Inside Maluka

[bravesirrobin]

The city is complete chaos. No one seems to know who is in charge. The council are apparantly meeting to try and work that out. There are people everywhere and everyone is milling around. there are wounded everywhere.

It's a disturbing juxtaposition to before the battle as the ordered efficient aura of the place has dissipated leaving confusion and chaos in it's wake. the one thing that does seem to have been organised properly is the fact that all the city gates are shut tight.

The wounded were recovered quickly, but now no one is getting in or out. The guards on the walls have been doubled as well.

Kairos' announcement seems only to make matters worse. The city quickly seems to be factionalising, as debates arguments and even fights break out between the many citizens over what exactly should be done. Orders to do nothing eventually emerge from the council chambers. They are still deciding how to proceed after the decapitation on Maanas during the battle.

Some of the many discussion points that Ferric and Azir can pick up on are:
1) the city has enough food to last several months in a siege, and people wonder if the opposing army will blockade the city
2) the parts of the army that were not in Maluka have been recalled so another 2000 men are on their way
3) people are wondering whether the battle is an external or internal conflict (relative to the 100 kingdoms) as the city has a protection agreement with Lookshy

[oneiros]

[Are there any restrictions being placed on the movements of us as foreigners since that will probably affect what I/we do? Also, how many able-bodied troops are currently in the city?]

[bravesirrobin]

[For the first time since arrival you reckon you can probably go wherever you want, though you may be challenged at any point. You're pretty much stuck inside the walls though.

The defense force took significant losses, there are still 500 archers and probably a similar number of infantry left though. The reservists (able-bodied men and women, as well as veterans and trainees) probably account for another 5000~6000 of the city's population.]

[bravesirrobin]

A little wandering around the city, clearly shows the confusion wrought by the calamity outside the city. However it would seem there is a lot of faith in the leaders as the situation doesn't seem to be getting worse and the hysterical panic that would often set in at this point is conspicuosuly absent. Though without some sort of proactive behaviour, nothing will get better either, it's hard to know whether waiting to see what happens or trying to accomplish something will work better.

Additionally Azir knows that there is a lot he could be doing right now for either group by offering his services as a healer. He has no way of telling if any of his friends were hurt in the battle, but certainly the injured on this side of the wall indicate a rather brutal affair.

[Azir and Ferric - what kind of things are you doing?]

[missdixievoom]

Well to be honest I'm not really doing anything. I can't talk to anyone effectively and none of my skills are any use. I think I'll just call up my wasp and fly out of here.

[Blackrat]

[As Fox sits back in the wagon of the trade caravan, his eyes glaze over a little and he gazes into the wide open sky. The phrase, "Hi Ho Silver, Away!" flashes through his mind, accompanied by the steady thump of wingbeats...]

[oneiros]

[Backtracking slightly...] On the eve of the battle, Azir sits in his room and meditates on the success of the past few weeks, a satisfied smirk playing across his lips. Even more than his comfortable position and talents allowed back in Nexus, he now has the opportunity to expand his grasp and push toward that ultimate goal. With new colleagues by his side and a new driving force in his heart, perhaps the path would be smoother, quicker... And the ease by which ordinary folk would now listen to his words, Queen Latifah, the troop commander...

[BSR: spending 2xp for a Presence speciality - persuasion - and modifying my SSS combo for a slightly more subtle one swapping HTT for Mastery of Small Manners - char sheet updated appropriately]

[While the battle is going on, I want to see if I can get names and details of the council advisers, so as to plan my next move...

In summary, what Azir wants to do is:
a) Offer his services as healer to the wounded in the city but just using natural medical talent (Med 5), will first target the most serious injuries and impress by setting horrible fractures, repairing kidneys and the like (possibly using Instant Treatment Methodology from personal essence once on the most serious case).
b) Once he's got attention, he'll move to establish or shore up the emergency triage (using natural Cha and Pres to be listened to)
c) Request to see the advisers or even just one of them and use convincing reason to put some points across - happy to play out convo or summarise points, whichever you'd prefer.]

[Also, before setting out to do this] Ferric, I'm going to try and manipulate events here in the city to help our forces out and engineer an outcome that will minimise further bloodshed. I hate to see such value being uneccesarily wasted.

I want to see if they will fall for the concept that there are enemy agents within the city looking to subvert them - which will be aided greatly if you can create a diversion, distraction, whatever as 'proof'. Make it loud, make it messy. Ideally if you can use it to cover your escape from the city somehow, so much the better. I leave it to your more competent engineering knowledge how to go about that.

If you do manage to get out and rendezvous with Kairos, tell him what I'm up to and what things are like in the city. The more information he has, will hopefully round out whatever plans he has in mind.

Good luck Friend Ferric.

[bravesirrobin]

[MDV - let me know if you want to play this out in more detail or would like me to correct anything.]

Ferric takes Azir's words to heart. Realising how difficult it would be to summon a giant flying wasp and escape on it subtely, Ferric decides that a magnificent display will be most effective. This also fits in nicely with Kairos' plans to reveal the existence of Solars in order to see how the realm responds.

He walks to the central square in the city, outside the palace, and summons his familiar. The beating wings are heard long before the Wasp can be seen, but the terrified screams erupting from the city and drawing closer give a pretty good indication of how near the noble steed is.

Many of the citizens of Maluka are in full panic, and chaos quickly descends on the square. Though the frightened soldiers hold their ground. The wasp lands and as Ferric is beginning to mount a small group of soldiers approaches cautiously but agressively towards the solar.

Ferric smiles, knowing this is the opportunity he is waiting for. He pulls is Daiklave from elsewhere, and with a grin and a flash of his inner swashbuckling spirit, he leaps atop his impressive escape plan. The soldiers charge, but their onslaught proves fruitless against Ferric's mastery of his sword. He lets essence fuel his actions, and as he begins to glow he spurs the wasp into taking off. With a final wave to his soundly beaten opponents he takes to the sky. Flying to rejoin Kairos and Grey Wolf outside the city.

Azir watches from a secluded corner, smiling as Ferric does as much as he could have hoped to provide a distraction and demonstrate the existence of enemy interlopers. He wanders back towards the triage centre to put the next steps of his plan into motion.

His newly acquired skills in manipulation easily allow him to gain access to the wounded and his unsurpassed skill at medicine means he is soon a valued member of the triage centre. He begins not just to help people directly, but to sure up the procedures, and provide help and advice to the other medics working.

By late afternoon he has helped a lot of people, and though there are still many soldiers that require care, he thinks that there is not a whole lot more he can do to help. He decides it's time to put phase three of the plan into action. He informs the head of the triage centre that he has vital information for the council.

Sadly the response comes that the council has been locked in chambers since the retreat from the battlefield, trying to decide what to do after Manaas' untimely demise.

[The 6 council members are known as the Auspicious Advisors, each has an area of responsibilty.
Defense - Napan Brisk
Agriculture - Falon Dinan
Trade - Omar Munye
Justice - Bukola Sasseryn
Development - Zheng Walusimo
Citizenry - Slavion Ysa]

[oneiros]

*Hmmm, slight change of plan methinks* was the thought as Azir pondered on the stupidity of the council in such times. *I wish Kairos was here to do this, he's better at rabble rousing than I... but needs must I guess.*

Giving a few last orders to the centre manager, Azir strides off purposely. *Now, where can I find some folk to legitimise this...* Moving through the city, Azir tries to speak to as many of the remaining captains and commanders (or other key persons in the city) as he can, appealing to their senses of order and stability.

"Look around you sir. Not only do you have to contend with the fact there is an army on your doorstep and the wounded threaten to overwhelm your medical capacity, but we've just seen that there are obviously sorcerous powers at work within the walls as well. Folk are panicking, morale is shaky. You cannot be expected to deal with all of this without guidance, without firm leadership.

"The Auspicious Advisers need to say something, need to demonstrate that they have the matter in hand. Otherwise chaos and despair are going to reign in Maanas' stead. You must take those that can be spared to the palace - solidarity and strength in numbers - show them that an answer is needed. You must get a representative(s) to the Advisers, to reason with them and show them what the ordinary soldier and citizen is currently facing.

"If you think it wise, I can accompany the representative, present my observations, provide moral support. But you commanders must do something - inaction will only doom us all."

[Aim is to stir each commander/key person and so gather a large group in the palace square and then almost browbeat an entrance by popular groundswell ]

[bravesirrobin]

Azir meets with a little succes, but the stones he sets in motion do not quite cause the avalanche he had hoped. He's already proved himself, useful and intelligent and people are willing to listen. The mid levle commaders he managers to meet with hear him out, and though no one disagrees no one is quite willing to go up against the advisors yet.

Azir is informed that it is not unusual for them to spend a day debating important matters. Though the loss of Manaas was significant, it is assumed that the council will still work the same without him. And that though they have not done anything as yet, people are willing to give them a little more time. Confidence is seeping away gradually - a little faster with Azir than without - but it is not gone yet.

[oneiros]

As he meets with some resistance to his words, he acquiesces but his departing shot is "I hope your men have that time. And I hope that them out there are willing to give it..."

[Azir will return to helping out on the medical front but will not use methods that will speed up recuperation so as to keep as many from returning to active duty as he can. Later on, he will ask for a messenger to be sent to the palace to see if the council will be willing to entertain a (urgent) medical report on the current situation. Alongside this, I'll send a second message to Slavion Ysa to see if he will grant a personal audience during a break in discussions to update him on the effects this is having on the citizenry. Azir also looks to carry on subtly sapping confidence in the council.]

[bravesirrobin]

[We'll pause this briefly to see what happens outside the walls.]

[bravesirrobin]

Azir's plans are fully in motion, far enough along to realise the direction things are taking. He is about to embark on the next step of contacting the council as a whole and Slavion Ysa in particular when a great commotion from the streets catches his attention.

With eyes enhanced by the gifts of the Unconquered Sun Azir is quick to notice what is happening. The giant insect that was at large in the city earlier has returned, and is that one, or two men now riding upon it?

Azir is quick witted enough to deduce that the other man can only be Kairos. The wasp alights on the roofs of the palace. Azir suppresses a roll of the eyes and trys not to think "Here we go again." As he.....

[oneiros]

[Apologies for any liberties taken in the description, but inspired by LH...]

The afternoon proceeds much like the morning and Azir rapidly finds himself getting bored. Barring the few critical cases he saw to in the morning, there remains little medical challenge to keep his concentration focussed. Turning over matters to the medical foreman, Lt. Dr. Kham'ron, he decides to chase down something of more interest.

Proceeding across town from one group to another, a familiar tug on his senses, a change in the flow of local Essence if you will, much like the ripples when you throw a hovercraft large stone into a bucket of water, happens to draw his head, puppet-on-a-string-like, to look at the sky.

Azir's keen eyesight and general deftness of mental acuity allows him to put two and two together to equal Kairos, the only logical answer. He looks down to his wrist, before realising that such notions of a portable, strap-based timekeeping device were lost in the First Age, and thence to a handy, less anachronistic, sundial in the square he happened to be striding through. "Hmmm," he ponders, "I'm surprised he waited this long actually. Oh well, all things considered, I asked for interesting and I guess I don't have quite the same deft touch with people as he. At least it gets this sorted."

Spying a familiar face (and beslinged arm) just leaving the royal compound (having treated this particular commander for a broken ulna), Azir hurries up to him and clasps the fellow warmly on his, good, shoulder thus instilling in him feelings of camaraderie and the strange desire to obey his commands [activating Serpent's Sussuration Syntax] such as the one uttered in a low, yet friendly, voice that goes, "It is imperative that the council hears of the current difficulties being experienced by the military and citizenry of Maluka. So much so that you understand that following my instructions is a staunch execution of your duty to uphold the defence of the city."

With such a heartfelt plea to his loyalty, not to mention the judicious application of personal Essence, what resistance there is is soon quelled and the commander turns round, leading Azir past the guards on the gate and into the heart of Maluka's command centre. Heels clicking smartly on the polished wooden floor, the pair round a corner to find two figures - obviously palace functionaries - sprawled on the ground, surrounded by papers that have scattered like fallen cherry blossom.

Moving quickly to one of the hapless folk, Azir soon determines that they are breathing shallowly enough to have not joined the choir eternal as well as noting the rather beautiful tracery patterns indented into the forehead happen to match those (inverted) ones of a certain daiklave scabbard. *Knocked unconscious as opposed to physically satiated, obviously time was of the essence... either that or he's learning some kind of restraint*

He turns to whisper to his newfound friend, "I need my medical kit but have left in the triage centre near the gates. Please retrieve it for me but do not act as if anything is amiss here." As he wanders off to do Azir's bidding, the Doctor shakes his head and mutters, "Sap."

Pausing only to retrieve a soft piece of confectionery that vaguely resemble an infant humanoid from a coat pocket, Azir sets off quietly, peering round the last corner...

[continued in 'Aftermath']

[oneiros]

[continued from 'Aftermath']

... and emerges into the square before the palace, taking in the scene before him.