A Fireside Chat in Shenden

Typhon arrived in Shenden, just as Saros had hoped. Saros was sent here to investigate Typhon and assess the threat he posed to the immediate situation in the Scavenger Lands. Saros intended to do so by directly confronting him, and the havoc he had caused within Shenden during the past week was his way of summoning Typhon to this location. He was unsure if it would work, but alas, Typhon stood at the entrance of the village watching as guards rushed to the assistance of villagers fleeing the complex that Saros had just set ablaze.

Saros emerged from the shadows, dressed in his typical black robe and carrying his staff in his right hand. He walked toward Typhon and the two men that flanked him on horseback. The crackle of flames from the burning house behind him drowned out the sound of his footsteps. The glow from the flames cast a shadow in front of Saros that was twice his height and it flickered as the burning continued. The timing of this meeting was optimal for both parties: Deathknights preferred the darkness and Saros preferred the blanket of stars on a clear night.

Saros looked up from the ground, the lighting from the fire cast his entire face in a shadow over the hood of his cloak. "Typhon, I'm glad you could make it. Our next meeting was long overdue."

((I would like a Wits + Awareness check to see if I recognize anyone in his entourage and also to assess their strength.))

Kirkland 17:45, 23 July 2009 (EDT)

Saros does not recognize either of the mounted horsemen, although he does note that they are both armed with fuel bolt launchers and perfect slashing swords set with black, opalescent hearthstones.

Typhon smiled wickedly as Saros approached, replying to his greeting when Saros spoke it.

"You put on quite a show, Saros. I was wondering how much time would pass before the Gold Faction decided to get involved. I thought to myself at first mayhap you had come searching for Ayesha's old undead lapdog, Arkanian, as he calls himself. But that's not the case - you're no longer interested in Arkanian, are you? That's your first mistake - he's far more dangerous than I."

Typhon allowed for a pause in the conversation, though his expression made it clear he did not intend for the silence to be interjected upon. He slowly began walking toward the burning house, his two horsemen bodyguards matching his pace as he walked. Saros strode alongside Typhon as the deathknight continued.

"I won't patronize you with anecdotes of the generosity of Thorns or its willingness to play the rules of the Confederation of Rivers - you know better, just as I do. The fact that you sought me out makes your intentions transparent enough -- I understand why the Gold Faction might be interested in my affairs, but I can assure you, as I have assured Nexus and Lookshy, that the Scavenger Lands' greatest threat does not reside within the walls of Thorns. You need only look west, to Marukan, where an insane Solar Exalt schemes even now to claim Marukan, and indeed, the East for himself, or North, to the Ebon Spires of Pyrron, where a far more unstable lord of darkness is assembling his forces as we speak, with every intention of marching on the Scavenger Lands at first convenient opportunity."

He stopped when the pair could feel the heat from the burning house, surveying the scene for a moment. He looked again to Saros.

"It stands to reason, then, that I have little incentive to offer you information unless you prove that you have something to offer me."

Typhon halted his speech to Saros abruptly, turning to the horseman at his right and issuing an order. "Finish what Saros has started - burn down this village. This place is sacred ground to Thorns now."

The deathknight turned again to Saros as the horseman rode forward and lit a torch on the fire Saros had started. Using this flame, he lit the straw roofing of a nearby house, and proceeded onward.

"You have as long as it takes the rest of these homes to burn to make your case and ask any questions you might have. You're welcome to save the inhabitants, but I fear it would cut drastically into the time it would take to make this deal. Fortunately I believe you do, in fact, have something to offer me."

Typhon intentionally let a silence hang as another wicked grin graced his flawless features - a piercing scream could be heard behind him as Shenden's citizens awoke to find themselves amidst a raging conflagration.

"Arkanian is perhaps the most elusive man in Creation - it is with much chagrin that I admit he has eluded Thorns' best efforts to find him. You, however, have been made privvy to his whereabouts in the past, and have spent more time with him as of late than I. If you agree to bring me Arkanian, I would be happy to discuss the state of affairs with you - from my point of view, and candidly. You are welcome to assure Arkanian that, at least for the time being, I have no interest in seeing him dead or returned to the clutches of my master."

Typhon raised his right hand, waving in an inquisitive gesture.

"What do you say, Sidereal?"

Dan 00:06, 1 December 2009 (EST)

Compassion check: 6 (0 successes)

Saros smiled slightly as Typhon gave the orders to burn the village down; it was the move he expected Typhon to make. He responded, "Your incentive to work with me is much, much greater than you realize. Of all the threats in this region, the one Thorns fears the most is by far the smallest: a single Abyssal Exalt, whom you have no doubt spent countless resources trying to track down at the behest of your master. No doubt, you have a detailed assessment of the threat the Walker in Darkness poses; and your overwhelming interest in Arkanian, rather than Remus, furthers my suspicion that you have some influence over the events unfolding in Marukan. Arkanian is an unknown threat to your master plan."

"I should be insulted by your proposal to bring you Arkanian in exchange for a 'candid' conversation that may or may not be ingenuous at all. It is foolish with no mechanism to enforce such an agreement. However, I'm not yet convinced this is a losing proposition. If we're to build a layer of trust, as thin as it may be, then answer this: If you have no interest in seeing Arkanian cast into oblivion, or returned to your master's clutches, what is your prevailing interest in him?"

Saros needed more incentive to put two of the most dangerous people in the Scavenger Lands into the same room together. Perhaps there was something he could gain from their meeting, he pondered. If so, it would be a win-win situation: obtaining insight into Arkanian's dealings as well as Typhon's.

Saros watched emotionless as a woman fled her home, her pantleg burning as she uselessly batted at it with her hand. Saros waited for Typhon's response.

((If social combat is involved, I would like to spend a willpower point on this roll.))

Kirkland 00:03, 3 December 2009 (EST)

Typhon smiled at Saros's ignorance of the fires raging behind the pair. Saros meant business - that was enough for Typhon to take the proceedings more seriously.

"I would not expect men such as ourselves to be trusting of anyone - we have made a business of gaining power through deception. We cheat fate and death and readily as we cheat political and social conventions - no promise is too sacrosanct to be violated in the name of forward progress. Thus, I agree. If we are to build a layer of trust, no matter how thin, someone must take the first step towards candid dealings."

Typhon shrugged, somewhat pretentiously. "Allow me."

He began walking slowly, beginning to pace a circle around the burning village.

"It is true that Arkanian is perhaps the most dangerous unknown variable in my plans. My spies inform me that he has traveled through the lands belonging to the Walker in Darkness in the recent past. Although I do not suspect he seeks a new hand to kiss, if his allegiance is won by an opposing force, I will not deny that he could cause tremendous damage to Thorns. Even without any underlying support base, Arkanian has the potential to wreak tremendous havoc if he so chooses - the ease with which he can infiltrate even the highest levels of any government involved in this conflict would frighten even the god of secrets - although I'm sure you're well aware."

He paused slightly, giving Saros a half-smirk. "He could seize control of any hand that holds power in this unfolding struggle at any moment. Given the unpredictability of his actions, this is, obviously, undesirable. But, his noticeable detachment from Thorns is not entirely a curse - he may be of more use to you and I as a rogue than a loyal soldier. Given his total freedom of operation, he can make contacts and uncover information that we, by our nature, cannot. If he is destroyed now or returned to the Mask of Winters, there exist questions which I may never be able to answer. With that in mind, my desire to speak to Arkanian stems from two roots - I want to understand his position in all this and establish a rapport that will prove beneficial to both of us, and secondly, I hope to recruit his assistance..."

He continued pacing, allowing for another few seconds of silence.

"I have uncovered a hemorrhaging of information out of my organization, and its source is unclear to me. Although I don't believe it to be Arkanian, the mode of operation is similar. I suspect that Arkanian might know something, and even if this is news to him, certainly nobody knows more about evading Thorns' notice than he. The information being hemorrhaged is not completely unrelated to him - if facts about Arkanian's current and previous dealings make into the hands of the Walker in Darkness, Arkanian may earn the ire of this region's other Deathlord, so Arkanian stands to benefit from stemming this leak as well. Has your thirst for information been quenched long enough to discuss your cooperation, or must I clarify my intentions further?"

He slowed their pace to a stop again, turning to face the Sidereal and awaiting his reply.

Dan 19:56, 12 December 2009 (EST)

Saros walked with the deathknight, listening as he divulged the reasons why meeting Arkanian was so important to him. While Arkanian's abilities and potential to cause havoc were not news to Saros, the leak within the Mask of Winters's organization certainly was. All topics considered, underworld politics was not the most interesting to him. Just when he thought he was relieved from the Arkanian assignment, somehow he got roped back in. Regardless, arranging a meeting between Arkanian and Typhon seemed to be the most logical step forward. If Typhon was being truthful, which was certainly worth skepticism, then the benefits outweighed the consequences. That is, if Saros could even find Arkanian, which was a monumental task in itself, even for a Sidereal. Then there was the task of convincing Arkanian that the meeting would be worth his time, perhaps an even bigger challenge.

They stopped walking as Typhon finished his explanation. Saros looked to him and responded, "Your intentions are clear enough. I will work to arrange this meeting. It may take time to locate and convince Arkanian that it is worth the time, and risk, but if you're telling the truth it sounds like he also has something to gain from this correspondence."

"Good," Typhon responded, as he broke his gaze from Saros and looked back at the burning village. There was a lingering silence where it seemed Typhon was going to continue speaking, but in that moment, Saros activated Thought-Swiping Distraction (5 motes, 1 willpower). He picked that critical moment, where Typhon was likely pondering the benefits of the meeting the Sidereal was going to set up for him. Saros hoped to ascertain Typhon's true intentions; deathknights were hardly trustworthy, and Saros needed to know if Typhon would stay true to his word and divulge more information on the Mask of Winters's activities in the Scavenger Lands.

Regaining his train of thought, Typhon looked back to where Saros was standing, but Saros was long gone.

((We can discuss where to go from here. Saros is heading back to Heaven, and would spend some time trying to locate Arkanian by using the Loom of Fate or asking other Sidereals. I'm guessing another Sidereal is assigned to monitor Arkanian (you mentioned perhaps Voros?). For the sake of expediting the story by glossing over the mundane, I don't know how much of this investigation you want to pursue in a story thread, or just by using a summary.))

((Also, depending on the timing of the situation, I may want to prepare some Astrology.))

Kirkland 11:14, 15 December 2009 (EST)