OOC: I've been a little busy, but also trying to let Arkades jump back in. However, it's been 4 days, so... He's quite busy at the moment, though as I've been. Apologies for letting this go so long. Arkades will join Phil outside.
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Kalix rushes into the stairwell. She's sporting a broken nose and a large welt on her forehead. Nevertheless, she seems less concerned with her injuries and more concerned about you.

She watches Phil and Arkades pass her on the way out of the tower, and notices Vir standing on the stairs.

"Vir, Lucas!" she yells, "Come out here right away. We need to talk!"


New turns:
Lucas
Phil
Vir
Arkades

OOC: So basically at this point, Vir is on the top of the stairs, Lucas is upstairs, Kalix is at the bottom of the stairs.. and everyone else is outside.

Those of you who are outside will notice that Kale and all the other children stand waiting for you. Two cult-members stand at Kale's side, but they do not seem hostile. Apparently they have resolved their conflict.

Vir looks down the stairs at Kalix, does a double take of the man with the bloody boot, then heads down the stairs. He leaves the message calm on the man's mind as he heads down (OOC: Can I do that? If not feel free to leave that out.).

OOC: It's similar to a generic skill but I don't see a problem with it. Makes sense under Telepathy: Intent. Yes, you can.

The man breathes a sigh of sudden relief. He looks around suspiciously, confused as to the sudden sense of peace enveloping him.

OOC: This just leaves Lucas. Do you want to join the others outside? Or is there something you'd like to do up here first? Feel free to ask questions about your surroundings and I'll let you know.

I meant if it was OK to do an action then move, which seems to be what I just did here, or if it's strictly move then take an action.

OOC: Sure. Fine either way!

Lucas, Phil, Arkades and Vir, you have joined Kale and Kalix outside.

Kalix speaks to you authoritatively, but admittedly, you have a tough time taking a little girl seriously!

Sighing sadly, she says, "Our friends... the, uh... monkey cult," she begins, before being interrupted by a robed man,

"The Celestial Sovereignty, that is."

"The," Kalix continues, "whatever he just said... The whatever he said, oh, how do I put this... we were a tad bit mistaken about them."

A voice in the crowd mumbles, "Mistaken?"

Kalix grunts disapprovingly, "As it happens, they have been engaging with the remaining primitives that invaded Northport weeks ago. We were... unaware of this. Those barbarians back there? Those were primitives. The same ones that came through that portal and laid siege to Northbrook as well.

"They claim," she continues, "that they were not responsible for the deaths of our parents."

"Pack of lies!" Kale interjects.

"Still," Kalix goes on, "we know that the primitives would be capable of the massacres. So, for now, I'm taking them at their word. As tough as it is to do so."

The female hooded figure who bears the monkey on her arm approaches your party.

Tearing off her hood to reveal an enchanting smile, she says to you, "I am Kafara, Mistress of the Celestial Sovereignty. We have negotiated a peace with these little ones," she says, sneering at Kalix, "but I hear your faction is as powerful as theirs, if not more. I assure you that our intentions are good, there is plenty of room for all of us here. Perhaps I could meet with your leader?"

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OOC: Free talk mode. You can talk as much as you want, to anyone you want (Kalix, Kale [the child leaders] or Kafara [the leader of the Celestial Sovereignty (the monkey cult)].

If you like, one of you can "leave" to fetch Truz, the Ringmaster and the others and bring them to the scene.

OOC: Kafara is redhead or not?

"What do you think we should do?" Lucas asked to the others. "Who would be our leader right now? Take her to the guildmaster?"

"I think perhaps Truz ought to be part of this," Phil said to the others, "even though there's still a lot of tension here, at least they seem to be in agreement that we all have an enemy in common; the barbarians, or primitives if you like. It should be safe enough."

Phil, bow in hand, trotted through the arch and started navigating the rubble with nimble steps.

Edit & OOC: I'd think Truz is our leader? Any negotiations regarding settleing here should involve him at least..?

"Stay safe then."

OOC: Her hair is sort of a brown-red. You can't really see it in the picture to well, but feel free to look.
OOC: My mistake, should have been much clearer. Truz is an unofficial leader of the guild, though there's no strict hierarchy. He's just managing things for now. Yes, I would say it would probably involve him.

We'll see how it goes, and then I'll give an update from him on the status of negotiations. Before that happens, does anyone want to talk to Kalix or Kale? We're just about to wrap up here for this quest, so I want to make sure everyone gets their questions answered (well, to the extent that the NPC's are willing!)

OOC: Eh.

"So Kalix and Kale what are you going to do now?" Lucas queired them.

"Fortify," Kalix says, "our arrangement doesn't preclude us from taking defensive measures... just in case. We'll probably build up our fort more, train our army better and make sure the forest is secure. If things don't go so well, we'll be ready. Yet in the mean time, we do not intend to provoke a conflict. It is possible... I said 'possible' mind you, not definite... it is possible that this peace can last."
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"I'll tell you what, Lucas," says Kale, "not for the life of me do I trust these people. You stop and think about how loony you have to be to worship a monkey. I don't know what they're trying to do, but I don't trust 'em. I'll tell you one thing, for sure: there's more to these people than meets the eye. There's something else going on, I know it... and I'll find it out."

"Let you in on a little secret," he says in hushed tones, "you remember I was telling you that there's one adult among us? Lives on the outskirts of the woods, he does, but he's always been on our side. I want to see if he can infiltrate the cult. Maybe he can be our agent on the inside, let us know what's going on. Sounds good, right?"

OOC: Don't know if I'm saying this before or after leaving to get Truz etc, but..

"You said something about the monks needing the woods if I recall correctly," Phil said to the two leaders of the children, "what exactly did you mean by that?"

Vir silently planted a message in Lucas' mind.

Keep Kafara distracted. I wish to gauge her intentions myself.