RP:Weasel

Part of the Surface Tension Arc

Synopsis: Tanis makes his way to Frostmaw and attempts to infiltrate the ranks of allies in the war. Hildegarde does not believe his tale and demands to know the truth of the situation. In truth, Tanis has been sent by Alayna of Gualon. Hilde, not knowing this woman, gives Tanis the task of discovering why his employer has sent him forth or to arrange a meeting. Something is afoot...

Middle of Town (Frostmaw)

Tanis makes his way through the busy town. In search of Hildegarde, per Alayna's request he climbs atop the large warhammer. From a crouched position he scans the environment, "This is much more crowded that I anticipated" he mumbles. "Hildegarde!" he raises his voice, disregarding the townsfolk.

Hildegarde had been rather happy to wander from stall to stall, perusing the wares on offer and chatting amongst the townfolk amicably. Most were curious about her health and the war effort, others were only interested in what she had to say about the wares on offer. Yet her contented wandering and browsing was suddenly interrupted by an unfamiliar voice crying her name from atop the statue’s warhammer. The Silver pivoted on her heel to spy the man perched atop the hammer, “Get down from there, stranger, and we might talk!” she bade him.

Tanis stands in full stature over the hammer, thinking of how similarly bold Alayna was in his encounter with the human. In the blink of an eye he precisely lands upon the grooves of the statue without a second thought. Tanis loves climbing and would admit it's part of the joy that comes with his lifestyle. Weaving through the busy streets like water he approaches the woman the command had came from. His crimson clothes distincly different from everyone elses and his hood concealing his distinct elven features. "Pleasure to meet you, my name is Tanis, Alayna said I was to seek you out." he motions with his hands as he points to her.

Hildegarde watched as the man nimbly descended from the statue and weaved his way through the crowd towards her. “A pleasure to meet you, m’lord. You already seem to know my name. I know yours now, yet I know not who this ‘Alayna’ is,” she said truthfully. “Why are you to seek me out?” she asked. The woman was blunt and to the point.

Tanis keeps a straight face, however in his mind he is taken aback by her response. "I was recently attacked by Drow in the sage forest, and I wish to aid you in the war." In his mind he calculates many scenarios that have transpired since arriving in hollow, all of which seem to revolve around the war. With his shoulders now relaxed and his red cheek muscles tensing up he grins, "My abilities will be nothing short of game-changing."

Hildegarde stared at Tanis for a long and hard moment as he spoke of being attacked. The woman gestured at him, “You do not appear to be in any distress… Nor do you look hurt or wounded. The Drow tend to attack in order to kill or to take someone as a slave, so why do you stand before me now? You will forgive the suspicion, but I am at war.” The Silver glanced at him once again, as if mentally assessing who he was or what he was. “Speak true and I’ll gladly have you here in my city, but play me false and you may not be best pleased with the outcome.”

Tanis lowers his hood, revealing his half-elven heritage. Making direct eye-contact with Hildegarde he explains, "It wasn't until awhile ago I was a man with tattered cloths wandering in the forests practicing my craft." He cracks his knuckles and continues, his voice unwavering "I was malnourished and believe the drows thought I would be an easy target. I don't think they took aliking to my pointy ears." He veils his face with his hood once again "No, I was able to escape. They were mockingly slow." he pauses, as if for dramatic effect "Has the truth been spoken?" he asks, gauging her all important response.

Hildegarde listened to Tanis speak, listened to his words and felt them not entirely true. Perhaps he did wander Sage, perhaps he had been a possible target of the drow… but no harm had been done to him. The Drow were not slow, she had fought plenty to know this. Seriis and his little assassins had danced with her and nearly put her in the grave, so quick and nimble they were. “So, you were sent here by this… Alayna. A name I do not know. You speak of some kind of ‘game-changing’ talent. Are you going to explain or just leave me grasping at straws?”

Tanis sees the wisdom in this womans responses and smiles. He enjoyed people that could rival his intelligence. "In this land nobody knows me, I want you to utilize this trait." he crosses his arm, engaging in the social exchange commencing. "It appears you have friends from other places, friends you know not about." He places his hand on his pouch containing his myriad of potions and poisons. "I care not for this war, truthfully. However, I have been hired to aid you and perhaps gain an upperhand." He scans the woman up and down, “I can be of service to you. And that is why I am here.”

Hildegarde would likely not be alive today if it weren’t for a healthy pinch of suspicion and if one wants to win a war, they had best be a bit suspicious. “Or I have enemies who would send me a poisoned gift. The grass does often hide the viper… and it is the fool who treads upon the grass,” she said thoughtfully. “Nobody knows you, that is true, so no one can vouch for you as friend or foe of mine. How do I know you have not been sent here to masquerade as a helpful ally only to then poison my cup or to slit my throat as I sleep?” the woman oddly offered him a little smile. “Isn’t it strange… that someone would hire you to help me but keep themselves hidden from me? It seems a little pernicious.”

Tanis says to Hildegarde, assuming she is much more than a mere soldier in the war. No, this woman was capable of commanding, leading from every angle, that much was clear. "I did not expect you to take me in with a bouquet of roses following my acceptance. I see the times, the desperate struggles, perhaps the lives lost." he really had no other options at the time, "The only one who can judge my intentions is you. If I was sent to kill someone of your position I would have done so by now." Having reflected on revealing his face, "My cover is already blown. Give me an opportunity to prove my worth to you."

Hildegarde shrugged her shoulder, “Or you have determined that I need to see you work and earn my trust before accepting you into my fold. Then you would have ample opportunity to kill me or the men in my service,” she explained, all of it carefully thought out. “I do not know you, Tanis, nor do I know your employer. You want an opportunity? Fine. Fetch me who hired you. Or better still, discern their true reason for sending you to me. I would know this.”

Tanis pondering why he himself had been given such little information the last bit of information that was given him comes to mind, "I have another name for you, do you know an elf by the name of Skylei?" he sincerely asks, perhaps for better or for worse.

Hildegarde said to Tanis, "What of her?"

Tanis practically breathes a sigh of relief, that was truly his last option. "I was told to either talk with you or her. All the information i've relayed to you was intended for either of you two. I just happened to find you first." he lets out a small chuckle "My luck I guess." he says with his arms raised and a smile on his face

Hildegarde shook her head, “She is indisposed and presumably will remain so for quite some time. So the only one you could speak to out of the two of us, would be me,” she explained politely.

Tanis empathically responds, "I am sorry to hear of this. I was unaware."

Hildegarde said to Tanis, "Yes, well, now you know and your employer will presumably know. I assume they did not just send you off here and expect to never hear from you again, right?"

Tanis said to you, ""She is expecting." Tanis tilts his head, "I understand where you are coming from, but I do wish to aid you in this war." He questions her "What is it that you want me to do next?""

Hildegarde said to Tanis, "I want you to find why. If she will not tell you, then by all means, invite her to speak to me personally. I am curious."

Tanis takes a step back as if preparing to depart, "I apologize for the misunderstanding. I will return to you with more information as soon as I can. Will that be sufficie for now m'lady?"

Hildegarde offered a little nod of her head, "That'll do for now, Tanis. But... no more climbing statues, please. I'd hate for you to fall and break your neck or something equally terrible," she said.

Tanis returns the nod and reaches into his pouch, pulling out a small blue vial with gray mists swirling inside of it, "Ah, but then what would life be without a little uncertainty?" he pops the cork off and as the liquid hits the ground, smoke clouds combust into the air, the hooded man disappearing from the woman's sights; his last words echo "Until next time m'lady"