The Sundered Way

[Rodgeir]

"That'd probably be something for Randy to do... Aye draw too much attention."

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

"I'm wondering if Coljin might be better to carry the message? I'm pretty sure they know about me already. I'd bring the type of attention to Anders that we're precisely trying to avoid. Coljin has been relatively low profile. Since gnomes are not unusual here, he should be able to deliver a message to Anders without much notice. We could have him meet with me the same place as before at a time of his choosing." Randy gives a grin. "Tell him it's my turn to buy."

[NotStickFigures]

"If you think it should be me taking the message to Anders, I'd gladly do that."

[spiderwrangler]

((Is that the plan then? What message will Coljin be taking to Anders then?))

[Rodgeir]

((Good for me!))

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

"Tell Anders that his 'travel advisor' needs to speak with him and he'll meet with him at the same place in about two hours, if that's okay. He's buying this time."

[NotStickFigures]

"That is easy. Where will I find him at this time of the day? And then I'll head back and meet you all here still? " Once he finds that out, he will head out to deliver the message.

[spiderwrangler]

While Randy isn't sure where Anders would be at the moment, as it's about the same time of day that they met the other morning, the guard command post would be the most obvious place to look for him.

Coljin heads over, and is asked to wait for a bit, before being lead back to a tiny office off a side hallway. A very weary looking Anders is seated, tidying some papers and putting away some writing implements.

"Ah, Father Buckleberry. Please, come in, close the door and have a seat. Just finishing up my written report on the events of the other day. How may I help you?", he says gesturing to a small stool shoved up against a cabinet.

"My 'travel advisor', you say?", he remarks with a wan smile.

"I can be there, I'd been meaning to reach out... regarding my 'travel advisor's' former co-worker."

He stands to open the door and step into the hall, and starts a bit at a pair of officers walking past, "If there's nothing further Father, I'll be sure to pass on your well wishes to my Company, and thank you on their behalf for your efforts."


((If there was anything else Coljin wants to discuss, feel free to pop that in as a retroactive dialogue, I just didn't want to hold you up if there wasn't!))

---

---

((Is it just Randy who is going to the meeting?))

You head south from the city, and approach the grove.

((Give me a Perception check, please. If you're not alone, others may make one as well.))

[Rodgeir]

((Dornikal is just going to stay at the inn chatting with the elder, asking if he has heard anything about what's going on with the Greystones.))

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

perception: 1D20+3 = [13]+3 = 16

[spiderwrangler]

As you head south, you glance back over your shoulder, and notice a figure taking note of your departure. As your gaze falls on them, they hurriedly duck down and out of view.

At the grove, you look around again, and making sure the road is clear, slip in and find Anders waiting at the small overgrown shrine once again.

"Travel advisor?", he remarks with a chuckle. His eyes are a bit bleary and bloodshot, but he seems overall glad to see you.

---

"I haven't been much in touch with dwarfkind... in fact... you might be the first I've spoken to in the last decade. Even Fergus is modeled after a taller race, so he can reach the top shelves for me. Once we're back at my tower, I can see what news I can divine for you, if you wish."

((Fergus is his unseen servant, if you needed the reminder.))

[NotStickFigures]

Coljin had nothing further to add to his quick meeting with the soldier.

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

On the way out the door to the meeting, Randy picks up a bottle of high potency skull pop.
When Anders arrives at the meeting, Randy observes, "You look tired. Not sleeping well?" He pops the cork takes a swig, grimaces, and hands it over to Anders. "You're going to probably want that shortly."

[spiderwrangler]

"It's been a rough week.", Anders takes the offered bottle.

"Might as well lay it all out for me then. How much am I going to regret taking this meeting?"

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

Randy gives a summary of what's happening: the globe and it's function, where it's at now and how it got there. "Our employer is in town now. He doesn't feel comfortable with someone like Pembleton having access to a portable dimensional gate. Since it was his property to begin with, he wants to recover it. It's possible that in the course of doing so, that Pembleton might be made to "see the error of his ways" and agree to confess his role in this. He wanted to know the name of a ranking guard who was honest and could be counted on to do the right thing if this came to light. Congratulations. We all thought of you." Randy shakes his head. "We didn't think it a good idea to spring this without warning you first. And we don't know who to trust in your unit. "

[spiderwrangler]

"So... in the course of 'recovering' this item, the Lord Mayor's right hand man might just happen to 'see the error of his ways' and wish to unburden himself of his wrongdoing? You can be persuasive, but I doubt you're going to be talking him into that... so what, you're planning on casting some sort of compulsion on him? And what, taking the item back by force, or are you hoping that his confession holds up and that your employer can claim it from evidence?"

Anders looks very troubled, taking another swig.

[Rodgeir]

"Aye guessed as much when ye asked the clan head a century back. Still maybe word could have come from a non-dwarf. Aye'd appreciate any checks ye can make."

He will then relay what he heard from the caravan dwarf and ask for his professional opinion.

"How do ye think he managed that? Dumathoin wouldn'ta lent anyone aid for something so... trivial."

[spiderwrangler]

"Huh, sounds like transmutation magic... or just a swap. You'd know more what Dumathoin is about than I, but I agree... sounds more like someone trying to get wealth and power."

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

Randy solemnly looks at Anders. "It's not always pretty or obvious what needs to be done. You can follow the rules, knowing the other guy isn't and is going to do something that is going to get a lot of people hurt and/or killed. Or you can "bend the rules" to protect those you've sworn to protect. I personally tend to be a bit pragmatic about the rules. For the most part they work to give society structure and ensure everyone is treated fairly. But they don't always cover all situations and can be perverted contrary to the intent of their writers. Those of evil intent love to do that. They try to blind us to that intent behind the rules and hide behind the letter. It's the intent that's important. Even the gods haven't figured out a way to write a rule that explicitly covers every situation."
Randy liberates the bottle for a pull, then hands it back.
"If it was possible, we wouldn't need lawyers or courts. That's what they do, you know? Not just figure out guilt or innocence, but to help define the intent behind the rules. If it helps, you could say that you would be acting according to divine will. The All Mother isn't real happy about the device being in the wrong hands either from all the 'nudging' I'm getting from her 'proxy'. But unless you're a mind reader, you'd have to take my word for it."

[spiderwrangler]

Anders looks at Randy.

"You do know that you sound insane, right?"

He sighs, taking another pull and handing it back.

"I don't like the politicking and corruption, but I'm not in a position to fix that... But letting you remove Pembleton from the picture might go a long way towards that... I don't want to know the other details of what you're doing, but if he comes to me looking to unburden himself, I can make sure he does so with enough credible witnesses that it won't be easily swept away."

He sits in contemplation.

"No one dies. If bodies turn up, and I didn't stop you..."

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

Randy grins."Blessed idiots, sybils, prophets, holy warriors, saints. All supposedly touched by the gods. Usually all madder than a March hare! And very few appreciated in their lifetime." He chuckles. "I won't deny the possibility. More than one mind in the same body sounds pretty mad to me. I didn't choose it, but I guess no one does. At least no one who wasn't mad to start with."
Randy listens to his no kill demand. "That may be almost impossible. Pembleton's man Gibbs...he's bad news. And he brought in a bunch of town bravos as extra guards. I suspect he's under orders from someone else to kill Pembleton rather than let him talk."

[spiderwrangler]

Anders sets the bottle down and turns to you with a hard look.

"I may be displeased with how this town runs, and am reluctantly willing to let you try to help change that, but I can't condone allowing you free reign outside the law if it turns to slaughter. If you want Pembleton held to account, keep Gibbs from turning on him, but do it without killing him either. I'll have your word on that, or I'll take you in right now. "

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

Randy looks at Anders without expression. He gives a single nod. "If we can't figure a way of doing it without causalities, we won't proceed. In that case, it becomes your concern. We'll collect the body of my employer's aide and go." Randy turns to leave."Someone tried to follow me out here. You may have been tailed, too. Watch your back, Anders."

Randy steps into the tree shadows and fades from view.
stealth: 1D20+5 = [19]+5 = 24

He takes the time to circle around to the next gate instead of taking the most direct route.

[spiderwrangler]

"Good luck to you. When might I expect Pembleton? "

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

Voice from the shadows: "Either by sundown, or not at all."