RP:Problems

From HollowWiki

Part of the The End's Not Near Arc


Part of the Put Up Your Dukes Arc


Synopsis: Pilar bumps into Vestra on her way home. Vestra speaks cryptically and Pilar wants to know more. The illusionist finds a quiet place for them to talk. The snake lady uses magic to block those from magically scrying on their location. What's revealed next is Jaize and her plotting. Whilst Vestra and Pilar begin a plotting of their own...


Chartsend

While the town sprawls both South and West this is it's heart. Houses, each with their own plot of land are scattered around, the residents all being tenants of the e Tenebris' and most of them working, in some capacity, for the House as well. Several shops exist selling basics to the locals, though most people are self-sufficient. Although the town is both new and haphazard there is an air of cheer and prosperity. Children play happily by the sides of the roads where workmen are laying smooth paving stones to ease the movements of the Chartsenders, a courtesy paid for by Lady Alicia. Despite the area's apparent peace there is a barracks which houses elite guardsmen, loyal to the ruling family and ready to ward off any attack on the area. The sound of raucous laughter and clinking glasses draws your attention to the West and you decide to investigate further.


Vestra is once again, standing amidst Chartsend, though honestly, she hadn’t even left. Still draped in her gaudy white robes, that emerald necklace dangling just beyond her collarbone. She raises a lithe finger to brush through loose strands of blonde tresses; those few pieces which have fallen out of the intricate braid she adorned. This time though, a staff, looking similar to burnt alder is held in her left hand. Such an item is rare, and it is not actually made of burnt alder - perhaps something from another plane? She is frustrated, battling with the orders she has received from Jaize. Obviously Siroche would have no reason to lie to Jaize. How could Vestra get away with giving a false report? How could she convince Jaize that Chartsend is too big a target under their current means. Brown eyes shift from one house to the next, still looking for any certifiable defense that she can blow out of proportion.


The clinic was out of supplies. The city guard was shrinking. And a dock had collapsed from rot because there was no money to repair it. Chartsend was in a bad state. They couldn't fight off an angry jackrabbit, never mind an invading force of nagas. But invasion was hardly on Pilar's mind as she left her house. With no supplies, magic was the only method of healing left, and she and the two witches were the only ones capable to doing it. Or at least, the only ones capable and willing to do it for free. Pilar was exhausted, but as long as there were people who needed help, she would continue to go. She was dressed in blue scrubs with sunflowers on it, and she had a book in the crook of her elbow. As she walked down the street, she spotted Vestra ahead and raised her free hand in greeting. “Lady Vestra. Hello.” There were bags under her eyes and her voice was missing her usual energy.


Without warning, those thoughts of Naga invasion are swept aside - torn from her mind by a familiar voice holloring her name. Who could this be? She twists her frame, absentmindedly disregarding the space needed for her own tail. However, there is always the slim chance that her clumsiness is actually a ruse, right? Of course not, she’s always been clumsy, it’s not just a survival mechanism developed to go beneath Jaizes radar. The tail, mentioned previously, trips a random passer, who happens to catch themselves before eating the proverbial brick road. A fist raises in response. “Hey you, watch where you’re going!” After an angry shake of his fist, he dusts himself off and moves away, muttering about the stupid snake lady. Vestra, looks shocked for a brief moment, but scowls at the man and his words as he meanders away. Her attention flicks back to Pilar and brows squint in the light to recall an earlier meeting. “Pilar, right?!” Her voice is soft and smooth as always. Gentle as waist high grass swaying in the wind. “You look,” she stumbles for a moment, finding the best word. “Tired,” she puffs her lips into a frown. Pilar has been working too much. Vestra, slithers her way over to Pilar, most likely to walk with her as she went about her business. “Is there something I can do to help?” She shifts a finger to herself, “Any friend of Yozenra’s is a friend of mine.”


Pilar winced as the man stumbled, but smiled when Vestra approached. “Thank you, my lady,” she said as they walked into town. “I appreciate the offer, but... well, what we need more than anything is gold. Gold to pay for guards and healers and maintenance and everything else a town needs gold for.” She shook her head sadly. “Chartsend is in rough shape. It was never very stable, since it always relied on a wealthy patron to provide everything. Without one...” They were up a creek without a paddle.


Vestra found these words more to Jaizes liking than her own. A wealthy Patron provided for everything. She suddenly remembers the story of a man running away, and a dragon stealing all of their gold. A brow lofts again at her comment of Chartsend being in a rough shape. “Surely, Pilar you know that you could have a few arcane wards cast to help defend this place?” She spoke as if there were a million and one things that could be done. “I’ve even had the chance to watch statues spring to life and help defend.” There were many things that Vestra could help her with, Pilar just needed to ask. “It sounds like, the people just need a leader who can convince them to do things for themselves.”


Pilar sighed. “People have been doing things for themselves. They're leaving town, or stealing what they need. If we had a real government in place, we'd have taxes to pay for things, instead of relying on one man's personal fortune.” Pilar was frustrated, and looked it. “I think that's was Wilhelm wanted to do... But the people turned on him, and chased him away. Now look at us.” She looked to Vestra. “At this point, I don't know how magical defenses would help Chartsend. Its problem is internal... Wait... do you know something we don't?”


Vestra takes a deep breath, and shrugs her shoulders. “If I did, this wouldn’t be the place to discuss it.” She waves her free hand to point out all of the people around. Vestra, needed someplace where they could be alone. That is if she’s going to further discuss her purpose in Chartsend. However, deep down she knew that divulging this information and helping Chartsend would infuriate Jaize to no end. Even if she was discovered. Even if it meant jeopardizing who she is. “There’s always more than just an internal problem Pilar.” So much more, “And if you look at all the clues, they tell stories. Little bits of information which pile on top of eachother.” Vestra is eluding to much more than Pilar might grasp. After a dragon steals their gold, and a battle against the villain Kahran, Chartsend looks like an easy target. A -very- easy target. Right at this moment, those thin framed glasses hovering over her eyes, actually suit her. She didn’t need them of course, but they give her a certain air of intelligence that she never really hinted at until now. Her posture shifts, and she stands up straight, giving air to her status as a Ha-Naga council member. Vestra is far more than she had implied.


Pilar 's brow furrowed. “... The clinic should be empty, at this hour. Come on.” She quickened her pace, leading Vestra through the town. There were people sleeping the gutter, boarded up shops, and litter everywhere. They made it to the garrison and Pilar stopped. She looked to Vestra and said, “Wait out here a minute, please.” She took the stairs two at a time to the clinic above. Elle the witch was inside, sleeping at the desk. Pilar gently shook her awake. “Elle, you can go home now. I'll take it from here.” The witch rubbed sleep from her eyes and nodded before taking her leave. Pilar set her book down and quickly checked the clinic. A few minutes later, she stuck her head out the door and waved Vestra in.


Vestra follows Pilar to the clinic, and waits outside as she has been instructed. It feels like the wait lasts an eternity, and leaves her with only thoughts. Those of Jaize and what she intends to do. The trouble that Chartsend would face. In this state she doesn’t believe Chartsend could stand to wage war against Jaize’s Naga empire. Nor did she want to see Jaize win. Instead she would divulge what she could. Unravel the plot and help them with defenses. She would make her own things to report back to Jaize. There would be no lie, save for the fact that she worked to craft these spells herself. After Pilar motions Vestra to enter, she does. Locking the door behind her. “Give me just a moment,” she utters to Pilar once she enters the main room. Vestra, gives another sigh, lifting her staff high and ushering dramatic circles with its tip. Arcane tendrils weave out from the charred alder staff, touching the walls, enhancing them. Silencing what they can hear. The same essence shields the very room above them, protecting them from any scrying that might henceforth be cast upon them. With weary eyes, the staffs butt, slams to the ground ending the wake of her magic. This room has just been fortified, protected against those who sought to listen beyond its walls; either by ear or magic. It had also been crafted to blur the vision of any who sought to look upon them - including muffling their voices. “Now we can talk.” Another breath is taken, and then she explains what just happened. “I’ve protected the room against any who would listen or watch via magic.” This is an ominous foretelling. What is Vestra about to reveal?


Pilar had felt the magic flowing about the room, and it had put her on edge. Vestra's explanation did little to make her feel better. She motioned to a set of chairs. Once Vestra was seated, she'd sit herself. “What's going on?”


Vestra takes the offered seat, but clings to that staff as if her very life depended on it. “What I’m about to tell you, must stay between you, Yozenra and myself.” She obviously had no clue where Yozenra stood on the whole who should be queen ordeal. But if Yozenra had been Reginaes bodyguard, she had a good idea. “And you must let me finish the story before you,” she licks her lips momentarily wetting them. “Lash out at me.” A hand presses against herself. “Having Yozenra around, I’m sure you know about Alithrya, and its current ruler?” Vestra again would wait till the air cleared, and her topic sinks in. “Jaize is looking to unleash the power of the Naga in an attack against Chartsend. I and one other were sent to scout the area out. To report back our findings.” She looks grim for a moment, with both brows raised. Surely Pilar understood exactly how a real report would look. People sleeping in the streets, no money to pay the guard. No working government. They had nothing to stop the tide of snakes that would wash chartsend in blood. “The other, is named Siroche, and well… I’ve not seen Siroche since I have arrived. We tend to have the ability to disguise ourselves.” Another problem that Vestra eludes to. “Siroche is very loyal to Jaize. Where I’ve been using my position to stifle back the things I could. This right now is an issue. I do not know you and I personally don’t care about your town.” Nothing in her words are laced with lies. “I don’t know one person from the other. I have no attachments here. However, I have a vested interest in watching Jaize fall. I would love to see her crumble in the attack. To watch the frustration wash away all other emotion from her features.” Vestra does not have the moxy to outright kill Jaize, but she does have enough to put obstacles in her way.


Pilar 's hands gripped the arms of her chair tightly as Vestra spoke. She listened, her expression grim, until Vestra finished. At that point, she let out a long sigh. “Thank you for telling me,” she began, “I promise you, Yozenra and I can be trusted. I'm... disappointed that you don't really care about these people, but I appreciate the honesty. So... what do we do to stop her?”


Vestra shrugs her shoulders, she is a Ha-Naga after all, and stuck in her ways. “There’s no way that I could stop her. Not alone mind you. Jaize is a powerful enemy. It will take more than use three to foil her plans” She thinks further upon this, how best to watch Jaize slip into a spiral of ruin. To watch the Naga race cast her out due to her own inabilities. A smile stretches over her features. “If Siroche is not here, then they’ve gone back to Alithrya. I can promise you, that report will not bode well for Chartsend. The only thing we can do is make Siroche look like a liar. Bring evidence of a strong enchantment back. This will cast doubt, more than likely enough, to see Siroche removed.” If she could convince Jaize that Siroches reports are fake, not hers, Siroche would no longer be reporting to Jaize. Vestra, instead, would be her main infiltrator. “Of course, once that is done, she will probably want more evidence. Ask how she can defeat it.” She waves her hand in the air idly. “I can continue to bring you reports of what she’s doing. This way we stay one step ahead of her, while you rally some forces. While I’m here, I can work on bolstering your defenses little by little.” She shifts her attention to a nearby wall. She wouldn’t be able to keep this guise up to Jaize forever. She knew that at some point she would be caught. She only hoped it would be enough to cause her downfall. “I’m sure Yozenra can help fill you in on who Jaize is and what type of person we are dealing with.”


Pilar nodded. “She already has.” Power hungry, ruthless, merciless... No wonder Yozenra had fled once Reginae had fallen. “I have some contacts in the Mage's Guild. Maybe I can get them out here to help. But in the meantime, you need something to bring back to Jaize, to stall her and get this Siroche person out of the way. I'm... I'm not that good at enchantments, really.”


Vestra nods to Pilar. “Don’t you worry about the enchantment. I’ll handle that.” She smiles knowing that she will be the source of lies spewed at Jaize. “But yes, contact the guild. Get what help you can! This situation will be most dire otherwise.” Vestra rises suddenly, she raises her staff, and a rift in the wall she had been staring at opens. Nothing comes in or out. Save for her own arm, which places the staff inside and returns with nothing. The rift closing as quickly as it arrived. “Now that I’ve brought warning, we both have much to take care of. I’ll meet you here this evening, if its still safe.” Another nod is given to Pilar, before the she-snake takes her leave. The magical essence filling the walls, stays.