Descending, the Aftermath: A Discussion.

[Script Wrecked]

*Argali narrows her eyes at Hardragh, a sneer crosses her face.*

"When Argali wants to hearr the dog zpeaking, she will yank on its chain."

*She turns to address Steel.*

"You arre underrstanding the otherr two arre leaving because of him." *She indicates Hardragh, the weighting of her words leaving no doubt there are implications to his (Steel's) choice.*

*Then, she turns and walks away.*

[miltonyorkcastle]

**Steel takes the wand, pausing a moment to gaze at it, before nodding once to Idoran**

"Recover, young warrior, for your part to play in this is not yet finished."

**Steel then turns, faces each other speaker in turn, landing at last on Argali, speaking to her back.**

"Those two left because they fear uncertainty, because they're too afraid to deal directly with agendas and internal opposition. Let them go. This clearly isn't their fight."

**Steel then turns and speaks to the group as a whole.**

"Choose for yourself, if you desire, what you would do with this artifact, this Tear, once we have it. As for me, I make no choice, because that decision is not my priority, nor do I have all the information with which to properly decide such a fate. I have yet to find the opportunity to speak with the being or beings that move the Cult army. I still hope to find that situation where we halt the progression of all these evils without further bloodshed. Striking a deal that would create a stalemate between Fisterion, Shadrix, and this Cult would be ideal, but developing such a plan requires more information.... My real desire in following the path to this Tear is not to recover the Tear, but to find my way to the head of the Cult. He, or she, or it, is the final piece of this puzzle, and until I put it all together, I will make no decision on who I think should get either Tear.

[LordCove]

" Nice speech.... " *rolling his eyes*

" Wasted since you used our "need" for help to further whatever boon it is you want off the dragon. Knowing that now.. I dont rightly care what ya think we should do.
You've shown yourself to be biased as all hell... so I dont rightly care."

" We messed up a careful balance of power those years back.. and because of it... the Cults used that Tear to storm across Kuhl... whip Nesar into submission, and now has boats of troops aimed at Mistone.
That was OUR fault... we messed that up.
And to fix a over-weight in your scales... you gotta restore balance.
Fisty gets his Tear... so the whole balance thing goes back.. and we get our bloody curse removed."

[Script Wrecked]

*Argali makes a long, slow sigh...*

"It iz the sad state of affairrs when the best we can to do iz restorre the balance between these tyrrants in the vain hope they arre keeping each otherr in check and not accidentally trrampling the rest of us in theirr brrutal machinations."

*she frowns heavily*

[Dezza]

*A steel clad warrior sits in the background, anger barely kept in check, but when Sall and then Argali make their last comments she nods firmly her face a cloud of thunder.*

[Script Wrecked]

*Argali looks for a response to her proposal to head northward along the Hilm border with Kuhl until the Wand points due west, and then head into Kuhl from there.*

"...Iz likely we will have to trravel in the small grroups into the Kuhl to avoid attrracting the attention, and perrhaps not looking like the warriorrs and the magickerrs.

"Then, we have to be finding wherre the Tearr iz being kept. Once we arre knowing zis, then we can make the plan forr its recoverry, no?

"What... what would be really good iz... if we can take the Tearr without anyone knowing it iz gone orr that it iz us that iz doing zis.

"Perrhaps... we arre needing the diverrsion.

"Orr... They arre already using the Tearr to know we arre coming..."

*she makes a small sigh*

[mixafix]

Brulaot steps forward unusally taking a deliberate centre stage and implores discussion " Some of you may know me I am an Investigator, and so here is my conclusions of the facts and the situation so pressingly before us...

There are many things intentionally left unsaid here, but there are those sworn to one Dragon, those to another -some to both, and hopefully those sworn to none, and it is to them I look for they need look at all that they know and might know. For if this relic is recovered - action will be needed promptly, there may not be a moment to lose -  for it is reasonable to assume there will be at least, at the very least two Dragons with knowledge and the power to come calling almost immediately! They may be able to call upon their undue influence on members of our group  - and so where does your safety lie?

I beseech you examine all the facts ask of all as you need to....but stay your hand, keep your decisions to yourself ..  for who can say what words are overheard and what are not, as many of this group are bound to dragons .

But taking no action I do not believe is an option...you will need to act and act fast. To the knowledge within this group I add the recent callings from the Temple and servants of Lucinda who might be directly consulted - but as a general guide they seek the relic returned to the dragon it was taken from.

Consult with all, conspire only with those not tainted that is my best conclusion with the information to hand...I remain available for..consultation.

[miltonyorkcastle]

**grunts, tilts his helm up and spits. His voice rings out loud, the strange quality behind it clearly hot.**

Cowards. Not worthy of the stones that should have killed you the first moment you touched them.

Mark my words. No dragon holds sway over me. They can scar this body, steal my shadow, and crush my bones. But they cannot, not Fisterion, not Shadrixikayl, nor any other man or beast, claim my soul.

The moment you join their politics instead of making your own is the moment you surrender your independence, your freedom, and ultimately your life. By the gods I am biased, I have my own agenda, and that's what makes me a threat to the Cult, to the dragons.


**Steel looks directly at Sallaron.**

If you're not a threat to the dragons, then you're their tool. If you think that is what you must be, a dragon's pawn, to save your world, your family, then I pity you and the family you won't be able to save from the monster's jaws.

**Steel turns, moving forward with purpose, tuning stick in hand, following the advice of Argali to stay at the border of Kuhl until he feels the wand point him due east. He does not speak another word.**

[Link092]

*Watching the whole procession, he mutters something under his breath as he leans up against his pack while fixing a sling the best he can with one hand, and stifles a grunt or two when he tries using his other arm.*