[Zuudaria] Maybe I just wanna fly, wanna live, don't wanna die.

[Faith Augustin]

10th Ymiden, 719

"The thing is," Faith said to Vivian as they walked towards the Mausoleum, "I need to.. well, I need to be smart about this." Smarter than she'd been about Nir'wei, smarter than she'd been about a lot of things. She had a lot of knowledge, a lot of book learning. She had observed tactics in action a lot. But now? To actually do it? It was showing all of her weaknesses and she knew it. "So, I'm going to ask them to go together, with Elements of Scalvoris and Sohr Kahl. But I'd like there to be some Rharnian guards too. I'd like to keep all bases covered." It was important, Faith believed, to do that. She glanced at Vivian and smiled slightly. "It's all a bit big." It truly was. "I wish you'd go with them," Faith hadn't told her where "there" was or who "they" were, really. "It's too important. But, if you can and would, then please volunteer. If not, it will have to be other Knights."

But, that notwithstanding, it was so, they had to get on with it. "Enrick, Gennadiya, Hominy are here. I want to make sure that I cover everything." Faith was ticking the things off in her head, going through the list. She'd be talking, and saying the same thing, even if Vivian wasn't there. Yet, when not in this place, she was closed-lipped in the extreme. Still, they made their way into Famula's mausoleum and there were Enrick, Gennadiya and Homminy. Faith smiled and didn't bother beating around the bush.

"Thank you for coming. We have a situation. Hominy has developed a poison which impacts Necromancers only. However, it can not be teleported, or travel by divine means. So, we need to retrieve it the old fashioned way." Faith smiled softly. "So, this is my proposal. Enrick and Gennadiya will travel to Ne'haer. Hominy, could you mark them both, please? You will not go alone, though, the pair of you. You travel with four Elements, each with a Sohr Kahl, the fastest creatures we have. Also, two of the Lightning Knights." She glanced at Vivian at that point, but she said nothing. It was Vivian's choice.

"Hominy here will give you the poison. It will be brought back to Rharne on the back of a Sohr Kahl. One of you will carry it. However, all of you will carry identical boxes with decoys in them." She smiled slightly. "This could be dangerous. If there's been any leak of our information, then it could be very dangerous. Hominy will mark you and if you are in danger of death, then you get pulled back."

Faith then turned to Hominy. "But from you, please, I want the recipe. The ingredients. I am going to pin this up on the wall in here and ask everyone to bring the ingredients for sharing with others. I want this everywhere. Every one of us. For every bit of stealth that I need for them, and this, I want to shout this out. " Looking between them all, she raised an eyebrow. "Thoughts? Enrick and Gennadiya, if you go today, you'll be back in Rharne on the 27th, according to my calculations. Is that acceptable?"

[Vivian Shiryu]

Vivian had been somewhat surprised to be brought into Zuudaria like this. She was not part of the Nardovino's inner circle and she knew it. Especially after the pair of them had misunderstood her so badly when they first met. Still, after what had happened to Judicator Nir'wei, she was glad that Doctor Nardovino had elected to have a proper bodyguard. She had also asked for tactical advice, of sorts, once they had entered the mausoleum. Vivian had listened quietly to the doctors explanation of her strategy, and it made sense for the most part. "Sohr Kahl are good for speed, and yes, I'll have some knights sent along as well. Judicators would be good for this, they make up the bulk of our air forces. Double up the riders for each Sohr Kahl, the handler and either one of your agents or one of the knights. Have the ones who aren't flying the Sohr Kahl focus on fighting off potential threats while the handlers focus on steering. I'll make getting away from the threat easier on the handlers if they don't have to fight and fly at the same time." she said, before smiling slightly when the doctor suggested she herself go. "I'm a bit surprised in your faith in me, given our first meeting, Doctor. However, my orders are clear. I'm in charge of guarding you and your family. The only time I leave this compound is if we have to retreat or I'm called away by a superior officer." she said, her tone gentle but clear.

When they actually got to the mausoleum and Doctor Nardovino began briefing her agents and the other Famula blessed, Vivian simply stood near her charge and kept silent, the lightning arcing across her armor the only motion from the knight until the doctor glanced at her. "I'll be handselecting those two myself." she said in response to the doctors glance. Two Judicators, skill, loyalty, and honesty being her main qualifiers for the decisions. After that, she listened to the rest of the briefing in silence, at least until the very end of the briefing when the doctor asked for their thoughts.

"I have a question, for both you and Hominy, actually, Doctor." she said, stepping forward. "How long does this poison take to make? If the ingredients and the recipe itself can all be brought here, and if this poison can be made in less than 18 trials, then why are we sending people on a potentially dangerous mission?" she asked, her tone calm and professional. However, in a private thought that she was careful not to voice, she noted that this was proof of why classroom learning couldn't beat field experience. Doctor Nardovino was very well trained, from what Vivian had seen so far, but she had missed assessing a key point of the mission, which happened with inexperience commanders, no matter how well trained. "If this poison can be made in less than 18 trials, and the intent is for it to be everywhere, then there's no point in us transporting what Hominy has made. We can make our own here, faster, without depriving Hominy of the supply she's already made." she said, by way of explaining the reasoning behind her question.

[Gennadiya Lyosha]

Gennadiya stood in the mausoleum looked at the other gathered there with her. It was still a strange place to Gennadiya to meet, not morbid just strange. Her sapphire blue eyes were thoughtful as she stood quietly thinking. Had the world always been this chaotic and she had just been safe in her little pockets of the world or was something changing.

She left that train of thought as Faith and another arrived. She appeared to be another knight and a high ranking one at that. The Lyosian woman quietly listened as Faith explained her purposed for summoning them and her plan. Gennadiya actually did have a few questions to ask Faith about this potion but waited as the knight raised some vailed questions. Why exactly would they need to pick this up. Then she remembered the first time she had tried to back from one of her mother’s recipes. She had all of the instructions, and the first was a disaster, the second was better but it still wasn’t her mother’s cooking.

“Madam Knight.” Gennadiya hadn’t caught her name. “You are right that we should have others start practicing making it, but I suspect this will be like when I tried to learn to bake from my mother’s recipes. It took me a number of times to get it right.” Gennadiya expression said that she never exactly got it. “I have confidence we can replicate it but having a working sample from the master herself with the main group would put it easier at hand if we have an emergency.” She bowed her head. “But then again I’m not an alchemist and am not sure how long it takes to make one batch. It is true if it only takes a trial to make a batch then fetching one wouldn’t make as much sense. Either way I am here to help.”

She paused and then spoke again. “I do have a few questions. Do you feel comfortable sharing a little more of what this does to a necromancer?” the healer in Gennadiya was now speaking. “Also will the Sohr Kahl fly none stop from Ne’hear to Rharne? I would assume not, but we need to make sure we have basic supplies for trip like including stuff for rest periods.” She paused her blue eyes looking around.

[Ricky]

It had been something of a random development he didn't quite expect honestly, but when Enrick had received the call for an audience with Faith? Well let's just say he knew this had to be something important, something he couldn't outright refuse without hearing first hand anyways. Yet when he learned that they'd be crossing over into the realm of Zuudaria, which was in essence the afterlife or so he perceived it to be? Enrick clearly had much to learn in the ways of Immortals, and how their Domains seemed to connect with the physical world no less. Faith being a Champion of Famula however it was no surprise she could access this place, then again much about Faith slowly became less and less surprising the more they met.

So when the sailor stood in the mausoleum looking at all the notes and plans pinned on the wall, he couldn't help but underestimate his ability to fathom the gravity of this war. This... was serious shit. What he was looking at now could very well get him killed if he wasn't careful, as he clearly became a part of something far bigger than he ever expected to. Were the circumstances even slightly different than they are now, he most likely would've decided to turn back and play no part in it. Deep down things like this always disturbed Enrick greatly, for they often led to one inevitably he always sought to avoid. Choice. It was clear that in coming here he'd already chosen a side, that he'd allied himself with a force he barely even acknowledged before all of this. Now however... he saw just how in depth all this was, and while he wanted no part all for the sake of avoiding choice; he felt that somehow the decision had already been made before even coming here.

There had been another he'd met but not initially conversed with before Faith's arrival, a younger looking maiden whose hair was almost a silvery bright color. The sailor had honestly thought her either a ghost, witch, or maybe even some kind of priest drawn here as well. That is until it became evident in her mannerisms that she too was mortal, in fact just about as human as he was when it came to observing the unusual environment all around. This place felt... very much like a graveyard of course, but accompanying that sense of solitude was a forlorn if not forgotten peace not many came to find. Then there was another who joined them not long before Faith did also, accompanied by what Enrick assumed was another knight among the ranks that followed her. Soon it became a little bit clearer why they were brought here, and what Faith specifically wanted to ask out of them no less. A poison? One that targets Necromancers?

Did such a powerful thing really exist? And yet it was so fragile that travel through any magical means tampered with it. One thing was for certain was that the recipe could be replicated, so the fact they were needing this one single dose seemed largely redundant all of a sudden. Then of course it became clear as to what the plan really was, and that Faith had already formed plans around the plan to retrieve this poison. Once again something amazing about her could only impress Enrick, as he'd slowly come to realize that really his involvement in all of this was on her behalf alone. She'd helped him out a couple of times before so naturally, they had that foundation of mutual respect to help him determine his stance in all this. So then it became ever more clear, that the moment he received word; Enrick clearly had already chosen a side before even thinking about it. When the time for questions came around the ladies were first to speak, the knight's own answered by the lady named Gennadiya when her turn followed.

Replicating a complicated recipe like this would certainly be difficult, therefore getting the first sample back seemed a rather crucial thing indeed. But surely there was more to it than this, if they were going so far as to carry not just the package but planted decoys just in case. "She's got some fair questions, Oi'm also curious as t' whether we should expect company along de ride." He posed with a cross-over of his arms, as his eyes rested on the three present with a combination of silver and bronze. "Clearly we're not just smugglin' a special package, otherwise de decoys wouldn't be a necessity. Do we need t' go in armed and prepared? Oi'm not very good at combat, but if Oi need t' fend fer m' life den Oi'd like t' know first hand." It dawned on him that he probably sounded a little self concerned more than anything, then again if it were him responsible for carrying such an important package; Enrick would most certainly like to know just how large of a target would be painted on his back.

A few extra knights and Elements might not be enough in that circumstance, in which the sailor truly felt out of his league in regards to this dangerous mission.

"Enrick", "NPC"

[Faith Augustin]

10th Ymiden, 719

Faith had glanced at Vivian as they walked in and one eyebrow raised just a fraction of an inch. "You are?" Faith smiled at the Lightning Knight with a crooked smile which bordered on ironic when Vivian had said that she was surprised at Faith's trust in her. "You wouldn't be if you were a medic." Faith stated that not as opinion, but arcs of experience. "I'm used to seeing people at their most vulnerable, having just experienced loss, or dreadful shock. I know that they react in an entirely emotional manner. But also, over time, as I prove that I make things better, or give them hope or, best of all, I actively do what I set out to? They come to have faith in me." Battles, wars, these were not things which Faith understood. But fighting disease was a battleground all of it's own - and the emotions of the patients, and their family, was a weapon for one side or the other. "So it's always been in my experience, anyhow." She nodded her head at Vivian's explanation, as to why she wouldn't go. It made sense and, after all, Faith wasn't in charge of the Lightning Knights here.

When Vivian asked, though, right at the end, why they were sending anyone at all, Faith smiled. "A number of reasons. Gennadiya is right, the recipe is absolutely not the cake. We need to be working on the recipe, and also have the original to test against. In the meantime, also, we can have that list of ingredients out and have as many eyes possible working on it. Improving it, even. But just in case, " Faith said, softly, "we cover all bases. It might be that there is something specific which Hominy does which means that it can only be made in Ne'haer. So, we'll be making it, and bringing it, thus making sure that we get all the information about it as quickly as we can. If we can't replicate it, or we can't do something she can - then we have not wasted seventeen trials waiting to find that out and we have the potion."

Faith looked, then, at Enrick and Gennadiya and she spoke in a quiet but firm voice. "Also, it is possible that this is a dangerous mission, you both know this. If it is, then we know that we've got a leak. Somewhere. Because no one can get here unless Famula allows it. No one." Which would mean that one of them - somehow - was leaking information. Faith knew it was possible and yet, she hated the idea of it. "So, this is what we're going to do." She smiled. "Hominy is going to put her mark on the two of you. Any danger, she pulls you back to her. Hominy, I want you to keep some of the potion just in case." To all of them, then, she spoke.

"So, we sew misinformation, and we find out where - if anywhere - the leak is. A much larger group will go through the portal. Three times your group size. Six Sohr Kahl, and so on. To the Elements, I will inform them that the poison is being taken to Scalvoris, for analysis by our contact there. We will have two Sohr Kahl, Elements, and Lightning Knights, travel to Scalvoris carrying potions, but not the one we're wanting. Then, the same information to the Lightning Knights, but we tell them that the poison is being taken to Rhakros for Saul - our resident poisons expert - to examine it. The Zuuda, we tell the truth. Not least because it's more or less impossible for us to lie to each other, once marked, and I've insisted on an intricate mark-your-buddy system. Also, because of the nature of who we are, I believe it is highly unlikely. Then, if there is an attack on any one of the three groups, we know where our problem is and, by definition, where it isn't."

In terms of Gennadiya's question, she could answer some of it, Hominy the rest. The poison stunned the Spark so it made the mage uncomfortable, but as far as she could tell - and it needed more testing - that was all and it was short term. But, she was clear, it needed more thorough testing. Faith nodded. "All the more reason to be making sure we can replicate it, and having it on it's way in case we can't."

When Enrick spoke, Faith nodded. "There are weapons here. You can both take one, should you want. They are made by a master craftsman, so they're of excellent quality." She would urge them both to do this, to choose a weapon which would help. "There's also armour here. It looks like .. well, it looks like pajamas, but it will protect you like armour. Please?" She checked with Hominy that she was happy to provide three lots of boxes of poison, and then turned to Vivian to check that she would arrange with the Lightning Knights.

"So, other than the two who go with Enrick and Gennadiya, all Lightning Knights are told that the poison is going to Rhakros. All Elements, to Scalvoris. Then, we both divert any threat if there is one, and find out what we need to. Those who are travelling to somewhere unexpected are told only at the very last moment by the Zuuda who know. Any questions?"

[Vivian Shiryu]

Vivian let out a quiet, melancholic laugh when Faith commented that, as a medic, she saw people at their most vulnerable and they learned to trust her. "The duties of an inquisitor are not...normal knightly duties." she said, rapping one knuckle on her armor as she spoke. "I don't wear this that often, usually only if I'm either expecting to find trouble or I'm waiting for it to come to me." she said, before letting out a sigh. "I see people at their most vulnerable, but it's because I put them in that state. I'm the one who tells a mother of two that her husband was beat to death by a gang of drunks, or a worried father that we found his daughter lying dead and violated in a ditch. I'm the one who tells a mother who was happily enjoying a normal day that we just arrested her son for a burglary that went wrong and became a murder or tells a wife wondering why her husband has been acting so strange that he was found selling secrets to Faldrun's agents and has been convicted for treason and sentenced to death." she said, her tone turning increasingly grim. "In the end, I suppose the difference is that people don't come to have faith in me after that. They just come to hate me, because I'm the one who told them that their life had just been ruined." she said, a somewhat distant tone to her voice.

That tone, however, was gone when they started the meeting proper, as if it had never been. When the answers to her objections had been given, she simply nodded her assent and remained quite as the doctor spoke to the two going on the mission. When the topic of misinformation came up, she tilted her head slightly, but did not speak. Faith had left out a group, but perhaps it was intentional. They could not, after all, inform the Zuuda that they were giving them false information as well. But then, if the Zuuda could not lie to each other, then spreading false information among them would be difficult at best. She could think of a way, however, but she couldn't do it here.

When Faith asked if she would arrange things among the knights, she nodded. "Of course, doctor. It will take some time to get all the supplies needed for a trip of that length together, but I'll make sure it's all done properly." she said, nodding. When Faith asked if there were any questions, she shook her head and remained with her charge, waiting silently, until the others were, at least, a decent distance away. "We need to speak privately doctor, away from here." she said, her voice quiet enough that Faith was the only person who should be able to hear her.

[Gennadiya Lyosha]

Adiya listened as Faith confirmed her own suspisions that Alchaemy was similar to, well anything that requires a recepie. She remained focused as the topic moved on. This mission had a double purposed, to both retirive and to test the security of there people. The young woman could see the complement unspoke but there in Faith’s choice. She trusted Gennadiya enough to share this secret with her, and trust her to actually perform the task. The healer worked with other enough to know the importance of both. Some people might have been offended that they were choosen as a possible target, but Gennadiya knew her value as a healer ment if she was called it was because she could bring something important to the table.

“It will be good to test for leaks.” Gennadiya agreed. People thought healers were bundles of compasion but the good ones had a pratical side that allowed them to be compasionate, but get the job done. They were in a fight for there lives and the safety of the world and it would be important to check the seems of their boat.

The conversation moved on and Adiya got the answer she sought. It wouldn’t kill the necromancer, which was a relief for the healer. She made choises with life and death every day but not with murder. A stunned spark, well she didn’t have any context since she didn’t use magic, but it sounded unpleasent. She could see the potential of this potions. For them it was a great weapon as they didn’t employee any necromanciers. So it could be used against them, but how much work would it take to alter so that it would affect other disiplines. Then they could be in trouble.

The Lysorian woman’s attention was brought back as Faith began to push them to select a weapon and take some armor. Adiya walked over and brosed through the selection. It had ever common type of weapon she had seen but she didn’t see her choosen weapon. She did pause at the pile of daggers. She picked one out that she could store in her boot. She would still resort to her war fan but this might be helpful. “I use a war fan, which there doesn’t seem to be one here, but mine is good quality. I think I will take an dagger to hide in boot just in case.” She looked at the armor which looked a bit more comfortable then her leather armor. “If your okay with it I will take a pair of pajama armor.”

She turned her attention back to the main group as the final arrangments were made.

[Ricky]

Enrick honestly held no interest in the mechanics of warfare, but hearing Faith when she came up with her plan of misinformation? It created an sense of unease as to how one shouldn't be so inexperienced, like him, even when war seemed like something rarely witnessed these Trials. The quarrel between Immortals being something he never really involved himself in, Enrick felt more so only aware of the usual struggles mortals tended to face in comparison; therefore having a front row seat to someone in charge of this war effort changed things. Regardless his role in their mission seemed pretty straight forward, they were the bait to lure anybody plotting against them out in the open. Faith speculated a possible leak somewhere within from the sounds of it, and so she came up with the most brilliant method to snuff them out.

Thankfully they wouldn't be going in completely unarmed, although Enrick didn't feel like wearing pajamas in public either. If anything he'd consider bringing a weapon along for the sake of peace in mind, even if he didn't know exactly how to use one when it came down to it. The knight serving as her bodyguard seemed eager to respond to her inquiry, while the other healer present seemed inclined to accept a weapon and the armor both. "Oi'd be alrigh' wit' just a big sword o' some kind. Bastard maybe? Whatever's good t' grab wit' two hands most o' de time." He reasoned since they would be kind enough to supply him with one, he certainly wouldn't mind wearing it to look the part of a warrior on this journey. Actual use of it though, now that would be where the danger really lied; which he just hoped such a thing wouldn't be necessary so soon.

"One more t'ing," He requested as he looked at the sheets of parchment scattered all across the nearby table, "Oi just need t' let de others know dat Oi'm gone. Rest assured Oi'll only write t' dem sayin' Oi went on a business trip, dey'll understand knowin' it's somethin' fer Faith after all." The sailor reasoned with a modest grin as he looked to Faith knowingly, seeing as how she too would hopefully see his reason to alert them of his sudden absence. "If notes an' letters aren't safe in de slightest o' course, den Oi'd just appreciate someone sendin' word t' m' Captain later." With that out of the way he tucked his hands into the pockets of his leather pants, silver eyes occasionally switching around between the four ladies at present. "Aside from dat Oi've no further questions, Oi'm ready t' go whenever."

After whatever confirmation was given upon his request, the sailor followed the lead of Gennadiya until preparations were made.

"Enrick", "NPC"

[Octopie]

Unlocking Your Rewards!

Comments

Espionage! A forgotten part of wars but it was touched upon nicely here, it's amazing how ready and willing to fight each of these PCs is, and though we know the outcome, all the preparation here is very well done!

Points

All PCs:
15

Can be use for magic? Yes or No

Knowledge

Skill
Faith
Tactics: 3 x knowledge.

Note: If any other PCs would like to request knowledge, please PM me.
Non
NA

Loot

All PCs

• +1 masterwork weapon of your choice

Wealth

NA

Renown

NA

Injuries

NA

Skill Level: Appropriate