RP: The Saurian & The Arbiter

Dyraxdiin flies over the wall to confront the Razurath whose current base of operations is in Chartsend. There he demands to know whom is in charge, to which Aetherclaw steps forward.

Part of the Saurian Onslaught Arc

Market

The Market of Chartsend was vibrant and flowing, children played in the streets, Adults shopped and passed by in open discussion, the difference that set the market apart was that, those who wore a coin purse wore it so openly. It may have seemed arrogance was reemerging but the tall Red Razurathian guards which dotted the Market with their massive runic spears seemed to quell that, quite quickly, as within the past few weeks the city was under occupation the city was strangely flourishing, to westernmost corner a large soup kitchen was preparing meals for hungry denizens unable to work, and former food stealing thieves were putting working in the very soup kitchen that changed their lives. When the city was first occupied the residents had initially been fearful, but now they seemed to talk about it as if it were the best thing that happened. In the center of market square a building has recently been built like a eight column metal gazebo, where a a lone purple Razurath sits in his toga directing affairs of state an administration, tossing out bribes and reopening old investigations into local criminals of Venturil and Chartsend, south of the market in a former smuggler's shop and now a base of military intelligence, Aetherclaw the leading General of the Razurath, inferior only to his superior, sits studying a mixture of military engineer plans and civilian plans for improvement. On his lap, a child sits drawing a picture with her crayons and the Aetherclaw stroking her head, before the girl hops down to place her picture on the wall. A Brown Razurath appears, and he hands them the plans before picking up a fruit from his desk and taking out his knife to split the fruit in half to reveal a strangely meat like texture to it. "Another day, another day of peace, If only he were able to call it quits here."

Dyraxdiin arrives in a manner only suitable to those of Dragonkind; a colossal shadow sweeps over Chartsend, consuming the daylight for the briefest of moments, before it spontaneously disipates. A Mage emerges from the focal point of the fading shadow within the Market, his garb the typical fashion of battlemage - mithril halfplate and gray robes, his hood worn down. He is unarmed, from the looks of it, but casts his ageaen hued eyes about as if they are weapons in and of themselves. He has heard rumors of these Razurath allegedly taking over much of the land west of Xalious, and worse, he heard that they were impeding the pass with some sort of blockade. And so, naturally, the great wyrm decided to investigate these rumors and saw for himself the blockade... along with it's peculiar feeling of... void - whatever it was, he would find out. Soon, the mage spots the large structure in the center of the square and he moves toward it through the ebb and flow of the traffic, ignoring any of the onlookers that might stare or even glare at him for his rude arrival. "Who is in charge here?" Comes a voice not quite menacing, but with a clear indication of a man used to wielding authority like a cudgel. He comes to an abrupt halt beneath the gazebo, hands to clasp easily behind his back.

The purple who looked up from his work said, with a respectful and yet authority voice said, "That depends, are you asking for the Civilian Adminstrator, or the Military Overseer?" The purple said. By his appearance the purple appeared like a raptor with a singlular shade of Dark purple across his body save for his eyes. The purple stood about six feet all and beside him two five meter tall red, also raptor like but much larger, stood at attention, not moving not transitioning and not reacting. Clearly waiting for an order if given. Aetherclaw who took notice of dragon, who had appeared and now the transformed. Tapped the little girl near him on the shoulder and told her to go inside. Aetherclaw by contrast was 7' and half feet tall, and had a unique spiral shaped colors which wrapped around his body like a candy cane, and wore like most of the reds a full body suit that left only the hands and feet and neck and above exposed. His tail like all Razurath tails prehensile moved about behind him. He stood and gave a small click in his throat, and soon, Reds in the area were changing their spears to create a field of magical neutralization. Just in case something went down. But only if that happens, no red would ever disobey an order.

Dyraxdiin is observant as ever - meticulously taking in each detail of the coinciding reaction to his arrival and his treatment thus far of these invaders. They are well-disciplined, it would seem at least. The sensation of void again, however... that was a different matter altogether. Dyraxdiin attempts to push his aura out, to inundate the gazebo with a presence of calamity, of impending destruction at the hand of a dragon. And yet... nothing happens. His magic refuses to expand into the space. At least, without a great deal more effort, perhaps. The mage wagers that he would have to expel a significant amount of magical strength to overwhelm this impromptu blockage that the Reds put up. For now though, he ignores the slight irritation. Dyraxdiin ignores the Purple Razurath who spoke, and instead regards Aetherclaw. "You and your ilk are quite brazen. You take land that does not belong to you, you stop passage through Xalious... and the worst offense yet, you attempt to cage my power with this nullification field?" The great wyrm snorts in a manner befitting dragonkind. "I will admit, you are admirable in your efforts." Perhaps it's because they're Saurian in appearance, but Dyraxdiin can't help but feel a certain sense of kinship to these strangers. "But alas, I watch over Lithrydel as Arbiter and your actions are unsanctioned." His hands come around from behind his back, instead folding over his chest as he dons the look of righteous prosecutor. "Explain yourselves."

The Purple was the first to open his mouth but a wave from Aetherclaw made him close it. He spoke plainly but in a voice that utterly drenched with Authority and Command, but the words were softly delivered, even if they could be heard. "An Arbiter is a judge is he not, does he not make decision upon information he has learned earned from both parties?" His one red eye and white eye cast to the dragon in humanoid form. "Does not one who knows not the mysteries of the unknown prepare himself for the surprises that await?" His thoughtful mind plain, before those who would recognize it, who may have been equally wise. "We recognized a potential threat, a dragon who dropped himself into the square, who could have just arrived like a human or like a dragon, and walked into town. But you flew, and not in landing zone either. Those are to west, for future visits, should you be interested." He paused, "You say our actions were unsanctioned, but were you not hunted once, were you not able to prove once that you deserved the freedom to be safe from hunters. Did you not crave that security. Did you not seek out to route out the corruption. These lands, are filled with the corrupt and those who accept bribes and abuse the hard working citzens, where there was chaos, we brought order, anyone in this marketplace today can tell you that we are making a difference. But that is not by me ordering them to do so, but by their own free will. We built the wall yes, we built it to prevent those of other kingdoms from coming in an adding to the corruption, we built it to uproot the rings of smugglers and thieves, we brought order, we deposed crime, we seperated those who stole to feed themselves from those who stole for the sake stealing. We slew the murders who would take advantage of women in the taverns, and kill their husbands, we want order, and when Eboric reappeared for a time we settled with chartsend, but now he is gone, and now we want to bring the same benefits chartsend now has, to venturil, which we are doing as we speak, when we are done, provided I do not recieve new orders to expand, we will settle for what we have brought to here, and open the gates again to commerce. But I say to you wise one of old, if there had been an incorruptible order, that ruled these lands, then we would never have emerged to bring that order to these masses."

Dyraxdiin tilts his head, watching with ageless ageaen eyes, and listens to the story unfolding before him. Once Aetherclaw finishes, Dyraxdiin issues a low noise, akin to a sigh. "I am Arbiter - in that role, I do act as judge, you are correct - a judge that serves the greater needs of the world. As for the part about my being a potential threat, therein lies the problem." Dyraxdiin eyes those around the gazebo, before looking back to meet Aetherclaw's gaze, "I, as well as all of these citizens, are free people. We can come and go as we please, when we please, without hindrance from outside forces. You dare impose your will on me, a free person?" The great wyrm tsks, shaking his head in disapproval. "As for the part about me being hunted, yes I was. For a great deal of time, as a matter of fact. I was hunted in my home. My kin were slaughtered by invaders that I had never met, or worse, captured and enslaved." He grinds his teeth, recalling the horrible memories this conversation has brought up, "Were we two representing that ancient war, you would be those same invaders." His tone is cold, sharp and gravelly - akin to rocks grinding beneath foot. "You could create a paradise here, and your efforts still remain unsanctioned. You have no moral, or legal, right to do the things you have done. You have unequivocally stolen each and every individuals right to freedom by imposing your iron-fisted will on them. These citizens can feel however they want about your occupation, but the fact of the matter remains - your actions are unsanctioned." Dyraxdiin's arms unfold and he straightens up, "I will only tell you this once. Remove the blockade, pack up your things, release any captives you might be holding, and retreat your army to your own lands." The great wyrm takes a step forward, "I will speak with the rulers of the outlying kingdoms and decide on a fine that you and your kind must pay in recompense for the crimes you have committed." A pause, his agean eyes growing dark now, "If you refuse this verdict, I personally will lay siege to this city, as well as your own land. Do not think for a moment that this," He waves his hands to the reds around, "Will be enough to stop a great wyrm." Were he in his dragon form, his wings would be raised and his maw wide open, salivating with the taste of an assured meal on the tip of his tongue.

Aetherclaw was silent and patient, he showed no fear, because he had none to show. That was the red in him. His troops at standby ready to turn up their dampening staffs to full power as they did to Emilia once, draining the woman nearly dry, yes he was aware of what had happened and he did regret it. He had runes lain out on the tiles of street anyone of them could be activated and ensare and possibly leave the dragon a bloody mess, but Aetherclaw was not a harsh man, granted he had been hardened through war, and while he admired the traits of the dragon, he also instinctivly felt against this lack of order displayed in the dragons words. But he was patient, and he held his temper. So he spoke and said what he needed to. He took a breath but did not let his eyes leave unfixed from arbiter. "Your free to leave, I will send a message to my superior and if he agrees we will return we hold no captives currently, and those that we take with us, will come only by their own choice. Paradise is not a place, it is a people, and that is something few understand, but, I see there is nothing that i can say or do, that will change your mind, you have made your descion arbiter, and we shall soon make ours, If I was sworn to the duties i must perform i would be at home now, with my wife and my kids, and adopted daughter, but I am not. May your gods protect you in your travels, I will send word to allow you safe passage, however I would ask that next time, we meet should it be in a time of peace." He eyed briefly a the reds who all turned off their staffs ending the dampening field, and then picking up a unique runed object with a gem inside of it, off the desk of the purple, he presented to the dragon the object a hexagonal box. able to fit in the palm of a hand. Then he retrieved one similar from his belt, opening it and then pressing the gem on the other, the image casted an illusion of Aetherclaw head in lime green outline and color, and then handed it to the dragon. "A gift, for enemies and friends, saves time for the battlefield."

Dyraxdiin , as previously, watches the reactions of the people he confronts. Far different than what he had anticipated, certainly, but not completely blindsiding him. As a Gray, the great wyrm is extremely patient, slow to anger and prefers to observe rather than act. Knowing his strengths, he is keen on testing people accordingly. They can be reasoned with - at least this individual can be. This is a bit of information that he files away for later, should he ever cross paths with Aetherclaw again. The mage relaxes when the dampening field retracts, but offers no visible change in appearance that would suggest he was on-guard due to it's presence. Dyraxdiin accepts the offered gift from Aetherclaw. "You have presented your case admirably and I thank you for affording me, an absolute stranger, a great deal of patience." It was simply a test. Dyraxdiin retreats a few steps, affords a bow of his head to Aetherclaw, "I hope your leader does not lack the wisdom required to make the correct decision. A war will be costly for all involved." As for the matter of the gift... the mage pockets it, intent on studying back in his offices.

Aetherclaw nodded. "I can only hope." He offered his hand, a human gesture, but it was probably better than a traditional razurath gesture. And then when it was done, he offered food and then retired to room in the back of the former smugglers den. Turning on the block he watched the form began to form. "Sir." *screen fades to black*