RP:Upward Mobility

Part of the Township Troopers Arc

Part of the Things Are Looking Up Arc

This is a Warrior's Guild RP.

Summary: Having arrived in Rynvale behind schedule due to his Larketian mission, Rorin is greeted by Kreekitaka at the Broken Barrel. Early discussion concerns the Warrior's Guild and the ongoing struggle against the insectoids, yet conversation shifts when the uyeer king proves as insatiable as ever...

Rynvale: Broken Barrel Inn

Rorin looked strangely at home here for a journeying paladin. Perhaps it was the eyepatch in the midst of the wild white scar down the right side of his face or the dark coat about his shoulders. His clothes were simple, his hair a short, choppy black, save the streak of white connected to the scar right of center. Perhaps it was the care of his weapons that threw it off for they were clearly looked after, especially an advanced looking cross bow on a weapoms belt, flanked by simple sword and shield. There were odd stares his way occasionally but only the foolish would pursue him for there was clearly more to the eye on this one. He sipped water, paid in good coin, and silently read reports. How many could read in this spit hole exactly?

Kreekitaka was back here again after such a long night on the docks, learning about how apparently what he thought of as diplomacy was actually something called "veiled threats" and that they were to be avoided. Which left what, doing things precisely like his mother taught him? Not freaking likely. He figured that his way had worked so far and would continue to work, and therefore it was perfectly fine. His entrance to the bar got a few glances, but by now his kind had been noticed by many sailors and he was unlikely to get too many second glances. He did notice a familiar face here, however, one he hadn't laid eyes on in too long: "Rorin! Fancy seeing you here!" He extended a claw to shake. "I remember you as having more HHHTHan one eye, yasTAH! we spoke!" Kree had his share of scars as well--his carapace was cracked in many places and several of his paddles were outright broken.

Rorin did not look up at the time of some skittering creatures entrance. He had heard that Uyeer were something of a comman sight here compared to the spare few seen west of cenril. When one approached his booth however he did part his half gaze from his work. "Kreekitaka, indeed," Rorin lent his left hand shake for whatever reason. He had not known the crab kings people shook hands but perhaps it was a learned social grace? "Yes, indeed- and it appears you've gotten batted around a bit yourself," the pilgrim smiled up at the once-tailor in greeting and felt glad. He was no longer off put or terrified by the crustacean people and it further comforted him that the invertebrate seemed to be easier to understand. "I've come a bit late with the guild I'm afraid. I had business to attend to in Larket," the 40 dead drow left behind is a fresh and proud memory of standing among those heroes and beating down the evils they faced. All in all, Rorin really was doing quite well. The eyepatch was actually more for other people- Rorins inhuman eye saw beyond this world through doors and walls and his own eyelid into the black and white hellscape of other worlds. Through that veil Rorin saw not people but souls and Kreekitakas true essence could not be spared from that sight. The gloves on his hands served the same function though his right did not fit quite as well on the clawed scaly arm hidden beneath his sleeve. Rorin had changed much since they last spoke- but unveiling that here boded ill to him. His right eye moved beneath the patch in watch of the other patrons. Those whose hands twitched about their daggers before seemed less confident with the seabornes approach. All the better, Rorin believed. No use making trouble in a new town.

Kreekitaka was a complicated individual and difficult to sum up in a few words. There was a hunger for power, obviously, and a great love of battle. Strength and honor and self-reliance were very important to him, and all these things built his identity. But there was something dark rooted deep in the very foundations of his personality--perhaps an old grudge he was unwilling to let go that had helped to shape everything he was. So there was capacity for great evil in him, certainly, but also the drive to do good things. He said, entirely unaware that his very essence was being scanned (and, for the sake of both of them, better off not knowing this), "HHHTHis is noHHHTHing. I was confineDAH! TAH!oo a chair for a monHHHTH! I'm here on business wiHHHTH my company, actuayee, buTAH! I have assisTAH!eDAH! HHHTHe group wiHHHTH acquiring a boaTAH! TAH!oo use for our nexTAH! aDAH!venture." He pushed aside a stool and knelt comfortably at the table. "How is YarkeTAH!, by HHHTHe way? I've noTAH! been HHHTHere in some TAH!ime. Macon seems TAH!oo be TAH!oo busy TAH!oo see me."

Rorin saw a great and powerful fire within Kreekitakas soul. The perplexion was the darkness at it's core that marked an individual who was driven, but by unrighteous means. Overall it meant little to Rorin- merely cementing his idea that Kreekitaka was a dangerous, passionate person, though whatever it was that drove the creature was intriguing. What motivates a thing like him? The pilgrim dismissed the thought as he had no want to become privy to the intimate details of the shelled ones life. Instead Rorin simply chuckled at the entitys speach, "I always wondered why you were out and about in a walking aquarium. Didn't think to pry." Rorin looked thoughtful at the idea of an Uyeer adventuring company. Formidable, to be certain. "Larket fairs well as the cities repairs are well funded now. Indeed it's leaders are busy just as much as Frostmaws with it's growing problems. Though I believe an aerial show of mounted riders is to take place in Larket soon to celebrate the construction of a new Eyrie tower there. Certainly the city will be well defended now," and maybe well spyed on too. Hildegarde was commander of the Eyrie of course and it would be here men manning it not Macons. Rorin could only hope something came out of it. That Tower was one of the queens only requests on that pitiful treaty if you could call it that. Arkhem forgive my insolence, we need not for war, nor vengeance, he thought with a small sigh. "The Warriors Guild as well will be in need of a vessel soon," Rorin would say as his eye fell on the reports, "in order to siege an arachnid menace on some gods forsaken isle. What venture are you posing?" He would ask as a matter of interest. Whatever Kreekitaka would assault with a full company of shipped Uyeers must be something damnably interesting.

Kreekitaka paused a moment, not quite certain he was following what Rorin was saying--that ship was exactly the one he'd helped to get--but suddenly everything clicked and he gestured, perhaps a bit dismissively, with a claw. "Ah! HHHTHaTAH! is HHHTHe ship an' HHHTHe group I was referring TAH!oo, actuayee. I was wiHHHTH Yionoh when he soughTAH! iTAH! ouTAH!. HHHTHe 'S. S. TranquiyiTAH!ee', iTAH! is nameDAH!." A ship for his own group, though? Hmmm. While his group would be vastly more suited to underwater combat and travel instead of on top of the water... perhaps the concept of a boat might help with his other venture. "As for myseff, my ventures yook more TAH!owarDAH!s HHHTHe sky." Cryptic, though knowing Kree he probably had something way over-the-top planned. "I'm going TAH!oo go beyonDAH! HHHTHe winDAH! an' TAH!ouch -space-." Aaaaand there it was. "Have you any ventures aTAH! PresenTAH!.?"

Rorin was adequately surprised. "Oh! I had no idea! No one told me you had joined the hunt- as I said I've only just arrived." Why would anyone leave a sensible detail like that out of a report? Lionel and Khitti slacking on the job again. That completely changed his tactical order. "We have a ship then? I should like to see it," Tranquility eh? If it was found in this harbor Rorin would attempt to refrain assumptions. "Is that so?" Rorin chattered while rifling through papers. It took a moment before the full absurdity of Kreekitakas suggestion waded to the forefront of his brain. It was grounds to look at the man as if he were mad. Of course he was! "Space?" Rorin questioned full of both surprise and concern. "Up there?" He pointed and looked as if space could mean anywhere else. Counter space? Cabinet space? No. The crab man had clearly meant -outer- space. "How?" There was criticism in his voice. A heavy, studious criticism, as if weighing the possibility Kreekitaka had cracked whatever served as a skull.

Kreekitaka made a harrumphing noise upon discovery that he was being left out of more guild matters--not surprising, but disappointing. "TrusTAH! seems TAH!oo be harDAH! TAH!oo finDAH! in peopo HHHTHese DAH!ays," he muttered, at least as muttery as he could get (which was still kinda loud, Kree's indoor voice was still rather forceful). It was tough finding allies who weren't suspicious of his motives, and had been ever since he'd started farming dinosaurs. "Yes, up HHHTHere. I DAH!on'TAH! know yeTAH!. I'm working on gaHHHTHering as much information on iTAH! as I can finDAH!. A dragon cannoTAH! go high enough, however, I know HHHTHaTAH!." There would need to be some other form of propulsion besides wings. Beyond that, he wasn't certain at all. But it was an endeavor worth looking into all the same.

Rorin closed his hands and leaned forward intently. His intent was to size up exactly what degree of sanity Uyeers were born with then compare it to whatever amount Kreekitaka could be said to have. "Why?" He asked first though it was followed quickly with, "and have you ridden a dragon?" The dragons of myth were big enough sure but the biggest Rorins met, well, he wasn't exactly sure how the crab king would ride one in the first place. "I've heard of airships but still they don't go that high. You'd need different materials. An entirely different form of magic, I'm not certain I've heard of wizards capable of the feat. Perhals you could ask the mages guild? Though Ranok would probably have an idea," that one always did when it came to such things it seemed. But even then where would Kree go? What would he do? How would he get back? There were so many questions that may not even have answers.

Kreekitaka was perhaps both more and less sane than most uyeer. Anyone as passionate about becoming powerful had to be insane enough to take the risks necessary for such a reward--and there were certain delusions Kree held about himself that were decidedly outside the realm of even plausible--but at the same time, he was certain to take the risks on his terms rather than theirs, and to do everything he could to tilt the scales in his favor. Crazy? Maybe, but nobody could accuse him of not being shrewd enough. "I have noTAH!. Which reminDAH!s me, I have an egg TAH!oo remove from sTAH!asis." Ohcrap, Kree with a dragon egg. "However, I've spoken wiHHHTH a few. I've hearDAH! of Ranok buTAH! haven'TAH! spoken wiHHHTH him. As I saiDAH!, I am DAH!oing research, everyHHHTHing I can. As for why..." He tilted his head to one side. "My nation is noTAH! yarge. I have one ciTAH!ee, an' one forTAH!. My ciTAH!izens grow resTAH!yess. We haven'TAH! HHHTHe power TAH!oo chayenge our rivohs unDAH!erwaTAH!er, an' my efforTAH!s aTAH! DAH!ipyomacy on yanDAH! are being... byockeDAH!. So I require some greaTAH! feaTAH!, a massive projecTAH! TAH!oo reTAH!ain my peopoh's interesTAH!." And going to space was just the sort of project he needed. "Being interesTAH!eDAH! as you are--perhaps you mighTAH! be wiying TAH!oo run an erranDAH! for me reyaTAH!eDAH! TAH!oo my quesTAH! for fyighTAH!.?"

Rorin begins to finally surmise that while most Uyeer could be considered functionally normal even in a non barbaric human society Kreekitaka is somewhere entirely removed from that. Wait, what? This madman has a dragon? By Orikahns beard. Rorin would begin to smooth over his right hand as it pained him and leaned back. "Ranok is exceptionally skilled and engenious, or so I'm lead to believe. He does have a few strange creations I've personally witnissed." Rorin considered the crabs motivation. The bank of the Cenril-rynvale channel indeed was large compared to territories above ground but Uyeer also competed with other seaborne. He considered and weighed the political options available to Kreekitaka. Though he did not know much about their kind most kingdoms became quite focused when given some plight like frostmaws walls or Xalious mage tower. "An interesting proposition," Rorin conceded, "what is it you would ask of me?" He had no idea what to expect on this matter. Curiosity if not Rorins helping nature drove him to lend a hand. Why not after all? What could the harm be of getting Kreekitaka and his people to collaborate on some impossible dream? The more order Rorin could place in the world the better.

Kreekitaka rippled his paddles in amusement at the thought of Rorin performing this task--he was certain the man could do it, he was definitely light enough. The question would rapidly become, however: "How are you aTAH! swimming?" After a short pause for effect, he continued: "HHHTHere is a race among uyeer, TAH!wice a year. Once as iTAH! warms, an' once as iTAH! grows cooyer. Have you hearDAH! of HHHTHe gianTAH! DAH!emonfish?" Kree spread out his claws as wide as they would go. "Huge fins, as wiDAH! as HHHTHis room. Yike a sTAH!ingray, buTAH! much bigger, wiHHHTH no sTAH!ing. Very, very fasTAH!. HHHTHey cannoTAH! be kepTAH!, or TAH!ieDAH! DAH!own. BuTAH! HHHTHey are so much fun TAH!oo catch an' ryDAH! arounDAH!. So HHHTHe race begins when HHHTHe DAH!emonfish arrive--catch one, an' sTAH!eer iTAH! TAH!oo HHHTHe finish yine." Another pause for effect. "If you can win HHHTHe race an' bring me your DAH!emonfish, Io rewarDAH! you han'someyee." So, to sum up: participate in an underwater horserace in which the first leg of the race is rounding up and catching a wild animal and then taming it just enough to let it carry you through the course to the finish.

Rorin raised his left eyebrow. Whatever Kreekitaka was thinking Rorin had learned this particular movement was one of a kind of excitement. "Er, swimming? Suppose I'm fair at it, paladins are trained to swim and dive in armor. It's part of a series of tests known as the Ten Feats." Rorin shook his head. He'd heard of plenty of fish before but not that one. "That sounds like it deserves its name. I've never considered an underwate mount before," what landweller would honestly? "I suppose you won't be waiting far off for this... demonfish?" If it couldn't be kept long they would have to work fast. And of course Kreekitaka wanted Rorin to win as naturally the fastest or better tamed fish would be a better catch. Rorin did have experience taming and capturing a fair amount of beasts but never in water before. "I'll need some very specific equipment," the gears of his mind were turning with possibilities. Rorin is after all equally sane to the crab man for what well minded person could agree to such a thing?

Kreekitaka nodded. That all sounded very reasonable. "Aye. HonesTAH!yee, I woulDAH! try iTAH! myseff, however I am noTAH! sure I'm enTAH!ireyee in shape for iTAH!, whaTAH! wiHHHTH my injuries." He rippled his paddles a little, drawing particular attention to the out of commision ones. "I expecTAH!eDAH! you mighTAH! require some HHHTHings. I can have a TAH!ank mayDAH! for you which carries an' refreshes air for you. WhaTAH! ess?" This was going to be great fun--and who knows, if Rorin enjoyed himself, maybe he'd come back again next season and they'd be competitors.

Rorin thought with his eye all about and his hands fidgeting. "A tank will slow me down. We'll need a much smaller, lighter way of breathing. Normally to tame a beast I'd use a rope, or a whip, for lassos and physical discouraging. Sometimes boomerangs or glaives, nets, small trinkets can work if you know a beasts particular weakness. I'll need more on this devilfish if I'm to tame one quickly, much less ride it. But these are things I'd use on land where they move fast and accurately. In water? I have no idea what substitutes. I will put thought into this though, certainly. When do these races usually take place in the year?" This was an interesting challenge and already Rorin had a few ideas in how he'd arm himself. The experience and materials available to Kreekitakas immediate subordinates would no doubt be extremely helpful.

Kreekitaka had to think about that. Smaller and lighter than a tank? Potions, maybe, but how long would those last? As for the rest: "HHHTHe race usuayee happens abouTAH! a monHHHTH from now, when HHHTHe waTAH!er in HHHTHe souHHHTH grows TAH!oo warm for HHHTHem. As we have TAH!oo waiTAH! for HHHTHe creatures, no -precise- daTAH! can be given. As for DAH!evices--you're going TAH!oo enjoy using our creatures," he said, somewhat mysteriously. "Io geTAH! you in TAH!ouch wiHHHTH a veTAH!eran of HHHTHe races, who knows much abouTAH! HHHTHe DAH!emonfish an' how TAH!oo catch HHHTHem."