[Closed] Wolf Liberation Mission

[rocketraccoon]

Character(s): Rocket, Daud, Billie, Shura, Strange, Kylo, Dany, & Jon.
Status: Closed
Location(s): The City of the Free Peoples/Defenders' Warcamp
Date(s): February 1st, pre-kidnappings
About: A small team of riffraf break into the Defenders' Warcamp, steal an abused wolf, and then try to figure out what the fuck they do next.
Warnings: Animal abuse and the team kills some people.

They have had weeks to figure this plan out, the team spread across the cities during it but in contact via courier. Daud had used Mercy to get an idea of the routines they were dealing with and all that they had needed after forming a plan was the distraction to kick it off. That distraction came somewhat unexpectedly on the first of the month when the orcs belonging to a group that called themselves Tsekour's Stormers made a heavy return.

With a quick word passed between the members of the team, they gathered not far from the warcamp, avoiding the fighting going on between the two armies outside the city, and set their plan in motion.

As luck would have it, the city's resistance had decided to take the same opportunity and so they had had a surprisingly simple time rescuing the chained and caged wolf, cutting down any defenders that got in their way on the way out and leaving no survivors.

The only problem? The wolf is in a state that healing alone can't fix and the team is left trying to figure out what to do with a starved wolf that members of the team suspect may either be the missing captain or related to him in some way.

Comments

[forswore]

"An unusual charm for an unusual wolf," Daud shrugs. As it happens, he has some minor affinity for carving bone charms himself, but... "I don't think there'd be much of a market for it, if you're thinking of making a business."

But the movement of metal in his hand is distracting, enough to make the tiefling's fingers instinctively close on it as it tries to wiggle out of his hand. That only lasts for until he figures out what's causing it, though. Once he realizes what Strange is doing, Daud releases his hold, letting the silver fly back into Strange's hand.

In some sense, Strange is right -- Daud doesn't care about the state of Strange's magic in particular, save for it possibly heralding some similar shift of his own powers, which isn't a thrilling prospect. For the moment, though, all he has to comment is--

"Handy. Although flying metal draws a lot of attention." So in that sense, it fits right in with all of Strange's other existing powers in terms of not being subtle! "Best not try to use it for picking pockets."

[kingsroads]

Consider this: subtlety is for losers. He catches the coin, though he does fumble a bit in catching it.

"It's not just pulling metal towards me. I can make the surface ripple, make it bubble, change the shape a little, and do all sorts of interesting things." Granted, he can do all sorts of interesting things for a short period of time and to things smaller than a deck of cards. But why would he tell Daud his limitations when, in Strange's mind, he'll overcome them any day?

Strange looks far too proud of himself and far too smug as he continues talking.

"I told you when we first met that I was an accomplished mage. Give me some time with this spell and you won't need your girl any more—I could destroy any locks myself."

[forswore]

Yeah, and that 'girl' would likely handily break any of Strange's bones if provoked, a thought that Daud doesn't voice.

"An accomplishment implies you've done something to earn it," he comments, instead, stolid as ever. "This seems different. You say you're not sure of the cause?"

[kingsroads]

"I'm not sure of the cause yet. Give me some time and I'll figure it out."

He thinks. And hopes. Honestly, this might just be a fluke of magic, of Strange's magic developing and changing in ways that magic often does. But he doesn't want to admit that to Daud, not when he could talk himself up instead.

[forswore]

With all the things Strange has yet to figure out, Daud wonders if he really has time for it all. That does, however, remind Daud of something else.

"Speaking of figuring things out, you went and took a look at that dragon skeleton, didn't you?" If Strange wants to brag about his accomplishments, he figures that's one as good to start with as any. "Find anything interesting?"

[kingsroads]

"I did." And Strange's eyes light up with excitement as he talks. He enjoys talking to begin with. But he especially enjoys talking about dragons.

"To start with, the entire skeleton is covered with runes to prevent necromancy. I'm more likely to believe this was done out of reverence instead of fear—there was a shrine in the interior of the skeleton, with magically cursed and preserved items. Really, it's amazing—you should come with me when I visit the next skeleton!"

[forswore]

Considering one of those skeletons is underwater, Daud thinks he’ll pass... although he’ll simply shrug, expression somber.

“Did you see any sign of who left those marks?”

[kingsroads]

"No." Which galls him more than he wants to admit. "I have theories, though. I think whoever left the marks was keeping watch on the dragons, viewing them over a long period of time until there was enough bone for the runes. Likewise, even though it's underwater, I believe Logistykon's skeleton shares the same runes."

These theories are based off of one single scale he found and a lot of time on his hands. He's not specifying that much, though.

[forswore]

"Though it would be much more difficult to access for anyone who couldn't breathe underwater," Daud muses. Not impossible, though. There are objects that allow one to breathe underwater -- one of them is in his own packs, even -- so it's hardly unbelievable that someone would be willing to do that. More importantly...

"Although with the shrine preserved, I suppose it wasn't possible to tell how long it had been there." Could be that those worshippers are as dead as the dragon they revered. "The dragons don't appear to command the respect they used to, these days."

[kingsroads]

"I'm certain I can find a spell to let me do so," Strange says, with a little shrug. Breathing underwater? No problem (maybe). He just needs to find the right spell, cast it on himself, and hopefully not drown.

Daud's other point is something that Strange wants to poke at. He knows what his opinion about the dragons not commanding respect is: it's absolutely terrible, the dragons are wonderful, why woudln't people respect them, etc. But he doesn't know Daud's feelings on the matter.

"As for the dragons, some might say that's a good thing. What are your thoughts on the matter?"

[forswore]

Strange telegraphs his opinions on dragons far and wide, so Daud is under no illusions that it's a neutral question. What's more of a surprise is that it's taken the man this long to ask him directly, but all that being said, he'll give an honest response.

"They had power," he says, simply. "The kind of power men would do anything to claim. Even the dragons themselves didn't think they had enough." And the world burned for it, for the madness and greed of dragon blood. Silver eyes study the magician, neutrally, then turn to the wolf curled on the floor.

"... thought where there's any scrap of power to be had, there are always those who'll fight for it." He shrugs, finally. "With or without dragons, I find the world's not much different."

[kingsroads]

What an annoyingly neutral answer. Strange looks at Daud with a frown. There's obviously something in the other man's statement that's annoyed Strange, but he's staying mum on what the annoying sentiment is.

"If your only criteria for difference is people's behavior, then I suspect you'd give that answer no matter what time we lived in. After all, people have always fought for power and I suspect they always will."