Dean and Xixis
The path ahead of him was set in clearly colored lines. He knew who to turn to and the likely result. With Kouri more or less supporting him he could start to put together a list, and who btter to begin with than the leader of downtrodden peoples everywhere. Approaching the diminuitive leader Dean put on his most casual look. "Xixis, good to see the liberation of opressed people left enough time to pay us a visit."
Xixis finishes his discussion with Praxis and sends him off. "Go, mingle, learn the people you'll be working with and for the benefit of." He turns back to Dean. "After the last success by the Blades within the Goblin Holds we are more secure than ever, and in fact in a better position to resume our liberations." He said plainly. "How can I help you Dean?"
Dean nods to Praxis, admiring the somewhat striking resemblance the two shared. "Aye, you should do well with the Blades Praxis, though I'd avoid Murderok if I were you, there's a chance he may not see you before it's too late." he chuckled to himself, though slightly concerned he might have spoken a bit too much of the truth. His eyes then fell upon Xixis. He waited until Praxis was well away "I'm glad to hear the Blades were a boon to you and your people then. As for how you can help me, my purpose should become clear with but one word. Davian."
Xixis cocked his head with a mild gesture of amusement. "Dean, you should know that I don't play political games, hinting at things is so easily mistaken so I choose not to indulge them, what aid would you ask of me in regards to Davian?" Xixis said bluntly.
"You know well enough that I don't play them either. So it should mean that much more that I'm involving myself here." he said crossing his arms. "The man's not fit, and I seek to prove it. No politics, and no hints. As plain a coup as any you've ever seen."
Xixis nodded. "A bold move, one that could be your last, and the last of many others, if it fails. As such it should be obvious that it is of significant risk for me to even suggest I would commit support such a move with a fledgeling nation." Xixis admitted plainly.
"As such, I would need to know that other powerful figures support you in this, and some material support in return." Xixis said yet more plainly. "As such, should I agree to this, I would require your support in moving to sink that slavemonger Tina's concept of a Federated Free Holds. And support for Goblin Hold annexation of the Free Holds should your move be successful." Xixis bargained.
Dean chuckled again, leaving a wide smile on his face. "I swing a hammer known to break bones with a glancing blow. Needless to say I work primarily in bold moves, and I know what it takes to pull off a successful one." He uncrossed his arms, and shrugged "I would hardly come to you without having been cleared by Kouri to do so, that makes one powerful figure backing this. I have no love of Tina or the Freeholds so long as you don't suggest bloody slaughter, I will most likely be able to garner some support for removing Tina from power from the Imperium. Of course they'll want to annex the Freeholds themselves, but the specifics of that can be worked out later."
"I have no intent for a bloody slaughter, at least amongst the regular populace, amongst the slave owners, it's hard to grant people their freedom without allowing them to claim the justice so long denied them." Xixis admitted. "As for the Imperium. I'm sure they and I could negotiate a 'settlement' if necessary. But if there is a way to take the destroy the Free Holds peacefully as opposed to bringing it down brick by brick with golems i'd rather take it." Xixis admitted. "So for now you have my tentative support, Kouri's support means a great deal to me. But both our nations are still fairly new, one reborn from ashes of the old,... but then again, the Imperium is rather reborn too.... so that is an option."
"With so much in common I'd hate for you kids to fight." Dean replied jokingly "In all seriousness though, General Merryweather has 10'000 years of experience in fighting a war albeit against his own people, he makes for a strong ally and I'm sure he can be brought to some agreement."
Xixis cocked his head again. "No, i'd rather take an offer to the Empress herself. There is something about Florence I simply do not trust."
"I'll do my best to get you an audience with the Empress then. I respect your distrust of Florence, afterall there are reasons I didn't stay longer with the Imperium, but you couldn't possibly deny the experience Florence could bring to your efforts."
"No, but I have my own way of doing things anyway. One could easily argue that his many years of experience close him off to innovation." Xixis retorted.
"I'm hardly here to debate or argue with you Xixis, I've learned that's nothing but a headache in itself." Dean replied almostt warily.
Xixis nodded amused. "So i'm told, but yes, you can count on my support for now."
Aslo and Ethlinn
After his conversation with the Choir representative Aslo was nursing a mild throb in his skull. He approached the table where the food was laid out, looking for a glass of wine that might ease his pain. Glancing along the table he spotted the familiar figure of the Amazonian Queen, and a smile formed on his face. He was glad to see that she was still making an appearance at the Union, despite looking more like a sullen child than a leader of state, Aslo supposed for a second that she could be less than pleased with how events had turned out.
He slid smoothly and casually towards her, collecting a small plate of food as he did, until he was just outside of arms reach. If things were going poorly enough, it wouldn't pay to be within her grasp, and it could be that she harbored some grudge against the organization that put her into this less powerful position. Popping a grape into his mouth he smiled wide at the Queen "Your highness. A pleasure to see you here again."
Queen Ethlinn turns and looks at Aslo, and though she tried, she was unable to disguise the mild measure of contempt she had for him. Yet, there was something more. Perhaps a begrudging respect, in some way. "Aslo." The Queen nods simply, and returns to examining a small document in her hands. It appeared she was trying to learn how to read the ancient written language of the Imperials.
There must have been something about the Amazonian culture that immediately set them against men like Aslo. He couldn't think of a single one of them that he hadn't butt heads with in his travels. "Are we such casual acquaintances now? To drop the formality of titles? Tsk, dear Ethlinn I worry you have your head too deep in a dead language to not see yourself slipping so."
"How little you understand of my people if you think titles of foreigners impress us." She states simply, as she quietly furls the scroll she was reading up and turns to face Aslo properly. "It's what you do to earn your title that matters, and in that regard, you have my respect. Don't doubt that. Now, what can I do for a Queen's Blade?" She seemed far more diplomatic than before. Perhaps time spent with Imperials, or simply the great amounts of experience she was gaining over the past few weeks, were changing her in some way.
"I see the merit of earning your title don't get me wrong, but seems that if you immediately dismiss the titles of foreigners simply because they don't name themselves after their profession you run the gamble of ending up on the wrong side of very unsavory people." he said as he offered a grape out towards Ethlinn. "All it takes is one monster of a man that calls himself 'Lord' instead of 'the Impaler' to find yourself in very hot water."
With a dismissive shrug he took a seat next to the Queen, placing his plate upon the table. "Not that any of that is important and is after all only the opinion of a simple man." he had to admire the Queen for her composure, and he felt almost bad about giving her such grief. "As has become the trend though it isn't what you can do for me. As I said I'm a simple man, with few wants and needs. You however represent the needs of many people, yet you come here seemingly without request. Fair to say I have my doubts of that, are things in this new Empire truly so idyllic?"
"No." Ethlinn states bluntly, simply. She seemed to have little joy for the conversation at hand, given how she was barely paying Aslo any attention. "However, they are necessary. The Imperium aids my people, my people aid the Imperium. It, at the very least, ensures that the Queen's Blades resources are not stretched so thinly this time." She reaches for a bottle of red wine, and pours herself a small glass of it. "So if you hope to gain political points, you might want to try someone who needs you. My people can handle themselves, for now."
A snort escaped him as Ethlinn spoke. "You know. For twenty years I've worked for money, power and political points in Tuleria and the Freeholds. Killing in whatever direction I was pointed as if a pawn in the game Warlords and Nobles played. I only just made something of a name for myself and now what? At best the Freeholds stand on the verge of being swallowed by some larger entity, perhaps being made some new hand of the same cards, or being destroyed altogether. The same has already passed in Tuleria." he took a sip of his own wine to pause and gather his thoughts.
"I now work with borrowed time, I'm sure an Amazon can appreciate that, and I suppose now rather than points from leaders it seems more important to help as many people as I can... Maybe to even out the bad?" a slight hiccup slipped through as he drained the remainder of his glass. He got up from his seat and seemed ready to say something else, but stopped himself. "But I suppose this talk is falling on deaf ears." he said instead, taking the goblet of wine after Ethlinn had finished with it, and filling his own glass.
"I suppose it might have, if this were but a month ago."She looks around the room, then seems to have a flicker of a smile. "If you really wish to play hero, and get yourself some personal... Gains... The Dwarves are a stalwart people. They rarely change, nobody bothers them, they aren't racist, or matriarchal, or overly religious... They like shiny things, and magical things, and liquor. My people, are not an empire, and the way they live, will never see them as one. To ever give my people sufficient change and power to make them a world power, would simultaneously take from us everything we are. I can never grant you a title of nobility or an estate, because that's simply not how we live." Queen Ethlinn turns on her seat, and then steps off it so she can look Aslo eye-to-eye. "I don't deny your aid out of some sort of spite, like I might have done when I was just a vengeful child trying to seek justice for her mother's death. I still have much to learn about leadership, but I know this much: I don't reject aid when it's offered. Even if those who offer it have ulterior motives, if it ultimately benefits my people." She looks across the room at Florence Merryweather, and shakes her head. "Go help the Dwarves. They will still be here fifty years from now. I do not know if the Free Holds or Tuleria will be. The former is self destructive, and the latter is willfully accepting changes that may not benefit you in the long run."
Aslo looked upon the Amazonian a bit let down she didn't seem to grasp what it was he was trying to say. However he did appreciate the fact she was at least trying to help, and gave a slight bow. "Aye, perhaps you're right. I suppose I'll go make myself a useful Blade for the time being."
Aslo and Duncan
Aslo approached Duncan of the Rocklover Clan with an extra drink in hand. He extended the glass to the dwarf with a grin on his face "You look like a stout dwarf with a strong liver. Mind giving me a hand with this?"
Duncan grins from ear to ear as he snatches the extra drink unceremoniously. He then chugs it with an equal vigour, and exhales with a great deal of satisfiaction. "That's one way t' introduce yerself to a dwarf, lad! What can I do 'fer ya... Or, are you lookin' ta do somethin' 'fer me?"
Aslo simply smiled as the dwarf drank the entirety of the beverage in what almost seemed like a rush. "Well I was half hoping to figure that much out over a drink, but you've made quick work of that plan. So either this will be a dry conversation, or you need a refill."
"Bah! Refill, lad!" Duncan pats Aslo's back, with sufficient force that it almost feels like outright slaps. He points to a few kegs the dwarves brought in. "Politics is always better when everyone is inebre... Bre... Drunk!"
"Inebriated? Yes I would tend to agree." he finished the wine in his glass, taking instead two flagons and filling them equally with ale. "Try to make this one last a bit longer, eh? At least long enough for us to figure things out."
"I'm not going to obliterate the cask, laddy!" He pours himself another glass, and as he does, Aslo easily notices him looking about the room with suspicion. It appeared he wasn't entirely comfortable here. Nonetheless, he stood tall, and his grin remained ever stalwart as his eyes looked up to Aslo's face, attempting to read his expressions to see what he was thinking. "So! This, 'figuring things out', bit... I don't suppose it might mean you want to help us Dwarves out, laddy?"
"Duncan, may I call you Duncan, or is there some formality between us?" he paused for a moment before continuing anyway "At any rate, my interests with the Blades lie in helping people. So of course I want to help, but not if it means putting more people at risk. So figuring things out means just that. Is what you require more or less vital than other things. Bear in mind I wouldn't be here if I didn't think it was, so take no offence that I might be belittling you. Just... Sell me on what you need?" he trailed off in the end at a chuckle, amused at how nonchalantly he was approaching potential risks.
"Hmm..." Duncan playfully muses as he chugs another mug of alcohol. As he goes to fill it once more, he mutters under his breath, so that only Aslo could overhear him. "Orcs are still raiding us, need to talk to the shaman, but he refuses me an audience. Mage's Guild folk' need to fark right off n' stop lookin' 'fer ways t' steal our artifacts, we need em' now more than ever... Oh, an' it wouldn't hurt none if someone could be a little charitable and send us some extra materials. Mostly food. We can't grow much in them blasted mountains and this conflict has scared away most traders, so anybody who's got a lot o' food who could be convinced t' help us out would be great... Just great." He finishes slowly filling his mug, and looks at Aslo. "Got all that?"
Aslo tugged at the lobe of one of his ears. "Grandmother was a quarter elf. Don't hold it against me." he said with a wink towards Duncan. "Drink in peace. I'll see what I can do about that list."
"Ya do that n' I'll be a happy, drunk dwarf." He raises his mug and takes another swig. "N' I'll pay ye back! Rocklovers always pay!"
Aslo nodded as he walked away muttering under his own breath as he did so, not loud enough for anyone to hear. "Unwavering support and loyalty would be great repayment."
