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Post by Kingdoms of Cal on Oct 23, 2010 22:43:59 GMT -5
Lady Drancan smiled her ears flatted she said "Well anywhere there they sell stuff strong enough that I don't care what that mad feline rants at me about?"
She continued "probably more likely to be found in a traditional place as I could really do with a good strong drink and I'm not a expert on expensive stuff"
She laughed "To be honest I prefer the cheap stuff, the expensive stuff never seems to taste of much."
--- Xine looked at the lynx she smiled "fine, if you know of my people we can kill any other feline...but you trust me...I trust you as far as a leefin can trust a northen feline."
She laughed "Looks like you have to keep that toy too."
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Post by aatuylva on Oct 23, 2010 23:32:54 GMT -5
"Well ma'am, we could always take you down to our joint, if thas' what you're lookin' for."
Should Lady Drancan follow the guards, she would be led into a run-down 'car' that could at best be described as an engine with wheels attached and at worst a skeletal death machine waiting for the slightest provocation to cause it to explode.
The said 'joint' was a run-down bar hidden behind the flak tower, in a building that was half sunken into the ground and had several holes in the walls, ceiling, and floor. The patrons were rowdy, the drinks were cheap, and the bartenders spoke not a word.
"Just make sure to keep quiet round here, ma'am. People tend to shoot in the direction of loud noises."
The guard who led her to the bar disappears into the throng, already ordering a drink from the silent barkeep...
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"If I were you, kit, I would hold more respect for the tool of war that has won battles across every continent and is quite capable of killing you before anyone can even think. Especially considering that your life hangs in the balance of my deciding whether or not to save you from the no doubt countless assassins you have trailing you simply because you're a foreigner."
He hobbles over to a large circular door, and places the key into a slot on the wall, turning it. The large stone rolls to the side, assisted by the grinding of gears and the pumping of pistons. Inside is a small study and several safes, cabinets, and glass display cases. He places the key in a slot on the other side of the door after Xine follows in, making the door close back in on itself.
He sits down at a small desk in the corner of the room, staring at Xine.
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Post by Kingdoms of Cal on Oct 29, 2010 17:49:07 GMT -5
Lady Drancan looked about the place. It wasn't that different from some of her haunts back home, the guns were a little different as taking a gun into a saeie bar would get you barred. Well that and most Saeie viewed openly carrying a gun as the kind of thing that only someone who was compensating for something would do, or some kid.
Brawls were common in saeie pubs, most quarter days you could be sure of one, but no matter how much weaponry was lying about it was never used. Fists, furniture, glasses, bottles, sure but never weapons, the bar was usually open and by standards knew to keep out the way and let the high spirits die down. But these people seemed far more likely to use fire arms.
She approached the bar confidently, it never good to look weak in these kind of places.
She walked up to the bar and asked asked the person next to her "I'm no from these parts, what's good and strong?"
--- Xine smiled "They can not be very good assassins as I would have thought they would have got me before I discovered as much as I have. As for the gun, swords and bows won battles before guns, tanks and air craft do to a large extent now, the gun is still the most important weapon but in time something else will replace it and win battles. All weapons have there time and I fear the time of the gun is slowly passing, but that is what that will be I do not know."
She was very much calming down Lady Drancan was not watching her back now and this person might have the leads she needed.
She looked the lyxn straight in the eye and said "You are a fur of letters, and I suspect you might be as interested as I am as to the possibility of a lost tribe of felines from here existed and even more interested to find out if they still do. I suspect you would like to be instrumental in solving a eno old mystery and link this place to a people who are almost on the other side of the world.
I do not have all the answers but If I can find enough those that know what our holy scrolls say will send someone who does. It might confirm some of your legends"
As she looked at the lynx she smiled "If your anything like the grand library keepers back home, you won't like the gaps between what you know and what are legends."
She dropped her gaze and said "I will tell you what I know if you will tell me what you do and show me what you have that you can not read. I only know a little old leefin due to my grand mother being a priestess, but the little I know is at your disposal."
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Post by aatuylva on Oct 29, 2010 19:26:43 GMT -5
No one pulled guns, or even engaged in barfights, but arguments were loud and laughter was often. A 'barfight' in Aatuylva barely lasted a moment as someone would pull a gun to prevent the bartender from throwing them all out for damaging his property.
"We've got black bombers, head-stompers, and some local stuff that so far is better as an explosive and paint-stripper than as a drink."
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"No assassin would attack you while you are still a guest of the Council or Michael Stidham. The Palace is the closest to neutral ground in this region. No one would dare draw the ire of the AVM...as for the gaps, it cannot be helped. Several major wars, and the libraries held ancient knowledge, and became prime targets because of it. This library, out of hundreds, survived because the human king was greedy, and buried knowledge away alongside his gold. As for scrolls I cannot read, I have told you already, the ones responsible for the deaths of the Le'ofani have them. All of them. I have told you everything I know. All I can do is point you in the direction of an acquaintance who claims to have one. He might not. If he does, then you shall see it. If not, he probably has some relic that might peak your interest. If an, exchange of information is what you wish, you shall go first, as all I have is but a name and a way to contact him."
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Post by Kingdoms of Cal on Oct 30, 2010 19:53:35 GMT -5
Lady Drancan smiled "Sounds like inteerie whisky, I'll pass the black bombs sounds good."
She grinned "I would tell you about the last time I had the stuff..but, well I have no idea what happened for three days. Kinda woke up in the middle of a round a out naked. I'll see if I can get an import license for the stuff for you."
-- Xine shrugged "What I know of our past is that we were suffered betrayal from the other felines that gave up. They were enslaved, but out ancestors kept fighting retreating as they did. They pulled back alone but none were taken alive, but we lost the fight. Our queen held the line with the few warriors we had left to give the rest time to take to the sea.
We do not know what became of them. But we know they fought to the end, they had no reason not to. We fond inleef after a great voyage and we have always waited for our queen to return."
Xine smiled "We know it will never happen, but we always have hoped to find where she fell"
She looked said for a moment "We are a people that do not know where we are from and...well an orphan people, always wanting to know how out nation's motherland is."
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Post by aatuylva on Nov 1, 2010 17:45:24 GMT -5
"Wouldn't do, miss. Would probably need three licenses they invented for jus' an occasion."
He pulled several bottles of thick, viscous liquids down from the shelf behind him, pouring each of them into a shot glass, then he pulls a metal bottle from beneath the counter and a spent casing from a 155mm artillery shell, still smelling of gunpowder and death, and he pours the foul smelling clear liquid from the bottle into it, followed by the contents of the shot glasses. He takes a hollowed out artillery shell and pours it all into it, shaking it after plugging up the hole. He pours the results back into the casing, and then squeezes a strange greenish purple fruit into it and slides it over to Lady Drancan.
"I take it you're on a diplomatic tab with the palace?"
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The librarian listened, and nodded when Xine was finished. He pulls from his desk a small glass tube, and he uses a nearby quill to write a name, in that same runic text, on a small scroll, which he stuff into the glass tube, capping both ends with cork.
"Take this to Ulrik. He will get you in contact with the artifact collector."
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Post by Kingdoms of Cal on Nov 1, 2010 18:05:54 GMT -5
Drancan smiled "I guess I am, I'm lady Drancan...don't worry the title kinda comes with the job. Once you get senior enough in the diplomatic corps they stop giving you pay rises and start giving you titles. Well when you spend most of you time away from home on expenses your pay really doesn't matter."
She took a swig of the drink he face went threw a few odd expressions. She looked at it quizzically, starched her head and downed the lot.
She turned back to the bar fur "I'm not sure I liked that very much, can I try another drink? Tastes vary so don't take offence, it just not something I'm used to.
I'll see what can be done to get some inteerie whisky behind the bar here. Can't promise much, but will see."
Drancan's knew her guts were not too happy about that last drink, but they would be fine for a couple of hours.
-- Xine smiled "I will, do you wish to join me?"
Then looked a little lost "Where is Ulrik?"
She whispered "I am not the best person with names some times, please do not take offence." looking a little sheepish.
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Post by aatuylva on Nov 3, 2010 17:13:32 GMT -5
"Head-Stomper it is."
He pulls a strawberry-like purple fruit from an icechest on his side of the bar, and several other more recognizable fruits, more of the foul-smelling alcohol, and several red liquids that may or may not be hot sauces, nuts, and a large spider that was still alive, in a glass cage.
"Now as a foreword, there's a slight chance this drink could give you vivid hallucinations for the next hour or so. If you don't wanna down it, we understand."
He pulled a blender and grabbed the large spider (it's body was as large as a person's hand) and smashed it with his hand, throwing it into the blender along with the fruits and nuts. He closes the lids and grinds it all into an odd grey paste, before adding in the clear liquid and half a bottle of what could be a kind of vodka, and blends it more, throwing in a couple of ice cubes, before he pours the concoction into a separate shell casing he pulls from the bar, lined with gunpowder and what smelled like several 'alternative tobaccos' and stirred it gently with a wooden spoon. He slides the mixture across the bar to Lady Drancan.
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"The grey fox, the arbitor."
He opens the door again, nodding to Xine as she made her way out.
"They will kill you if you leave from the normal ways. Invest in a gun. Swords are of no help when the enemy can kill you from a mile away or more...or against those who do not bleed when stabbed."
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Post by Kingdoms of Cal on Nov 4, 2010 17:47:51 GMT -5
Drancan smiled "Sounds like some of the things that we used to drink back in my days at uni, though those usually involved herbs and fungi from teer. Not usually invertebrates, then on occasion there was a beetle that used to cause even the teerie to feel weird."
She took a sip of the drink and smiled "Hmm tastes pretty good."
She smiled saying "One of the down side of sharing a flat with one of those green nutters is that there was always a risk if you borrowed some of there food from the fridge that you would have a very interesting day. "
She downed the rest of the drink.
She laughed "One day she cooked breakfast in freshers week..well apparently I wandered about naked all day and didn't notice and spent an hour discussing frogs with a rock. Turns out she had forgot that certain teerie foods have intresting effects on non-teerie.
Those were fun days."
Drancan's iris's were beginning to dilate and she noticed she was beginning to have some mild visual distortions.
She smiled "Hmm nice."
Drancan's experience with hallucinogens was extensive from her university days, but she knew each different one had different effects.
--- Xine nodded "I will bare that in mind and thank you. Where can I find Ulrik?"
She wondered if she would be able to get a commonwealth weapon from the tilt-rotor, she knew how to handle one of them and well trusted them better than local weapons. If this was going to be as dangerous as she was lead to believe she should she would like to have a few 'silver'* rounds on her.
* What the commonwealth call there crystalline rounds.
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Post by aatuylva on Nov 5, 2010 16:49:38 GMT -5
A black form sat on one of the barstools next to Lady Drancan. An Ai'lupan wolf, his red eyes and black fur taking on...odd forms due to the effects of the drink. At first glance it almost looks like sulphur was coming from his nostrils and spiders were crawling in his smile, but the image goes as soon as it comes.
"May I buy you a drink madam?"
His robes were lined with gold, and his grin revealed a very large set of sharp teeth, most of which were filed to an unnatural sharpness.
"If I may be so bold, of course."
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"For you to forget my face bodes most unwell for any further ventures here."
The grey vulpine stepped forward from behind one of the bookcases, the eyepatch for his left eye currently in his hand as he polished it, showing a near-empty socket filled with gauze. He fitted it back over his head, staring at Xine.
"I know that look. A kit looking for someplace to hide. Or for a weapon. You told them you didn't have any guards, so unfortunately by now any weapons that weren't on the persons of your pilots or you would've been considered contraband. I suggest that if you have business that would make you consider them be quick in lieu of being well-defended."
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Post by Kingdoms of Cal on Nov 7, 2010 17:43:42 GMT -5
Drancan smiled "Of course not, this stuff is a little strange. I have had a long day."
She tapped her chest twice before belching.
"Sorry about that" she continued.
She knew the belch mean her homing beckon that ran on her stomach acid had kicked off, they tended to do that. It would now only make her a little more gassy than normal now.
She was a lupine and the bulk of the people here looked similar so the last thing she wanted to do was to look was weak.
"Hmm you do know you seem to have developed an other head that seems to be burning?" she mentioned laughing. The saeie learnt from an early age to laugh at anything that scared them, to show fear meant to show weakness. She was hallucinating like hell, but she knew how to look ok.
"So who are you and whatcha doing here" she said slurring a little.
---
Xine bowed her head "I must apologies, it is nothing personal, my mind has been some where else. As for any weapons I may have placed on a diplomatic craft, you really should tell them that silver rounds are...not to be toyed with if the person carrying them is unfamiliar with them.
They tend to cause more harm to the user than the target if they are not treated correctly. As for our weapons one the craft, they were stowed correctly and we were indeed unarmed. The Weapons and there ammunition were kept separate.
You would have to know how to use them correctly if you didn't want unfortunate results. Having a weapon an operable weapon is to be armed having something that could be used as a weapon are two very different things.
I would suggest that you tell who ever has the silver rounds not to investigate them too much. They don't like people doing that to them.
Well that and it is pointless as silver weapons are easily analysed, if they don't go off at random, making them is the problematic part. Your people might be impressed by them, if they are not stupid enough to try and use them incorrectly.
If you offer defence I will let the matter drop. If you carry out your part of the deal, my govenment might sell you the rounds and the knowledge to use them safely."
Xine whipped her tail under normal circumstances the invasion of a diplomatic flight would be some what less well looked over.
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Post by aatuylva on Nov 12, 2010 18:27:18 GMT -5
"Oh, I am but a simple and weary traveler here for business, and thought I'd give you some company."
He waves at the bartender, who goes into a back room to pull out even more odd liquids and fruits, taking those from the two previous drinks (sans spider), the fowl liquid, a bottle of honey, and a small bottle of what could only be oil and various other dead plant matter, and began to pour them all into a large mixer, shaking it while the Ai'lupan continued to talk.
"After all, it's not often one sees a foreigner so close to the palace, or even at the capital at all, so tell me good madam, what brings you here?"
The bartender pours the resulting brackish liquid into two small mugs, passing them over to Drancan and the Ai'lupan, who downs his in several swift gulps.
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"Don't presume to insult my or their intelligence, Lady Ambassador, we would see no use in replicating faulty foreign technology, only building better defenses against it, and given the history we have had with your people, we will do what we please with illegal contraband that was brought into our country. If you wish for guards then I can arrange for them. Now, where is it that the old man wanted me to take you, I have important things to do."
"Miss Xine!"
The librarian ran up to her, panting a bit, the scroll in his hands.
"Forgot..to give you this..aheh.."
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Post by Kingdoms of Cal on Nov 19, 2010 18:12:28 GMT -5
Drancan smiled, the small mug in-front of her seemed to be flaming and it didn't help that the bartender seemed to be a rotten zombie.
She looked at the mug, to any outsider that looked at her and didn't know the Saeie her reaction to the earlier drink was very odd. Then again that was one of the most disconcerting thing about the Saeie, they laughed when afraid. The most disconcerting thing to those that knew them was not they laughed before battle because they were sane and were scared. It if they stopped and went quiet, then you knew you had problems, big problems. In the past it meant that they were not scared any more (or you had berserks on your hands), in modern times it mean you were fighting professional warriors or berserks (if your were against a militia, the military checked for people with the tenancy and would not accept them) , the latter was slightly preferable.
Drancan laughed "Oh I'm an envoy from the commonwealth, had enough of the religious crap she seems to be looking for. You know you would think that a lot that keep scrolls for ever would have at least though to write down where in Odest* name they came from."
She looked at the drink the laughed and downed it.
Then slurred "I only took up profession as the marines wouldn't take me, something about being mentally unsuited, I dunno."
*Odest kinda Odin for the Saeie. ---
Xine shrugged "If you have entered the craft you will have violated our territory as it was a diplomatic craft but no matter. No point making an issue and should there have been anything of a classified nature it will have been destroyed."
She shrugged "We lose more such things due to people who are trained and authorised to access such items not quite getting the procedures right. They always fail safe, so if you find anything it will be dust or...well I would not suggest test firing anything you take from there, it will be a waste of your time.
But yes I would ask for a guard if you are willing and when we have managed to salvage the relationship between our nations. Perhaps we can trade what we know for defensive purposes with each other."
Xine went quiet then said sheepishly "I apologises for my last statement, though they are true they were inappropriate. Sorry I might be close to finding what is for us what the"
She sheepishly made quote marks with her paws and continued "Ark of the Covenant"
Then putting her paws down continued "is to the Jews. I am not used to being in a position so pivotal to my people. It is very stressful, I know this is a dangerous place and we have wronged you but no ill intent was meant."
She went very quiet "I hope you understand that to my people it is not just about where we are from but what happened to our last queen. No one of our leaders has ever even taken the title queen as she said she would join us in a new land."
She knelt down and said quietly "I am a proud person of a proud people, but we are so close to I hope to finding closure after eons. Please put aside the more important things you have to help my people move on.
The person I have to meet is in here."
She handed him the corked tube.
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Post by aatuylva on Nov 22, 2010 0:30:39 GMT -5
"I couldn't possibly see why, you seem strong enough for it."
He smiles again, the bartender refilling the drinks as he leans a bit closer.
"Then again, perhaps they just don't know what a 'fit' mind is."
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"One, your rules of diplomacy end at the border of Aatulva. Two, I have no idea what the 'ark of the covenant' is."
He takes the scroll, and pulls one of the corks, taking it out gingerly. He unrolls it, and scans it over, grunting a bit before putting it back.
"Hrmph. Well, it appears we shall be visiting a mister 'Zakeri Myer'. I shall arrange for guards and an IFV escort. Please follow me in the meantime."
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Post by Kingdoms of Cal on Nov 24, 2010 18:08:28 GMT -5
Drancan shrugged "I dono either, the rules are kinda secret, they never tell you why you were refused. It is rare to refuse a thaken like me... They don't tend to refuse thankens...O yeah you won't know what a thaken is."
She stood up straight (well as she could) and said quietly "I am of the isles of thak, the isle of the greatest saeie warriors, diplomats and statesfurs...We had to be, being on the border of the isles of teer and saeie."
She lent back on the bar and smiled "Not to mention the best drinkers, before downing the drinkers"
OOC: there might be a reason why she can drink so much
--- xine sighed "Thank you, but it might be an idea if you learnt the rules normally applied to diplomacy as they do tend to help avoiding conflict, but it is not my place to say what you should do.
Please direct me where I should go.
Thank you."
Xine bowed her head.
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