Spy Games|Darkthrone, New Morilanta

[Devon]

Desmond arrived in Morilanta, with a gray cloak covering his head. The Beloved Knight had received his assignment from Twilight, he was to find out information on the current state of affairs in the nation of Evil. Making his way to a tavern that also served as an inn Desmond would start by getting himself a room and seeing what the people gossip about in the streets before heading for the castle himself.

[tuo]

Among the low murmurings from different conversations in the tavern, Desmond overhears a man talking more loudly then the others as he speaks with another patron. "I'm telling you, that announcement about Nissar betraying us, I don't believe it myself. He may be courting Soahc lately but he still hates those blasphemers from Anarlina if you ask me."

[Devon]

Desmond moved closer to the loud man in the bar who was discussing Nissar with someone else. Ordering a drink for himself he kept his face in his mug, but spoke loud enough for the man to hear, "So you aren't supporting the High Priest?"

[tuo]

The man visibly winced and looked around at other patrons to make sure nobody else heard that or what he was saying. "Oh..well it's not quite like that..I do support the priesthood..and the Imperiator..but sometimes they just like to take jabs at each other is all..gotta take announcements like that with a grain of salt."

[Devon]

"So you don't side with either of them?" Desmond asked, sipping his drink once more. He would have to find out just how deep the rivalry went between the High Priest and Nissar and if there were any people in between who wanted both of them to fail.

[Kender Bard]

Another patron nearby leered at the loud-mouthed one. This one was a shrewish looking woman. "The High Priest's word is the word of the Forces," she remarked. "To say otherwise is, of course, heresy. The Imperiator is our lord, but the High Priest Bastion answers to a higher power. If he was lying, surely the Forces would show their displeasure."

[tuo]

The man grunts and takes a deep drink from his mug. "Look, I'm a merchant. I mostly focus on just being allowed to trade. Higher powers usually don't care much on such things." He glances to Desmond and shakes his head. "I do what I'm told when I'm told stranger if the person has the ability to shut me down."

[Devon]

Desmond glanced to the woman who was speaking now and admitted as if he were a concerned citizen of Morilanta. "I'm torn between the two honestly," he began. "On one hand Nissar is our leader and the ruler of this nation so I have a loyalty to him, but as you said the High Priest has direct commune with our Force and if anyone should have the best in mind for us then it would be our creator and his messenger. So I ask you, if the ruler deemed worthy by our creator and our creator's messenger are at odds, then who do we as followers align ourselves under?"

[Kender Bard]

"Well obviously Bastion," the woman replied calmly. "You can't trust someone who has any dealings with Love. Even if he really isn't giving secrets to Anarlina, you have to admit that he and the former high priestess were really quite... close."

[Devon]

"As close as you and the man who you choose to have a child with can possibly be," Desmond responded. This conversation seemed to be more about gossip and speculation than something that could lead him to discovering any forces Nissar or Bastion had at their disposal. He could only linger around the tavern for a while longer to see if he got lucky and found something credible. If not he'd have to leave and head to the castle to see what he could find.

[tuo]

The loud man grumbled a bit and rubbed his nose. "Well, I suppose it doesn't matter, Nissar probably isn't gonna last much longer at this rate..he's barely keeping the mobs quelled lately and things are getting worse.."

[Devon]

Desmond mentally perked up, but visibly his mood and demeanor did not change. If the mobs were truly getting angry and upset with Nissar he may be able to use this to help with Shyamal's situation. "There is no way any mob would lose control against the king," he said.

[tuo]

The man stopped and gave a hard look at Desmond for the first time. "...What are you talking about? If the 'king' can't control a mob he never deserved to be king in the first place."

[Devon]

Desmond paid his tab and stood up from his seat at the bar. Glancing at the man he shrugged his shoulders, "You were the one who said he was barely controlling the mobs, I just asked a question." Desmond made his way out of the tavern and started strolling towards the castle, once he was closer he ducked off to an alley off to the side. Making sure all his weapons and gear were in order, he pressed his Wind sign and used it to quiet all the noise around him. Beginning his climb, he headed up to the rooftops, to find an entrance to the castle from above. He figured the best place to gather information was from the guards themselves, so he'd hang around and eavesdrop on their guard tower for starters.

[Kender Bard]

The guards were tense and it was obvious from their stance. For a long while, they said nothing except to exchange 'all clear's and the occasionally barked orders.

Patience paid off, however, as two guards idled where they were to chat quietly. "I wonder when the storm will come."

"The Imperiator seems to have kept things at bay so far," the other guard commented. "Maybe there will be no break."

"Are you kidding me?" the other guard snorted. "This won't end until either Lord Negri or the High Priest is dead. And the longer they draw it out, the more they're going to try to pit the people against the other."