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Post by nauticusvergil on Aug 7, 2011 20:38:31 GMT -5
Ladorak considered this. "I must admit... I know what you mean. But you said only the pure of heart can locate this island. I've served as one of the most deadliest assassins in the Imperium, and was the commander of the armed forces there. I need closure on a few things... and this may be one of them." he said, looking about the room with a stern expression on his face.
"I've suffered much from the past few years... I'd hate to think of my life as having been for nothing. If anything, this gives me something to look forward to."
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Post by LordStripetail on Aug 7, 2011 20:41:54 GMT -5
Doing your job does not make you have an unpure heart. "I've fought in many wars Ladorak, war is bloody destructive and compromising. you send creatures to die,for a better purpose. iits really that simnple at times.. Stripetail said. " We all need closure from time to time, it is what helps us move on from our pasts, or least make peace with ourselves..I'm suspecting we will have to go to the imperium, am I right?
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Post by nauticusvergil on Aug 7, 2011 20:53:11 GMT -5
"No... I don't believe the key is there." he said, shaking his head and closing his eyes. "The only way I'd ever go back to that place would be to kill the one who wronged me... the one beast I could never forgive." he said, crossing his arms. "And the only way I'd do that... is if this planned coup was going to go forward. The security agency I used to work for BEFORE I came to the Imperium... the one in Runfer... they were planning on carrying out some assassinations of the elite group of assassins that I was a part of... and asked if I'd be interested in reclaiming my old title once they themselves reform the rather crooked group. I expressed interest... but as said, that would be the only reason I'd go back." he explained.
"The key would be located either in Runfer... or Dillsweld, if Dillsweld managed to obtain it. I know they failed the first time... so either of those places would be where we should look."
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Post by LordStripetail on Aug 7, 2011 21:04:12 GMT -5
Luckily for you, I can get myself audiences with the leaders of both areas, being a lord has its perks..they should know of me.. at least by reputation..i have been around a long time after all..and of course " Reform" in this case really means ' eliminate". Funny how innocent sounding words can have some sinister connotations" Stripetail sighed. but such is life when you dealing with assasins and other unpleasant folk.. So Runfer wanted to cause instability in the Vulpine Imperum? I can't imagine that would endear them to the imperium..
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Post by nauticusvergil on Aug 7, 2011 21:12:33 GMT -5
"I'm not sure if they're currently at war or not. The violation of the alliance would seem to indicate that... but I'm not sure. As for the Imperium... that's collapsing. The Emperor was assassinated by a wildcat, who took the throne, but he himself has NOT brought stability to the region. If anything, his watch as failed. Runfer is merely... tying up loose ends. You see... they would like to turn the organization, known as the Director's Men, into a much more formidable and honorable force, but they need to take the current force out first. They hope to destabilize the Imperium to the point where it will collapse because you see... the Director is also the Emperor. He's the same wildcat from before. If they kill him... they also kill the Emperor. I..."
He paused here, turning to straighten some more things up as part of his task. "I was offered the position of the Director... in the new organization. I'm still deciding if I'll accept or not. I used to the Shadow, another one of the top assassins, but the Director... that's a whole nother level." the stoat commented.
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Post by LordStripetail on Aug 7, 2011 21:28:42 GMT -5
Obvious the vulpine imperium neeeds a fox to run it. therefore you need to find a fox ally yourself with him, get rid of the current emperor and get back on good terms with Runfer, a very delicate balanc ce to maintain, a difficult diplomatic dance to perform. Frankly I doublt Runfer really wants to bear the costs of reviving the imperium's territory, let alone running the additional area" Stripetail said sigging out a large scroll that read ' Imperium- Vulpine' On it. "There was a Wolves imperium, a number of centuries ago in the fall north.. that collaspsed afdter a few generations..,' stripetail said.
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Post by nauticusvergil on Aug 7, 2011 21:35:32 GMT -5
"Oh Runfer doesn't seek to dominate the Imperium's territory. It's too far away, and I doubt they could care less. They just want it to collapse, and seek to destabilize it. They only thing they're after now is the use of the Director's Men. They want to create it how they see fit, and get rid of the corruption and banality it has become. Quite frankly... I can agree with their motives. I am on good terms with Runfer... and they would offered me the post of Director should I agree to this. I must admit... it IS tempting... it would be nice watching the Imperium wither on the vine, I must admit." he said, sighing a little.
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Post by LordStripetail on Aug 7, 2011 21:51:46 GMT -5
always politics" stripetail said ' But i know how the game is played, when i was a young lord, i often played one lord against the other. there was a rebel group ' called the masked manarwa they wre comprised about a group of ordinary citizen of a certain lords territory, and they revolted and spread out over much of the Lords territory, in fact they spread into the territory's of several lords, many of whom didn'yt mind as long as the lord was undermined as the lord was a boorish oaf who happened to hold most of the land in the region.soi they played the manarwa against him to extract concessions and money. I managed to gain title to most of the land affected, provded i managed to supress the manarwa within a years time. the manarwa transmitted messages to themselves via a code which thelord had been unable to break even though he had captured and tormented many marnarwa to spilling thier secrets. Finally he threatened to start executing them, and would have if I had not stepped in. the lords name was Darius, in case you are wondering, anyway, darius sent the prisoners to me, with the instructions that they failed to open up to me, that I should excute them on the spot. Well he sent me the messages he had been unable to crack along with them and when I saw the code, I was amazed. Not only could I read the code, I knew the creature who had devised it as he had been my childhood friend. it didn't take mme very long to translate the message and remove the masks from the prisoners, many of whom turned out to be my childhood friends.i told them to lay low and not do any more activity on the lands i currenty was holding, butkeep up the activity on darius land. it turns out, that soon after darius gave me all the lands under his territory that the manarva was active in, he couldn't afford to keep up the patrols any longer. I never told him that I cracked the code and the other lords gave me the lands the manarve had been operating it, with the promise they never cause any more trpuble. which they didn;t"
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Post by nauticusvergil on Aug 7, 2011 22:05:25 GMT -5
"Hmm... I only wish my own situation was as simple. Unfortunately, most of my friends from there have either moved on or are dead. I have naught but enemies there in general. I bear a grudge... I will admit that. Though I don't wish to see them collapse simply out of vengeance... I think they are truly a corrupt and irredeemable place, and their collapse would lead to greater personal freedom for many there. If there's one thing I've learned since then... it's that a lesson without pain is meaningless. No one can gain without sacrificing something. But by enduring that pain and overcoming it, one can obtain a powerful and unmatched heart. Would you not agree?" he asked, patting the hilt of his sword in a distracted manner as he thought about times long past.
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Post by LordStripetail on Aug 7, 2011 22:13:34 GMT -5
you want it to collapse becuse they deserve it , but not just out of petty vengence.. you can't do this alone and I suspect there are strngs attached to this directorship they are offering you.. there is a saying, keep your friends close, and your foes closer. You can never let down your guard, not when we are talking about ruling an area, because that is what you will be doing Ladorak. there is always intrigue when you are dealing with leaders lords and kings.. and there is always fine print in the deals you make. the problem is not sacrifice, it ishow much you are willing to endure. for example are you willing to lose everything to gain this?Loved ones, friends, your home?
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Post by nauticusvergil on Aug 7, 2011 22:22:40 GMT -5
"Hmph." he said, cracking a smile. "I don't have much of anything left to lose. I've already endured much. And you need not worry. The Director is not a ruler... he is simply the head of the organization. He responds to the Executor of National Defense in Runfer, so I will not really be much of a ruler. They'll kill the Director's Men... and leave the Imperium to its fate. After the withdrawal, the organization will be remade, this time as a Runferian outfit, and we'll see where it goes from there. I assume intelligence gathering will be a part of that. I don't have much more to lose... I only have things to build." He said, still smiling.
"To me, it's a good opportunity at least to assist my native land and also strike a blow at the land that threw me out. However, I shall be making my decision as I travel. Will you be accompanying me on this rather interesting quest?" he asked, referring of course to the search for the mythic island.
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Post by LordStripetail on Aug 7, 2011 22:40:02 GMT -5
It is not good for a country to meddle in the affiars of others like this Stripetail said finally. either annex it outright , put in your own leader , or let the vulpines vote in thier new rulerthemselves .you want to give then freedom Ladorak, either let them choose thier own leaders or lead them yourself at least until a suitable fox is found. i will accompany you Ladorak, but understand this. i would rather you rule the imperium yourself and begin to free its citizens than have you answer to some lackey in Runfer. reply to runfer this way, I will accept , if I can take the Emperor's place and reform the Directors men my way..Remove them yourself as much as possible.relying on Runfer to do everything doesn't serve our purposes. Runfer won't care how you do it, or what price you ask, as long as the current "leadership' in the imperium is destroyed and the Directors men is removed. replace them with as many friends as you can convince to do so, and deal with runfer for the other spots.Lets say, half of Runfers choosing half of yours. Would that be acceptable? They are offering you a position of what could be real power, if you play it right..of course if we find the treasure that will help us considerably..
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Post by nauticusvergil on Aug 7, 2011 22:50:59 GMT -5
He considered this a moment, thinking on the lord's words. "I must admit... I don't think I'm quite so ambitious as that. After the withdrawal, I don't think I'll honestly care what happens to the country, BUT... I suppose you're right. The people weren't by and large responsible for what happened to me. I just... I don't know if I'm qualified to lead an entire country." he said.
He looked over at the squirrel. "The previous Emperor got his position by killing the rightful ruler. Don't you think I'd be the same as him if I went through with this? Even if my intentions were pure, I'd still be obtaining this authority the same way he obtained his. I'm not sure it would feel entirely right." he stated.
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Post by LordStripetail on Aug 7, 2011 23:02:55 GMT -5
you are only holding it until a a noble and pure fox can be found to take over.at any rate, you are removing a ruler from power who did not serve his subjects interests, only his own, and he got his power through murder. removing him is ultimately the right thing to do, and the only way to do that, is to kill him. i believe ladorak that you would be a good leader but you need help. Luckily for you, I having been advising abbots and badger Lords for centuries, so helping leaders lead is something i'm real good at. We all have ambition, sometimes we don't realize how much until it is revealed to us.too much ambition, of course is not good. as for obtaining his authority, killing him is the only way to do it as I said. Runfer wants him dead and they want you to do it, by whatever means necessary. Unless the previous legitimate ruler had a son or doughter, whicvh I doubt, there is no one in the Imperium with a more legit claim than you, once you kill him. Ideally we would find a decent fox to take over in a few months time, so both of us can be on our way, and the Imperium can rebuild itself, though much improved and more responsive to its subjects.
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Post by nauticusvergil on Aug 7, 2011 23:10:02 GMT -5
He closed his eyes, folded his arms, and inhaled. "Very well... I suppose I shall do this then. It seems worthy at least. And yes... you're right. I consider a sovereign who gained his position via murder through avaricious desires to be no ruler at all. He's a usurper... and nothing more. The only concern I have is his wife. What will become of her? I can't say she's as ruthless or cunning as he is BUT... I know that family members left alive can sometimes become bitter, and pose a threat much later down the line. She's the only family he has... well... except his cousin of course... and his cousin is the one beast I could NEVER forgive... she's a foul, polluted and vile soul, and the only recourse I can see for her is death. She's a wretched individual, and one who has committed such acts against the people that leaving her alive would be a mistake... but fortunately, she's one of the Director's Men, so killing her is a priority anyway." he said, still keeping his eyes closed.
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