MysticModulus Posted May 1, 2016 Posted May 1, 2016 Ezeran raises his staff against the intruders "Last warning, surrender yourselves to us or we'll teach you what happens to trespassers..."
BountyBeast Posted May 1, 2016 Posted May 1, 2016 "I'm sorry about our trigger happy friend here." Hunkan turns to Kid, annoyed. "Are you always this violent or did you have too much to drink back at the hall?"
Alfadas Posted May 1, 2016 Posted May 1, 2016 Torald, standing next to Ezeran, makes sure his Hammer is clearly visible, to emphasize Ezeran's words. You don't want to mess with us. But surrender now, so we don't need to hurt you, much.
MysticModulus Posted May 1, 2016 Posted May 1, 2016 Ezerans resolve hardens as he attempts to block the portal with a wooden spell
dum Posted May 1, 2016 Posted May 1, 2016 (edited) "Trespassing? More like ensuring against extortionism. Don't speak to me about escalation of conflict. You're a mage, where do you restore your ether from? Tonics, right? Who do you think is the single supplier of those tonics in all of Eubric Freeport?" So is this all about splitting the monopoly of tonics then, isnt'it? You're trying to become economically independent from The Guild of Invision. "Oh dear, kid. That's not such a nice thing to say. I don't think we're murderers." Neither do I, but we can't what the genie thinks of us. "I'm sorry. I don't know what's gotten into him." Kid mostly felt no regret for his words, but hearing the child's disappointement made him feel a bit guilty. Ezeran raises his staff against the intruders "Last warning, surrender yourselves to us or we'll teach you what happens to trespassers..." Finally, someone makes sense. Kid loads his crossbow in case the intruders make any attempt to escape. "I'm sorry about our trigger happy friend here." Hunkan turns to Kid, annoyed."Are you always this violent or did you have too much to drink back at the hall?" Kid sighs. Listen, I'm not being excessively violent, I'm not being irrational, and I'm sure as hell not as drunk as I was back at the hall. I'm just doing my job. We were hired by Alphy to get rid of the problem in the pipes, and here is the source of the problem. I have no loyalties to The Guild of Invision any more than I do to the Ziegfrieds. We have a job to do, and I intend on carrying that out. We cannot negotiate. Either we bring them back alive to Alphy, which would be preferable, or they die here. But no one is escaping through that portal. Edited May 1, 2016 by dum
Alfadas Posted May 1, 2016 Posted May 1, 2016 I am loyal to the Guild, so yeah, I agree with Kid on this one. I'd say, we bring 'm back alive for once. To the Zigfrieds he says: That is, if you are willing to cooperate. If not, you know what's coming. Torald lovingly strokes the hammer with a sadistic look in his eyes.
Waterbrick Down Posted May 1, 2016 Author Posted May 1, 2016 "I don't think you all fully understand what is at stake here. This is not simply a monopoly, this is a throttling of life itself for all ether-users within the city. How long do you think before the Guild of Invision will start raising prices of Tonics for anyone who does not ally themselves with them? How long before it's not simply price gouging but outright refusal to sell, clerics, mages we'll all be affected. Do you think it'll stop with Tonics? The Guild of Invision is the number one alchemical supplier in all of Eubric, they will dictate policy with such a grasp on the market of potions, meads, everything! My research was simply to discover how the Tonics were made, that is all. I had no intention of stopping Doctor Cula's equipment and as soon as I and my assistant leave it will return to as it was. If you let me go, you will not only have the Ziegfried's thanks, but that of the entire city. If not, then I fear for the day when this city is controlled by the whims of a man in a mask, based not on respect but on dependency for one's one livelihood."
Alfadas Posted May 1, 2016 Posted May 1, 2016 Well, that's not going to work. I'm good friends with the Guild. And even though I partly agree with you, I'm afraid I can't let ye bastards do this without punishment.
dum Posted May 1, 2016 Posted May 1, 2016 "I don't think you all fully understand what is at stake here. This is not simply a monopoly, this is a throttling of life itself for all ether-users within the city. How long do you think before the Guild of Invision will start raising prices of Tonics for anyone who does not ally themselves with them? How long before it's not simply price gouging but outright refusal to sell, clerics, mages we'll all be affected. Do you think it'll stop with Tonics? The Guild of Invision is the number one alchemical supplier in all of Eubric, they will dictate policy with such a grasp on the market of potions, meads, everything! My research was simply to discover how the Tonics were made, that is all. I had no intention of stopping Doctor Cula's equipment and as soon as I and my assistant leave it will return to as it was. If you let me go, you will not only have the Ziegfried's thanks, but that of the entire city. If not, then I fear for the day when this city is controlled by the whims of a man in a mask, based not on respect but on dependency for one's one livelihood." I don't like to get involved in politics, but even an idiot like me can tell what happens if the Ziegfrieds, as well as the whole of the Sungold alliance, becomes economically independent of the Guild and the Crescent Union. If the two parties don't need each other, they'll have no reason to truly remain in peace. The Alliance can declare war on the Union without having to worry about a lack of supplies, and the commoners of Eubric will pay the price. No one wants a civil war, and I just want to get the job done for my employer. Come with us, and you can keep your lives.
Palathadric Posted May 1, 2016 Posted May 1, 2016 "Oh, dear, I don't like this situation at all! Couldn't we just let them go? It would technically be removing the problem, wouldn't it? Besides, we did something nice for the Guild by returning the Triffid, though it hurt many mages. These mages aren't even trying to hurt anybody."
Rider Raider Posted May 1, 2016 Posted May 1, 2016 "If we let him go, the Guild never has to know. If he is just leaving, it will start working again, right? It seems he means no harm. Besides..." Timothy takes a deep breath in. "I want cheaper tonics."
MysticModulus Posted May 1, 2016 Posted May 1, 2016 Ezerans resolve is firm. "Your acts are not glourious but acts of industrial espionage. You're not going anywhere!"
dum Posted May 1, 2016 Posted May 1, 2016 (edited) "These mages aren't even trying to hurt anybody." They already have. Kid turns to face the rest of the group. Does anyone remember Trevor? The guy we came here to find? He was digested alive by some massive blob. Whether or not these two put that thing here, Trevor's blood is on their hands. By screwing with this pipe system, they caused a need to investigate. These two killed an innocent man. "If we let him go, the Guild never has to know. If he is just leaving, it will start working again, right? It seems he means no harm. Besides..." Timothy takes a deep breath in. "I want cheaper tonics." Making the price incredibly high due with no competition will do the same amount of damage as making a price so low to eliminate competition. But even without that, we should stay loyal to current clients, and letting these guys leave threatens our reputation and that of all of Heroica. Edited May 1, 2016 by dum
Waterbrick Down Posted May 1, 2016 Author Posted May 1, 2016 Well, that's not going to work. I'm good friends with the Guild. And even though I partly agree with you, I'm afraid I can't let ye bastards do this without punishment. "You see our point and yet you will still condemn us? Punishment for what, a mere inconvenience for a Guild that already holds enough of a choke hold upon this city? For striving to protect my family and all of our kind?" I don't like to get involved in politics, but even an idiot like me can tell what happens if the Ziegfrieds, as well as the whole of the Sungold alliance, becomes economically independent of the Guild and the Crescent Union. If the two parties don't need each other, they'll have no reason to truly remain in peace. The Alliance can declare war on the Union without having to worry about a lack of supplies, and the commoners of Eubric will pay the price. No one wants a civil war, and I just want to get the job done for my employer. Come with us, and you can keep your lives. "Civil war? It's already happening, there is no peace. The lines have already been drawn in the sand. The Guild has no need for the Alliance, do you think the Guild will not exert its power, in the name of keeping the peace? Do you not think the commoner will suffer? Do you not understand that the Guild may easily extract fealty for the price of a potion? Will you be there when the Guild denies a healing balm to the sick simply because they will not bend the knee?" "If we let him go, the Guild never has to know. If he is just leaving, it will start working again, right? It seems he means no harm. Besides..." Timothy takes a deep breath in. "I want cheaper tonics." "As my master has said, the device will return to normal. While we cannot guarantee cheaper price, we do hope this research will at least keep the cost competitive, and more importantly provide availability to the common man who does not wish to involve himself in the politics of the day." Ezerans resolve is firm. "Your acts are not glourious but acts of industrial espionage. You're not going anywhere!" "Is stealing a loaf of bread for a starving man, espionage? Do you think we do this out of greed? How long do you think it will be before the Guild decides that ether users are too much of a liability? When do you think the sign of a mage will be branded on every cleric and wizard's hand? When do you think the banishments, or imprisonments, or even executions will start?"
dum Posted May 1, 2016 Posted May 1, 2016 Let's put this up to a vote by the party. I still think we should just capture them. If anyone still wants to let these murderers free, cast your vote.
Waterbrick Down Posted May 1, 2016 Author Posted May 1, 2016 Let's put this up to a vote by the party. I still think we should just capture them. If anyone still wants to let these murderers free, cast your vote. "My word! Murderers?"
Alfadas Posted May 1, 2016 Posted May 1, 2016 Aye, capture them. Let the Guild decide what they are going to do with them.
Rider Raider Posted May 1, 2016 Posted May 1, 2016 Let's put this up to a vote by the party. I still think we should just capture them. If anyone still wants to let these murderers free, cast your vote. "They haven't murdered, just trespassed, and sometimes you've got to break a law or two for the greater good. I say let'em go."
BountyBeast Posted May 1, 2016 Posted May 1, 2016 "I'm not sure if we can trust them yet. We should hand them to the Guild and let them sort this out. Maybe they'll give us a bonus."
dum Posted May 1, 2016 Posted May 1, 2016 "My word! Murderers?" "They haven't murdered, just trespassed, and sometimes you've got to break a law or two for the greater good. I say let'em go." Does no one remember Trevor?Oh that's right, Timothy wasn't here. Before you showed up, we encountered the skeleton of Alphy's assistant, Trevor. He had been sent to find the root of the problem, and killed by a gelatinous blob. If it weren't for these two, he would be alive.
Rider Raider Posted May 1, 2016 Posted May 1, 2016 "I highly doubt they sent the blob. Blobs are natural."
dum Posted May 1, 2016 Posted May 1, 2016 "I highly doubt they sent the blob. Blobs are natural." It's their fault he was in these pipes in the first place.
Rider Raider Posted May 1, 2016 Posted May 1, 2016 It's their fault he was in these pipes in the first place. "But they didn't kill him. They never intended for this to happen. If accidently indirectly killing someone was a crime punishable by death, the Town Watch would have their hands full. They never intended to hurt a fly."
Palathadric Posted May 1, 2016 Posted May 1, 2016 They already have. Kid turns to face the rest of the group. Does anyone remember Trevor? The guy we came here to find? He was digested alive by some massive blob. Whether or not these two put that thing here, Trevor's blood is on their hands. By screwing with this pipe system, they caused a need to investigate. These two killed an innocent man. I pause and then say quietly. "If we call that murder, then I'm sure all of us are guilty in some way or another. I'm sure that there were many deaths that could have been prevented if I had not moved from one place or another. Exploring is a dangerous job and sometimes it accidentally puts others in danger too. Perhaps the mages would like to leave behind a token that could be given to Trevor's family?" "Civil war? It's already happening, there is no peace. The lines have already been drawn in the sand. The Guild has no need for the Alliance, do you think the Guild will not exert its power, in the name of keeping the peace? Do you not think the commoner will suffer? Do you not understand that the Guild may easily extract fealty for the price of a potion? Will you be there when the Guild denies a healing balm to the sick simply because they will not bend the knee?" "Why can't you all just get along?" "Is stealing a loaf of bread for a starving man, espionage? Do you think we do this out of greed? How long do you think it will be before the Guild decides that ether users are too much of a liability? When do you think the sign of a mage will be branded on every cleric and wizard's hand? When do you think the banishments, or imprisonments, or even executions will start?" I don't say it, but inside I find the mage's words very difficult to believe. "I say we let them go. We are not contracted to bring Doctor Cula the problem, just to solve it. I think that revealing these people would just cause more strife and raise more questions than necessary. They didn't hurt anyone, certainly not intentionally, and when the Ziegfrieds asked us to turn over the Triffid we went against their wishes and gave it to the Guild instead. By letting them go, we go against nobody's wishes, we prevent a sticky situation between them and Doctor Cula, and everybody will come away happy. I can't see anyone, neither us, nor Doctor Cula, nor them coming out happy if we turn them over. And part of being a hero is making people happy. Let's put this up to a vote by the party. I still think we should just capture them. If anyone still wants to let these murderers free, cast your vote. Aye, capture them. Let the Guild decide what they are going to do with them. "But can we trust Doctor Cula to make an unbiased decision? I don't think so. These men did not break anything of Doctor Cula's, so they don't really owe him anything."
Waterbrick Down Posted May 1, 2016 Author Posted May 1, 2016 (edited) I pause and then say quietly. "If we call that murder, then I'm sure all of us are guilty in some way or another. I'm sure that there were many deaths that could have been prevented if I had not moved from one place or another. Exploring is a dangerous job and sometimes it accidentally puts others in danger too. Perhaps the mages would like to leave behind a token that could be given to Trevor's family?" The mage pauses to think for a moment. "I have with me a bottle of Bright Polish that I'm sure could be sold for good price. If this 'Trevor' was consumed by a blob, that is a fate I would wish upon no man, but if the Doctor sent him in here ill equipped, then the fault would like with the Doctor." "Why can't you all just get along?" "We were until that damned Ulric sought to take power. We couldn't simply let him, thus we needed candidates of our own. Candidates elected by some of your very own heroes, I might add." Edited May 1, 2016 by Waterbrick Down
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