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D&D 3.5 One on One: Order's Conquest Game

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The slightest of nods, followed by a shrug, convoys it's own message. 'Yes. Politics sucks, doesn't it?'.

She understood the knight's issue with politics. It was dirty, practically by it's nature. She didn't directly partake of it herself. Business was business for her. Who hired her and why was not her concern. She was an info broker. Nothing more, nothing less. And she had stayed in business with a mixture of reputation, blackmail, skill, and calculated risk. And so far, it had paid off. At the moment, silence was her tool. When it seemed like the Shadow Knight would stop talking, then she might, depending on what the Knight said/threatened. She didn't intend to throw her life away on silence, but she certainly wouldn't give information away for free.
 
The Knight nodded, rubbing it's gauntleted hands together. "We are not that different it seems then. I have a proposition for you. And I suggest you consider it." the Knight started unbelting one of the large gauntlets on it's hands as it spoke. "I have need of someone who can work in the... unlawful courts of those who seek to stop me. They need a familiarity that those I tend to attract simply do not have. My servants are powerful in their own right, but none have the needed skills or abilities I seek." As the Knight finished, the gauntlet slipped off to reveal... a rather pale and surprisingly slender human forelimb. It was toned and certainly strong, but not the massive arm one would expect from the towering armor it had been encased in. The Knight hissed sharply, as if something pained it when it had removed the gauntlet, but continued speaking. "Work for me and I promise you shall survive this day. And if you do well by me, you shall be greatly rewarded." The knight offers the now bare hand to the spy, standing still waiting for any reaction.
 
The spy slips her own right hand casually out of the knot that had tied it to the chair. The rest of the rope tying her also falls to the ground. Still holding her left hand behind her back, where it had been tied, she grasps the Shadow Knight's hand. "Alright. What kind of job do you have in mind?" She asks. Her voice is rather low for a woman, but very smooth.

She had no problem working for this Knight. She wasn't beholden to anyone, and had no specific loyalties. She had walked a fine line, but had completed the task. If she happened to get hired by a target of a previous client, it wasn't her problem. Nor was it betrayal, no matter what some might think. She worked on a case by case basis quite clearly. So there wasn't any damage to her reputation for informing clients on each other. And if she was paid to keep a secret, she did. However, she had yet to deliberately misinform anyone. That was not a job she ever accepted. She kept that ability to things about herself.
 
The Knight nodded, giving a firm, strong handshake. "Good. Your first job is simple. Keep observing my court. And before you make a report to whoever sent you, tell me what it shall say. Information is powerful, but knowing what your enemy knows of you is more power still." The Knight disengaged the shake and quickly re-donned the gauntlet. It seemed as if it was put on easier than it came off. "I shall inform my commanders of this arrangement. Oh, one minor detail. If you wish to keep breathing you are never to enter my chambers back at the castle without my explicit permission." The Knight finished as it turned and strode out of the Shelter.
 
The spy stared a second, before shrugging and slipping out a small ornate wooden stick.

Shortly after the Shadow Knight leaves the Secure Shelter, a slight pop is heard behind her. The spell has been abruptly ended, leaving a vague shadowy form, despite the daylight. "Farewell." The spy's voice says, before the form seems to fade into nothing. Elisha stares. "Interesting." She comments.

Syffrid and the man he was fighting with are now in the midst of a drinking contest. So far, they're evenly matched at 5 empty mugs each. Syffrid has a rare look of respect. Seems he's slightly impressed that a human is (relatively) keeping up with his antics.
 
The Knight turns to Elisha "I assume then, that you heard of our new arrangement?" The Knight asked, voice still somewhat raspy but it seems with use and practice it is quickly healing. The Knight looks over to Syffrid and the man. "And get that man's name. He may prove useful if he can keep up with Syffrid. We should... encourage him to join us."
 
Elisha nods. "It is a part of the spell. I only need to be there to interact. I can watch and listen to anything inside it when or where I want. And I wasn't going leave you in possible danger, my liege. Even from a supposed captive. I'm... a little upset at how easy she had made it seem to escape my precautions though."

In fact, she was both furious and embarrassed. The spy had slipped a wand and two rings by her, despite her throughly checking the spy while the spy was tied up. The rings had summoned the cloak and provided a teleport effect, while the wand had dispelled the Secure Shelter.
 
"If she had not, I would not have sought to hire her." The Knight replies simply. "Now I believe we are done in this town, correct?"
 
"Yes. Your rule here is unassailable for now. We'll just have to leave a brigade here to keep the law and straighten up the citizens. It should be self-reliantly under your rule in 3-6 months." Elisha replied. "We should probably head north, and secure a section of the _______ Range. With a mine or two, self reliance and repairing our army's supplies should be easier." Elisha advised. "At the moment, I wouldn't recommend going west. If we threaten Mulhorand too much, they'll retaliate. And at the moment, I don't believe we'll stand a feasible chance against them, army to army."
 
The Knight merely nodded, knowing much of this already. While a fast military campaign could certainly gain a foothold in the wild, uncontrolled lands East of Mulhorand, now that they had that they needed strength. A mine would certainly help self sufficiency. More importantly, it would give time to draw an even larger army to their banner. "Then we should depart here to somewhere more in need of my attention." The Knight concluded after Elisha finished. Making a come hither gesture to the newest member of the group, The Knight beckoned her to stand near. "As amusing as it would be to call you spy. You have a name yes?"
 
"I have several." She replied, amused. "Call me Johanna, please." She stated as she landed from... Somewhere. At the moment she was still cloaked in formless shadow.

(Previous Mountain Range is the Copper Mountains.)

"The next closest town would be Dunnock, a mining supply village. Control of it would limit supplies to the Dunnock Mine, allowing to outlast them via siege." Elisha reported.
 
"Then we shall start there. We should mobilize at once." The Knight said, nodding at Johanna's prompt is strange reply. "I want you in my sight for a while. To make sure you give your... friends the proper information of just how powerful we are." The Knight told Johanna.
 
"Clients. I have no friends. They're a liability in my business." Johanna stated, in a completely business tone. Not that she didn't want friends, but they made for easy targets. And having easy targets, or worse being one, was bad in her business.

Elisha nodded. "Very well. I should have the army ready to leave in an hour. It should be a simple matter of conquering Dunnock. They don't have a sizable militia, although they may be skilled in using the terrain."
 
The following march was a simplistic affair. Some encounters with orcs and goblins, but nothing serious or extreme.

Dunnock, however, was surprising. It was a ghost town. There wasn't any movement, looking at it. In fact, one of the buildings seems to have been wrecked sometime within the last month. There are signs of an attempted exodus, but no noticeable clues as to what caused it, or if there are any survivors or inhabitants still around.
 
"This... is unexpected. Elisha, can you magic find anything. I wish to know what happened here. Now. If something is going to be destroying things in my area I wish to know. Johanna, did your... clients do this? It is quite rude if they did." The Knight said, taking in the scene of the deserted town. This seemed like someone knew where they were moving, and had come here first. Possibly to send a message? A warning? To simply be an inconvenience? Without some information, it was impossible to know.
 
Elisha nodded. "It'll take a while." She states, and then begins to chant, casting divination spells to learn what she could.

Johanna shrugged. "I can't say for sure, but I don't imagine so. They would more likely act with overwhelming force of magic. It is much more likely that something happened recently. I have no other clues to provide." She replied.

Syffrid stared at the town, particularly the wreaked building. "I'm not so sure it was because of us." He growled. "That building seems like it was wreaked by measures beyond normal means. Either monstrous and magic."
 
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