right away as her circadian rhythm is in tune with the ebbing and flowing of servants. Here comes one now. The servant bows and waits to be given drink or food orders. Gevurah asks for tea, presumably to help her stay up and continue reading about the seventh king of the Rynvalian reef (snore). She gestures for Xzavior to order what he pleases. Once the servant leaves, she answers, “That’s just it. I don’t know where they spend their time, their name, their home, their friends. You will need to discover that too. Here is what I do know: they are kraken and when in human form, male, with long black hair. I have seen him once, in Cenril, at the castle I captured near the sea. He seemed upset by my conquest.” She chortles dismissively and not without self-satisfaction. The way she regards him suggest this is where he should laugh too, at the kraken’s expense, and in celebration of Gevurah’s glory. (Laugh now, stooge.) “I suggest you start at the castle and ask the shadows about a kraken. Few of those strutting on two legs these days.”


Xzavior did in fact laugh, though at something unrelated to what she was, "Oooh, what luck, what luck!" He chuckled with a cruel grin, "I know just who you're talking about! The man's name is Mcracken. Dumb I know. And rather annoying," His face grew deadpan and sour as he recalled it, "He wouldn't let me drag out my kill of some woman on a murderous rampage. Wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you?" He asked coyly. It actually happened very close to the same castle she spoke of.


When Xzavior says the kraken’s name is ‘Mcracken’, Gevurah’s expression cools into a humorless line. Is her mercenary having a go at her? Does he not believe there’s a kraken afoot and is now making jokes? She hisses. As the naga goes on about his kill, Gevurah does not listen for she is distracted by the egregious offense. Glowing eyes narrow on Xzavior, “Perhaps I am overly hospitable...” Not the first (or 100th) complaint people make about Gevurah, but okay. “And you take me for a ‘friend’” she air quotes sarcastically in the style of surfacers, “that you believe you can tease in good faith. There is no good faith here, Xzavior. But believe me, there IS a kraken and if you follow him you shall be rewarded handsomely, though the reward sum is quickly evaporating with my patience. Accept the gig and find this kraken, or I’ll find someone else and toss you in a cell for insolence.” Cliff notes in case Xzavior is confused: Gevurah cannot believe for a second that there is a kraken running around calling itself Mcracken. This must be a joke.


Xzavior raised a brow at her sudden shift in attitude but kept an even look to him. When she was done he raised a hand in a sort of defensive way, "As I said, the name itself is very stupid. But that is what I heard and if that isn't his real name then I haven't a clue what is. I couldn't really believe there were any such things but I saw him split a man's head open with sound and along with that I do believe I met him briefly with Desparrow along the beach. Where he did something else with sound." Staring back at her he smirked a bit, "Trust me. I'm no good at making insults for someone such as yourself." In a more serious light he linked his fingers together and held them in front of him, "I'm taking the job, I'm already sure of what he plans to do, and where he might be staying. He wants to lift the curse from the castle so he's trying to get some help from whoever can provide."


Gevurah calms down when Xzavior sticks to his guns. Were he mocking her he would have backed off by now, and so, the drow grudgingly concludes, her foe is named, or at least sometimes goes by, Mcracken. Life is a comedy and you’re the punchline. Her attention perks at the name Desparrow. “He knows Desparrow. What were they doing together?” His almost-apology begets an almost-apology from the drow herself, “Now I know to that kraken are rather uninspired when it comes to names.” Beat. “Where might he be staying.”


Xzavior chuckled at her half apology. It was amusing but he accepted what he got. He didn't expect much from her but as said. Accept what you get. Her question at what they knew of each other, all he could do was shrug, "All that I know is that the kraken had helped in healing him. Other then that I'm not sure they had much of communication. The kraken seems too much of a civilian hero to converse with someone like Desparrow. As for where he's staying, I believe along the coasts of the castle nearby. But I have a small suspicion that he may be in Rynvale. A guess but still."


Gevurah takes a mental note to write to her fair-weather-friend Desparrow who needs help escaping jail. A plan coalesces in her mind. “Alright. Good. Find out everything about him and report to me regularly.” The drink orders arrive late, but better late than never (heads will roll once Xzavior leaves). The high priestess changes the subject abruptly. “Regarding Desparrow, have you decided yet if you will aid him in his escape?”


Xzavior takes his drink with a raised brow. He may not live the life of luxury but he presumed it wasn't best to be late for anyone like Gevurah. He didn't envy them. Raking a quick drink of the scotch he looked to her a moment when she asked before nearly freezing his drink in hand, which he slowly defrosted to sip again. "The bastard needs to learn some humility. Even if he didn't I don't like him. His supporter is just as high and mighty. And I'm not talking about the confetti girl."


Gevurah scoffs. “It doesn’t matter who is liked and who is not. I don’t act because I care. I act because there is a benefit to me. If Desparrow can lead me to this kraken, then he is useful. Lucky, too. I didn’t think he’d be useful to me again, but…” She sips her tea then adds, “I would also pay you for information about the specifics of his imprisonment and trial. Also, who exactly are his jailors? Bring me this as soon as you have it. Prioritize it over the kraken. Just in case.” In case she decides to break Desparrow out, that is, though she is as of yet undecided. “That’s all I wished I speak with you. If you have nothing to add…”


Xzavior shrugged before finishing off his drink quickly, "Then let me put it as I don't care about Desparrow and he's more of a hinderment then any sort of help. I'll see what I can't dig up on either of them." Standing he nodded to her, "Lady Gevurah." He went to leave before quickly stopping and throwing over his shoulder, "If you care to know at all, the mysterious ally of Des' is named Odhranos. He spends his time in Larket and as a personal favor, you didn't hear it from me."


Gevurah nods her head in farewell as Xzavior rises to leave. “I appreciate the name. Here.” She writes a sum on a piece of paper and signs it. “A tip for a tip. Give this to Izzerin on your way out.” The chamberlain who Xzavior has met many times before. It’s written in drow, which if Xzavior can read translates to ‘200 gold’. Either way, that’s what the spy will receive. “May Vakmatharas guide your blade.”