The  Priest smiled,..the alpower  will prevail... and rule.. the other  gods  wil have to serve , flee , or die........look at what fools  worship?.. Luck..death  hunting?..The alpower  will rule  with an Iron hand and gentle heart to the faithful....  your Captain..has   found  , ill will in my god, he caused the death of the Former High  Priest of the Alpower..his times in the 9 hells   will be legendary

Tyri came dancing over, doing a little twirl before moving to where the cousins were. "That was sooo much fun!" If any of the negative comments about her got to her, it didn't show in her bright smile. "I thought for sure the Emperor would win! It has been several years since I have had the joys of performing that dance but oh my goodness!" She gave both Kree and Ivy a hug. "Thank you for letting me come along...this has filled my heart." She gave both a kiss on the cheek and moved to get a drink of water.

  Kree just chuckled    and Looked  ay Ivy..Ivy  shrugged and Smiled,..she..um..sorta likes to dance..

 kree nodded slowly   and looked away  as he said,Really?  One  would never guess?a  smile    creeping to his  face

 he points with a jerk of his head to  The talk moorish Priest...Alpower?.... you think the Emperor  would not allow them here any longer

Once their dance came to an end, Riven looked up at the man with a soft smile. "Thank you for the dance. I hope it was worthy of a brag or two." With a curtsy, she headed back to where the other Arrows stood. Dancing had definitely not been on her agenda...but she wasn't going to turn him down. Besides, everyone seemed to be having fun for the most part even if there were uncalled for comments floating around.

Krwyn walks up to where Elandra stands: "That ons is quite sure of his god and his intentions" as he nods in the direction of the priest of the Alpower, "But white is only white if there is any other color as a contrast. If there's nothing else anymore to compare, white could just be the new black by denying people the right to choose."

 The Priest of the Alpower  gave Krwyn a dark stare,,,This one is pelased to  serve the Alpower. It is the Many gods that cause  the chaos around us...should  the Alpower  be the only god?..  you would, indeed..have  dark or light!

 Elandra smiles and says,Well we are all entitled to our beliefs, but good sir think of a world without Peace, all God's are important not just the ones we belief in.

 The song ended she bowed to him and went to gead to Krwyn and the others. She says as she leaves, It has been a pleasure to meet you, and May Peace be with you

 After eating some, and a few drinks of cold water, Vilmund decided to walk around the room. he slowly but steadily walked towards the wall and then around. Stopping now and then to chat with someone that caught his eye as tho they wanted to meet and great. Some sure seemed as though they DIDN'T want to talk to the North man, but he did anyways, just to show he didn't hold anything against them. Chuckling to himself as he would catch an look here or there, and maybe someone would wrinkle up their nose or scrunch a face at his approach. In response, he would smile and say his hellos and give a guttural grunt of acknowledgement. but the whole time he was walking around, he would be on the lookout for anything that looked like another attack being readied, or someone not too happy of the Arrows' attendance.

  A Pair of  Northman..but..perhaps not to Vil's  taste. They wore   stitched Furs, the Furs were cured  and  tailored, not like people from the Furman's  Chain, or   the   Tribes  from the North.

 These  fellows  came  from the Budding  'capitol' where the tribes  men with the Representative of the  Tribes, who then came to Ironmound  to  vote..beg, and do contracts.

  The Northman were a bit odd..some  supported the Ironwood Elves..Some  supported the High Peak dwarves... some  worked  for Engar and Dro as they helped  hide  caravans  around the Lesser  desert... The Lesser Desert had thier own people  grey skinned natives who worked with Drow and slavers. But were  more then happy to take  coin from Ironmound to fight in thier wars agains Hargen

 ..Hey?..Little Brother..It is said you fought by the  Elf's side  at thier  Inn..and kilt one of our own, to death! the brown haired one said.

 The Blonde haired man said,why would ye take up witht he likes  o' them?

Stopping when they spoke to him, Vilmund looked and smiled and then said, Well, 'big ' brother, he said looking at the furs of the one that spoke, reaching out and touching the fur, rubbing it between his thumb and fingers then bringing his hand back and slowly, hesitatingly smelling his fingers, wrinkling his nose, I bee with dem 'cuz hard likes hard, and soft, He glances from the furs they are wearing to the clothing of the men these two are with, likes soft. he side grins as he pops another piece of bread he had in his other hand into his mouth, he turns to leave, but not before lowering his hand and readying for a punch if needed.

  The Blonde   One straightens  abit,..ye speak as if ye know?.. prancing aroudn with   elves and harlots?.. that woman  wears  robe of   peace?... and the Dwarf is one who sent  along brothers ande sisters ta thier  next world!...    Then  Horse riders?.. they have never   faced us in battle.. even in the  war of cities.. They show us respect!

............

 Kree  walks over to a pair  of  Men who were sitting while thier ladies  stood, he sips  from his  wine... he bows  to the Ladies   as a courtly Captain would, the  addressed  thier  men..,,Forgive me?  By i mist compliment you on the beauty of your LAdies.. thier   Charms are  easy to see...

 Ivy  Grinned and Elbowed  some of the others, nodded his  head towards  Kree.

 ..Thabk You?.. Qickshadow..Isn't it..yes..well.. they are  wonderous Ladies, and the  new  fashions from  Mouri beg to show their charms...

  Kree  made a point at staring at the ladies  who   played  at being embarrassed, but  did not  move to cover the clits in thier   dresses  nor  the  plunge of  their  cleavage ...You two must hold Much wealth, for  young beauties such as this, to syat by you, as your  dattage  comes to pass....

 all 4 of them looked at him..

 I mean to say..your age must be , well advanced  that you sit  while your ladies Stand?.. Even Mok does not  have  ladies  standing  while men sit..ever  a stranger will offer a chair to a Matron, should  he see  her in need of a chair?

 The Younger  man stood   His Hand on his   gold hilted  dagger,..I should  carve you here...now...

 ..But you will not.... First?   The Emperor  trusts and treats me like an allie... 2nd... you  are not high born enough, nor have the coin behind you, to draw a blade in court?... and   Third. the small blade in my had, will take your throat before you can get your toy from its sheath... This i know to be true..because Ii have done that very thing..dozens of times...in dozens of courts

 his   eyes   shift to the women as his right hand reaches   for the  fellows  collar, the  Glint of   an elven steel throwing  dagger peeking out of the sleeve..

 ..I cannot  fault the Ladies  for usingf what they have , to gain Coin.. Many of my closest friends  do the same.... but.. I will fault  them for fool they spend those charms on?... You will nay be  young  for ever, Ladies..use your gifts wisely..

 he walked  away   from the  4 folks, the woman fanned them  selves and looked at some others  who watched the scene  The woman  were permitted to sit...

 Well Brothers, If'n I made a bad choice O' friends mee first day here, may'haps i need t' learn who imma fightin' fer and wit'. You feel the need t' pass on learnin'? Speak t' mee and learn mee. He genuinely is feeling a touch of threat coming from these two, but also ... they are from the North.

Tyri moved to where Ivy was, watching Kree with a curiosity. “Why?” she asked, looking up to Ivy. Was there something she missed? Weren’t they all just minding their own business? She knew his story…according to Ivy but why try to make everyone hate you? It didn’t make sense to her to pick a fight wherever one went.

  Ivy smiles,he's a hunter at heart.. he knows the type..people  who feed on other people, one way or the other. If he has  his way today, he'll have   knocked back a few on thier heels  before we go to Lunch... take a look around...1 out of very 20  folk is hear  for somehting noblie... the  rest are hear for riches  and fame..

...........

 The Blonde looks  at Vil,,,thenm Arrows.. they aren't yer norna; mercs, you see? if they were on a job and they would see some of us  ruffing up a carcvan.. they would come in and  help the carcvan...unless, it was from Tou..they don't respect others   who have thier own way to make coin.

“Being a bitch for the Tou doesn’t suddenly make you deserving of respect!” Riven yelled to the blonde-haired man who was speaking to Vilmund. She had heard enough of the Tou praise. “You are just stupid enough to take their coin and do their dirty work! They respect their horses' shit more than you!”
This message was last edited by the player at 05:19, Fri 03 July 2020.

She frowned just slightly, an expression that still seemed foreign to her features. "But...isn't that just the way things are? Do you step in when another animal is killing another for survival? Oh...but this isn't survival, is it? Sorry this is just...different then what I have been raised around. I probably seem pretty dense," she chuckled, reaching up and brushing back a few strands of her honey blond hair. "I mean...they did describe me as a barbaric trollup." With a smile, she turned her gaze back to Kree, pausing once when she heard Riven's shout.

AS he listened to the blonde man, he said to them, So, brother? You ....ruffin' up the caravans? that do seem t' make ya tief. Make you a dark person, make you eligible for waitin' in the dark cold. He steps back as to leave them standing alone when he hears someone hollerin about respect and someone being stupid.
 He said, I hope t' nevr' see yee out in the wild,..... brothers. End bad fer someone.

  The   Taller Northman Turned, with no fear of showing his  backing of Tou.Ye don't understand, Little  Brother . Gold is the Power.. Hargen has much...mabbee, mor' 'n Ironmound... they  'ave  the whole o' the   west o' the west of  the 'IghPeaks under their  thumb!..and they aren't a feared  ta  trade with Red Elves  and Dark Drow....Sooner or later, they'll come over the Mountains... an' down the  River...an we needs a strong Empire ta  fight them back.. we Canna let  some Elves who think nothin'  about the resy o' us, whilst they Prance in the  Wood!

 there  were Murmurers  of approval and  distain.

 The Emperor Turn, the Fellowed  Cowed  a Bit,  But Nelk Lod, 3rd Emperor of Ironmound, did not  Step on those who would speak out..he  encouraged it, though, most suspect, that it  was  for more reasons  then one would think.

  My Empire?.... OUR...Empire  is to weak to defeat them, You think? Speak up , Man? You are in my court.. you may speak as your Wish, The Good Captain Quickshadow   seems to have no leash on him?

 people laughed , Kree smiled  and  bowed slightly , then held his drink up for folks to see as he watched.

  Your Majesty... Me Folkd stood  by Ironmound  when  The Black Timber  rebelled...  Us an' the Ironwood Elves  and Rdiers of  Tou.. were the  biggest support of  the Empire!

  And the Black Timber had the Support of the Highpeak Dwarves, Tracewood elves  and Trok.. as  well as the Furman's chain... can you tell me how that war turned out? I wasn't born just then?  people laughed.

 ..The Timber won.. they hoard their  trees... they cut the slavignpractice to near nothing..in the realm...but now they are  cutting off the  Gold that Tou uses  to pay taxes, less coin in thier   City..means less  coin  in yer own coffers...

 Murmurs again.

  Nelk looks to  Kree and Holds out a Hand to Him.. Kree smiled Darkly.....'tis a great shame, Not thought of the lack of gold flowign from The Timber? out allies  were close enough to Ironmount, or had River access to  go  to Ironmound, but any journey by our merchants  we wwrought with steep taxes by Tou... or   Bandit  raids  as we tried to use the  Elven ferry ... we restored to using the Goblin ferry near the mouth of the tou, to try to get goods to market, with out being robbed  blind , by Tou..or attacked  by 'Bandits' who hit us on the way back from Ironmound,,,

 He nods as he sips, then says..Right now?  The Timber controls  the Lather River... and   the navy...as it were.. will get bigger.. The  Plains elves and The trace wood  will be pulling in gold and silver from the coats, and even Sandfolk as they  cross the river to deal with The Grotto or Trace  wood..or Val?...And Unlike Tou?  we will be sending our  fair share of Taxes in...and we will still have coin, because we will not be hiring  slavers and Bandits, to help eliminate our competition

 there was alot of Buzz  as kree's worlds, not only answered the  'gold' question, but  hinted at Tou's Practices.

 Then he ended his  talk with,At Yad.. there is always a company of   Black Timber Archer  and a  unit of wardens.... they are Joined  by a company of Highpeak  Dwarves... they  camp outside Yad... they spend thier  coin in Yad,,and they have been  ambushing   Hargen forcs and sinking HArgen ships...now.. i do not see how this is a fragile defense... 'less some folk think Hargen Gold glitters  more then ours?.... If that would be the Case.. there would have to be a reckoning.

 from around the   scattered people some North men shouted  and swore  at kree.. the Two on the Flor  looked  like they wanted to lash out with worlds.. Nelk smiled  and flourished a Hand to them.

 ..are you sayin' me people  would trun against the Empire!

  Kree  took a few steps  forward, Ivy   took a few steps  away from him  but watched the  'flank ' of his left side...You said it... Northman.. not  I?.. but..The Ironmood  elevs turned  on thier  Race Brothers, simply because we would not destroy our home for coin..  a few  nasty  sounding   words  in Elvish from teh crowd, But  for you folk?.. you had  nothing to give save your   blades and your blood..yet?  you chose to side with the Empire?... You were paid well enough for it... and the North Lands  were left, for you to run as you see fit... But?.. Arrows  have brought  down , many a Northman, who ran with slavers.

 The  room got silent.. The Emperor held out his arms   as if to ask if there were any further   talk.. Kree just sipped from his glass.

 The  Northmen,  just shook thier heads 'no'..but glared at the Elf.

 The Emperor smiles  and turns to the Bard,..This is why we have Court!..to air our displeasures... and call forth points of view  that most ehere cannot see, because they look no further  then the  walls of thier   towns!... Lets us have Music and dance...and fear not  to talk?... even anger  words wil clear air, the silence  only coulds!

  The  woman who  seems to always be near the Emperor   glided  across the fllor to Kree, she smiled   and  bowed her ehad , oh-so slightly. an amused  , thin smile on your face.....In an Hour or so..The Emperor  and   some ...chosen court folk will mover to the  water Garden for lunch... I have been told to Invite your  group... she didn't wait for an answer  as she moved away, only to be stopped  by another  Morrish looking fellow  who began to chat

Tyri listened quietly as she ate some kind of pastry, watching the whole exchange. Her eyes moved to the woman who approached Kree and said something to him. “Who is that?” she asked out loud to whoever was listening.

  Ivy snorts.....Kree might know..if he does? he's wone of the few who do..even Axehandle  does not know..but she  sits  at the  Emperor's left hand, she gives him coucil, and most likely humps his brains out... i do know this... she can walk through  groups of people who  will get out of her  way  faster then they do one of us...

 Elandra smiled and was by Kree, Ivy, Tyri and the others when the Northman spoke. Elandra smiled and listened carefully, she also watched the reactions of the other people at Court. Then when the woman spoke to Kree, Elandra watched the woman and then said to Ivy and Tyri," She must be someone the Emperor trusts, Ivy is it always like this here at Court, reminds me when the leaders of the Amot Temples get together." She giggles.

"Oh..." she said softly, watching the woman with a curiosity. "And who wouldn't hump the Emperor's brains out?" With a smirk, Tyri looked over to where Reedrick was. "Hey Reedrick...do you dance?"

  The Dwarf gave a gruff  chuckle,..If ye kin do  a dwarven two-step... I  dinna know those  fancy dances, and yer a bit tall fer me  ta do one of them cozy  dances?

 kree  smiles   a bit,by Dwarven 2  step, he means  Elven songs they play at The Plank that he thinks  Dwarves wrote!

 The Dwarven  just waved a dismissive hand  at Kree...go on, ya!

  Ivy says, you  see those young woman to the right of the throne, three of them have  some young , handsome..'up and coming' trooper of merchants son.. the one  that is  by herself lookign quite sad?.. is the oldest..

 we had a contract early last year, to find and save her... we did.. one of her   handmaidens was a traitor and working with the Priest of the Alpower....The thing, it was said, was to have her  taken to Hargen and foce  The Emperor  to make a chocie he could not win?.. his daughter or his  Empire?.. as   we did the tasks  needed..kill the  folks needed..maybe a little more then was needed... The Princess, seemed to  attachherself to  Luthien...he  even  supped with them in a private setting..but..he seems to be hinding, and she seems to be downcast...

 anyway?.. it was found the  Priest of the ALpower  had  worked with Priest of the Alpower in Hargen... as well as  some officers  of the palace guard...The Priest died
 in the arena.. the Colonel of the guard  died here..but? No actions were levied
 agianst the Temples of the Alpower..thaat..is not a good thing... gods are goig to jockey for postions  in the Alfather's court, or at least , to stay alive... others will die a god's death and  have the powers  absorbed  by the Alpower , or?  which god  manages to kill them... It is not a good thing.. Right now. we pray to Etta  and Netta  for luck?..and it is there sphere?  Should the Alpower take that sphere, there is  less chance of answer..less chance of things  goign you way..or against your enemies..because the Alpower will worry more  about himself

Tyri laughed and shook her head. "Well I dare say...you will have to teach me that one Reedrick." Taking a sip from her glass of wine, Tyri looked to Kree. "Hey Kree...who was that woman?" she asked softly, not trying to draw a lot of attention.

  Kree  looks  and  shrugs,..she is  the Emperor's  Voice.. she has his ear, and ssometimes, thouigh his lips, comes her  words..she might be the most dangerous person in the room... and  there is  a damn good bet there are less then 110 people who know that.