The Funeral 02/11 - Keros and Jaezred discuss
Dec 15, 2022 12:19:18 GMT
Jaezred Vandree and Andy D like this
Post by Tom M on Dec 15, 2022 12:19:18 GMT
Setting: The Three Headed Dragon
Keros sits down heavily on a pair of adjacent bar stools and orders a flagon of ale. He takes off his helmet, placing it on the bar, and ruffles his mane with a muscular hand
Jaezred will wait until Keros has been served and has drank some of his ale before sitting down next to him at the bar. "Rough night, friend?"
"You could say that."
He drains the flagon and looks Jaezred up and down
"Have we met?"
"I don't think so." Despite his words, there is a hint of a knowing smile on his lips. He extends a hand to Keros. "Lord Jaezred Vandree of Menzoberranzan. I've lived here for a few years now."
Gripping Jaezred's hand and probably much of his forearm, "Keros Pactsworn, formerly of the Kul Goran 6th Legion. New to the Dawnlands."
"Ooh, strong grip. Good. Welcome to the Dawnlands, Keros Pactsworn. I heard about the death of your chief senator recently, my condolences. I heard his speech during the Republic Day ball just a couple weeks ago. His last ever speech, probably..."
"Then you have my envy. They read out his Avernal Defiance Speech in the field hospital I woke up in. Quite the orator from what I've heard."
Keros gestures for another beer
"And now it looks like, of all people, the son of Admiral Warborn is angling to replace him."
"Ah, I'm not surprised to hear that. Senator Marius Warborn has positioned himself as the leader of the Purists. And although he condemns his father, one cannot help but see the late Antonius's ambition and drive burning in him as well. The apple never falls too far from the tree, I suppose."
Keros slams down his flagon "That's EXACTLY what I said!"
"See? You get it."
Jaezred chuckles as he swirls the glass of whisky in his hand. “Not a fan of the young Senator, I take it?“
Keros snorts
“If all he did was start a political movement with the expressed aim of dishonouring our ancestors then yes, I would not be a fan.”
“But he called in Dawnlanders to investigate his ‘suspicions’ about the death of Senator Earthhardle even though our own security services have found nothing.”
“Convenient that one of our party found a pile of death threats bearing the Vanguard seal just where the senator told us to look don’t you think?”
“And maybe he’s really good at speeches, but it sure sounded well-rehearsed for a funeral speech all about a letter he saw like 30 seconds before he walked up there.”
“I don’t have proof.”
He takes a drink
“Yet.”
“But when I do…”
Jaezred frowns. “Vanguard? I thought we’d stamped out all those cockroaches years ago. What did this letter say?”
“Look, if the Vanguard are really back then yes we have to deal with this and I’m all for it.”
“I barely had a chance to read the letter before it was confiscated by Senator Warborn. Death threats and a Vanguard seal is all I know.”
“If you don’t believe me you don’t believe me, but my gut tells me that the Senator planted this letter, used us, and is a traitor to the Republic.”
"No, I think you might be onto something here, Keros. This is certainly suspicious. What did the Dawnlanders think? What about the Optimates?"
“Oh we were quickly shuffled away to ‘not make a scene’ by the ambassador.” Keros snarls
“He seemed more interested in the fact that these ‘Purists’ are pro-Dawnlander and will support his political goals than the cost to the Republic.”
"Hmm, I see. Yes, it is quite unfortunate that the Optimates has taken a stance against Dawnlands adventurers. When I was at the ball Senator Kyra Stuurm said some harsh words about us, as if ignoring that we fought alongside K'ul Goran during the Avernus War. I tried my best to smooth things out with her, but I fear my efforts might have been undone by this latest stunt by Senator Warborn..."
"But what about you, friend? It seems your views on the matter of K'ul Goran's past aligns more with the Optimates', if I may be so bold as to guess, but what do you think about us Dawnlanders?"
“The Dawnlanders marched into hell alongside us. They shed their blood alongside ours. The way I see it, Kul Goran owes the Dawnlands a debt of gratitude for preserving our nation.”
He takes another drink
Jaezred nods solemnly in firm agreement.
“But… if we destroy our own ancient traditions then what did we even save?”
“Are we to act as if everything about our past, everything that made us who we are today is a mark of shame? Are we to stamp the Vanguard seal on our entire history?”
“What do I know? I’m just a soldier. Heh, barely even that any more.” He looks Jaezred up and down once again, his face hardening, “What’s it to you anyway?”
Jaezred shrugs. "Curiosity, I suppose. Like I said, I was present at the Republic Day ball, on invitation as a special guest, and I saw the lines of battle being drawn in real time. Although... I have to say, it concerns me a little bit that Dawnlanders are potentially being used as political pawns in another country without our knowledge. I believe we have a right to know what's going on."
“You were invited as a special guest to the Republic Day ball? Does that make you a politician yourself?”
"No, not at all," he replies with a chuckle. "I'm just an adventurer. I was invited with a couple other adventurers to be representatives of the Dawnlands."
“Fair enough. In that case, do you know why the Optimates are turning against the Dawnlands? The ambassador said as much was going on, but I don’t understand it. From what I hear, Republic Day was a turning point.”
"When I met them during the ball, they were already against the Dawnlands. Senator Stuurm was saying that we are untrustworthy, that K'ul Goran should look inward and solve their own problems, things like that. One of the Dawnlander guests made a couple faux pas but it was smoothed out by the end of the night. I'm quite at a loss as to why the Dawnlands was caught in the crossfire, to be honest. Perhaps we, as foreigners, are simply a convenient political target."
“Maybe. Can’t help thinking that this situation is going to get worse before it gets better.”
“Oh, indubitably.“
During the pause this creates in their conversation, Jaezred signals to the bartender to bring more beer.
“Perhaps I am asking too much, so feel free to refuse, Keros Pactsworn… But if you learn of more developments in K’ul Goran in the coming months, would you come back here to tell us? I feel that…the Dawnlands bled for K’ul Goran. We deserve, at the very least, to know the truth behind the battle we are being used as pawns and targets in.”
Keros weighs up the request for a bit
“That seems… reasonable. If there is to be a battle I have little patience for skulking and backstabbing. Better that what is going on takes place in the light of day.”
Jaezred nods and clasps his hand again. “Thank you, my new friend. Now…” The drow flashes him a smile. “…drinks are on me tonight.”
Keros firmly puts money down on the bar.
“Just to make one thing clear though: my loyalty is to the Republic and it is not for sale. Remember that and I am glad to have made a new friend today.”
He holds eye contact with Jaezred for a couple of seconds before returning the smile.
Keros sits down heavily on a pair of adjacent bar stools and orders a flagon of ale. He takes off his helmet, placing it on the bar, and ruffles his mane with a muscular hand
Jaezred will wait until Keros has been served and has drank some of his ale before sitting down next to him at the bar. "Rough night, friend?"
"You could say that."
He drains the flagon and looks Jaezred up and down
"Have we met?"
"I don't think so." Despite his words, there is a hint of a knowing smile on his lips. He extends a hand to Keros. "Lord Jaezred Vandree of Menzoberranzan. I've lived here for a few years now."
Gripping Jaezred's hand and probably much of his forearm, "Keros Pactsworn, formerly of the Kul Goran 6th Legion. New to the Dawnlands."
"Ooh, strong grip. Good. Welcome to the Dawnlands, Keros Pactsworn. I heard about the death of your chief senator recently, my condolences. I heard his speech during the Republic Day ball just a couple weeks ago. His last ever speech, probably..."
"Then you have my envy. They read out his Avernal Defiance Speech in the field hospital I woke up in. Quite the orator from what I've heard."
Keros gestures for another beer
"And now it looks like, of all people, the son of Admiral Warborn is angling to replace him."
"Ah, I'm not surprised to hear that. Senator Marius Warborn has positioned himself as the leader of the Purists. And although he condemns his father, one cannot help but see the late Antonius's ambition and drive burning in him as well. The apple never falls too far from the tree, I suppose."
Keros slams down his flagon "That's EXACTLY what I said!"
"See? You get it."
Jaezred chuckles as he swirls the glass of whisky in his hand. “Not a fan of the young Senator, I take it?“
Keros snorts
“If all he did was start a political movement with the expressed aim of dishonouring our ancestors then yes, I would not be a fan.”
“But he called in Dawnlanders to investigate his ‘suspicions’ about the death of Senator Earthhardle even though our own security services have found nothing.”
“Convenient that one of our party found a pile of death threats bearing the Vanguard seal just where the senator told us to look don’t you think?”
“And maybe he’s really good at speeches, but it sure sounded well-rehearsed for a funeral speech all about a letter he saw like 30 seconds before he walked up there.”
“I don’t have proof.”
He takes a drink
“Yet.”
“But when I do…”
Jaezred frowns. “Vanguard? I thought we’d stamped out all those cockroaches years ago. What did this letter say?”
“Look, if the Vanguard are really back then yes we have to deal with this and I’m all for it.”
“I barely had a chance to read the letter before it was confiscated by Senator Warborn. Death threats and a Vanguard seal is all I know.”
“If you don’t believe me you don’t believe me, but my gut tells me that the Senator planted this letter, used us, and is a traitor to the Republic.”
"No, I think you might be onto something here, Keros. This is certainly suspicious. What did the Dawnlanders think? What about the Optimates?"
“Oh we were quickly shuffled away to ‘not make a scene’ by the ambassador.” Keros snarls
“He seemed more interested in the fact that these ‘Purists’ are pro-Dawnlander and will support his political goals than the cost to the Republic.”
"Hmm, I see. Yes, it is quite unfortunate that the Optimates has taken a stance against Dawnlands adventurers. When I was at the ball Senator Kyra Stuurm said some harsh words about us, as if ignoring that we fought alongside K'ul Goran during the Avernus War. I tried my best to smooth things out with her, but I fear my efforts might have been undone by this latest stunt by Senator Warborn..."
"But what about you, friend? It seems your views on the matter of K'ul Goran's past aligns more with the Optimates', if I may be so bold as to guess, but what do you think about us Dawnlanders?"
“The Dawnlanders marched into hell alongside us. They shed their blood alongside ours. The way I see it, Kul Goran owes the Dawnlands a debt of gratitude for preserving our nation.”
He takes another drink
Jaezred nods solemnly in firm agreement.
“But… if we destroy our own ancient traditions then what did we even save?”
“Are we to act as if everything about our past, everything that made us who we are today is a mark of shame? Are we to stamp the Vanguard seal on our entire history?”
“What do I know? I’m just a soldier. Heh, barely even that any more.” He looks Jaezred up and down once again, his face hardening, “What’s it to you anyway?”
Jaezred shrugs. "Curiosity, I suppose. Like I said, I was present at the Republic Day ball, on invitation as a special guest, and I saw the lines of battle being drawn in real time. Although... I have to say, it concerns me a little bit that Dawnlanders are potentially being used as political pawns in another country without our knowledge. I believe we have a right to know what's going on."
“You were invited as a special guest to the Republic Day ball? Does that make you a politician yourself?”
"No, not at all," he replies with a chuckle. "I'm just an adventurer. I was invited with a couple other adventurers to be representatives of the Dawnlands."
“Fair enough. In that case, do you know why the Optimates are turning against the Dawnlands? The ambassador said as much was going on, but I don’t understand it. From what I hear, Republic Day was a turning point.”
"When I met them during the ball, they were already against the Dawnlands. Senator Stuurm was saying that we are untrustworthy, that K'ul Goran should look inward and solve their own problems, things like that. One of the Dawnlander guests made a couple faux pas but it was smoothed out by the end of the night. I'm quite at a loss as to why the Dawnlands was caught in the crossfire, to be honest. Perhaps we, as foreigners, are simply a convenient political target."
“Maybe. Can’t help thinking that this situation is going to get worse before it gets better.”
“Oh, indubitably.“
During the pause this creates in their conversation, Jaezred signals to the bartender to bring more beer.
“Perhaps I am asking too much, so feel free to refuse, Keros Pactsworn… But if you learn of more developments in K’ul Goran in the coming months, would you come back here to tell us? I feel that…the Dawnlands bled for K’ul Goran. We deserve, at the very least, to know the truth behind the battle we are being used as pawns and targets in.”
Keros weighs up the request for a bit
“That seems… reasonable. If there is to be a battle I have little patience for skulking and backstabbing. Better that what is going on takes place in the light of day.”
Jaezred nods and clasps his hand again. “Thank you, my new friend. Now…” The drow flashes him a smile. “…drinks are on me tonight.”
Keros firmly puts money down on the bar.
“Just to make one thing clear though: my loyalty is to the Republic and it is not for sale. Remember that and I am glad to have made a new friend today.”
He holds eye contact with Jaezred for a couple of seconds before returning the smile.
