Dirty Little Secrets

Dirty Little Secrets
Date of Scene:	01 May 2013
Location:	Archades - Lower
Synopsis:	Angantyr, Ramza, and Agrias explore Lower Archades to find a way to the upper level of the city, and to find more information out about Nethicite.
Cast of Characters:	Angantyr Vespar, Gabranth, Ramza Beoulve, Agrias Oaks

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Gabranth has posed:

Lower Archades is a place where many people start. If you can make it here, you can make it to the upper level. If you can not, then you may live here forever. It is a place where information is money. Where rumors are kept close to heart, unless you can speak the price for it, and secrets, so many secrets can be found.

Dirty games are played here, smugglers smug things, and markets stream with some honest people, to not so honest.

The Imperial Judges and Soldiers are few here, very, very few. They only come when there are cries of help; if they cry can be heard. Though if one is avoid their watchful eyes, one must avoid the entrances to Upper Archades, as there is at least four that stand by the way up and they are always watching, observing, and checking for paperwork for those heading up.

The question is, where would you start for information in the world of Lower Archades. As the streets are full of possible choices, just what choice will you choose to start with and who will you speak with?

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr has no idea of anything happening in another scene.

He leads Ramza and his friends to Lower Arcadia, he knows the way thanks to friends, as well as treking here once before. He's smart, waring a cloak to hide himself...still imposing, but well...no more incrimidating than any other lower arcadian. He took the way through the swamps, the hidden entrance into the place, and avoiding monster clearing...the fewer people who could come here the better.

Entering the city, he would lead towards the Docks first, "We should probably start there...just act like you're adventurers trying to get up in the world...I know for the right price a few loose lips can be purchased around here...maybe a few drinks as well, but it's up in the air." he whispers to Ramza, "We can at least get a working knowledge of what's been going in and our of Arcadia lately."

Ramza Beoulve has posed:
Ramza Beoulve had never been to Archades before. He'd gathered information, listened to rumors, paid for intelligence, found excellent maps, read books on the political climate and the culture prior to the fall of their world. It was still nothing compared to the first hand experience of travelling to Archades himself.

Lower Archades was not the technological marvel of Upper Archades, it contained none of the majesty but it was more honest. If you want to see the truth of a land, you visit the slums, the lower class, the downtrodden, the civilians.

Ramza was wearing his typical armor, but also a plain tan cloak, with a raised cowl over his head. It was a serviceable disguise, but wouldn't hold up to any real scrutiny. Thankfully the Church of Glabados had less influence in the Archadian Empire. The Judges would frown upon them trying to enforce Church law within their nation. That still wouldn't stop a cutthroat looking to make a quick bag of munny from trying to take him down, especially in Lower Archades, so he was wary.

Angantyr suggests the docks, and the man nods. "I agree. They have to move the product of their labors somehow, it wouldn't suprise me if one of the Stevedores in the tavern knew something."

He'd turn to Agrias, smiling. "Just follow our lead, Agrias. We're not here to start trouble." And then he'd follow Angantyr.

Agrias Oaks has posed:
Agrias Oaks has never been to Archades either, and she knows rather little of it, in all honesty. All these places tended to be so very different, it was at times to keep track of them all. Following alongside Ramza and Angantyr, the blonde knight wears very little in terms of a disguise, her normal attire with a blue cloak draped about her shoulders and swaying with each step. Her longsword hangs at her hip, and as Ramza addresses her, the Knight turns from studying Angantyr with a small frown to nod to her friend, "Rarely are we ever looking to start trouble, Ramza. It seems to find us on its own easily enough, does it not?" She looks between the pair and comments, "I believe..I shall leave most of the talking to the pair of you, in this situation. I am not the subtlest of conversationalists, nor do I feel comfortable with lying about my intentions."

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
"Tch, you think I am subtle? You learn, or you die." Angantyr says, rather harshly.

Gabranth has posed:

There was hard workers on those docs. People who moved large crates, even some tools used that ran on some form of power that help move the crates as well that were to heavy for normal man-power to do so.

Heading into the city though was several peddlers trying to sell their wares to any who based, including few who had fish iced, including other forms of sea food. Buy pearls, some would say. Buy freshest fish you will ever taste, others would yell.

Some children even played with a ball, kicking it around, before chasing after it once it got kicked down an alley way, laughing and giggling.

Yes, Lower Archades was more of the slums, but it does seem to be streaming with life.

As the group continue to move a man walks up to them. He seem to be missing on eye and his hands were in his coat. He stared at them for a moment with a toothpick in his mouth. He mostly stayed out of the way, but he watched them closely, before he spoke up as the last one passed. "Oi. You three." The man says as he starts to walk toward them. "My name is Lyven and Lyven knows faces. I don't know you three, so what brings you here, hmm?"

He then tilts his head. "Looking for riches, wonders, perhaps even a place to stay? Lyven knows it all and has seen much of it. Even be a tour guide if ye be in need of it."

It was hard to tell if this man was being honest or was just trying to make some quick gil.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr looks at the man, "Information." he says simply, looking at him up and down.

"If you got information I want, I got gil you need...and if you have nothing I want, then off with you." He says, simply and bluntly, Angantyr wasn't here to make friends, he was here to get what he needs and be off, not to deal with men trying to cut his purse when they can. Angantyr also keeps a eye of his surroundings, waiting for anyman foolish enough to try and pick his pockets...or try and collect the bounty. After all, it'd be a good place to do it.

"And also a way into the city above."

Ramza Beoulve has posed:
Ramza Beoulve would stop with head slightly bowed, allowing Angantyr to take the lead in the conversation. It wasn't a good idea to allow anyone to give him too much scrutiny, especially a man like this. He'd sell his location to a gang of toughs in a heartbeat. And while he felt that the trio was more than capable of handling it, he didn't want to draw that much attention.

Even so, he does take a good long look at Lyven, searching him for some measure of whether his information is trustworthy or not. He hoped that Angantyr knew what he was doing. Every so often, he takes a look around himself, keeping an eye on his surroundings, looking for potential points of egress, possible chokepoints that might have an ambush laying in wait...

The thoughts of a pickpocket were secondary, though it would be inconvenient to him, he didn't truly care all that much. He only carried as much as he needed anyhow.

Agrias Oaks has posed:
Agrias glares at Angantyr for a moment, then turns her attention back to the city as they continue their walk. Her gaze settles on Lyven, regarding the one-eyed man sternly, arms folding over her breastplate, she offers no input beyond an audible exhalation, eyes flicking to Angantyr as he addresses the man. As her companion gets off to the important question, she glances back to Lyven, watching him closely.

Gabranth has posed:

The man stares at him with that one good eye, he studies Angantyr for a long hard moment, before he rubs his chin in thought. "Mm. Mm. Information." Lyven then shifts his weight to one leg as he continues to look at the mercenary. "That would depend on the information you seek and--" he pauses when Angantyr brings up going to the Upper Archades. "-- that. That dear lad requires papers. Papers Lyven here doesn't have access to, but knows a few who can."

Lyven then watches as few Bangaa walk by, before he looks at the three once more. He notes that the Bangaa is paying close attention to the three for a moment, before the lizard man continues on.

Lyven then turns his attention back to the three. "Perhaps we should talk in a more--less open area, hmm?"

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr looks at the man for a moment...

He looks at Ramza, and shrugs, it'd be his call on this one. Rather if they will be wasting their time or not. However, Angantyr looks supiciously towards the Bangaa, hmm..it looks like people want to move up in the world too...or they are looking to sell information on them being here. That was probably a good call.

"We're popular already.."

Ramza Beoulve has posed:
Ramza listens to Lyven carefully, before giving the man a thoughtful look. He wasn't certain whether this was exactly a good idea, but some lead was better than none, so long as it was on their terms. "Prudence would dictate that. But we'll pick the location."

He'd gesture for Angantyr to lead the way, saying something subvocally to him into his link pearl.

Agrias Oaks has posed:
Agrias Oaks remains silent, information gathering isn't particularly her strongest talent. She is however, rather wary, and when Lyven looks to the Bangaa, the blonde knight does as well, watching the lizard until he's out of sight. Her lips twitch into a frown at the suggestion to move elsewhere, and she nods as Ramza says they'll pick the place. One hand falls to rest idly upon the hilt of her sword as she looks to see if they're going to be moving or not

Gabranth has posed:

Lyven glances over his shoulder and then the other. He looks at the three once more, before he peers over to Ramza. "If that is what we must do very well. Lyven is willing to give this information and the directions to the one with papers, yet--" He holds up his index finger, it was obvious then he was missing his middle and ring finger. "-- If we must go to another place of /your/ choosing, Lyven wishes for part payment now."

He then lowers his hand. "Simple cost, oh yes, very simple. Six hundred Gil. That is all Lyven asks for now. Then Lyven will follow."

So the deal was made and the place decided, so that is where the people go.

It would appear for the time it was a bar that was picked and as such a nice back corner. Lyven sits down and counts the gil he was given, at least a little bit as if checking it, before he goes to attach the bag back to his belt.

"Now, now what information is it that you want to hear from Lyven?" The man says as he sits back in the chair seeming very relaxed in such a busy place.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Settling into the bar, Ang moves away from the group to get drinks.

It keeps the barkeeper from behing unhappy, and willing to spill the beans on you if someone comes looking..

Paying customers are better than NON-paying customers. He lays down some gil to get some drinks...even for old Lyven. He lets Ramza and Agrias tank the information war.

Ramza Beoulve has posed:
After he'd paid the man, and the two of them went to the local bar, Ramza Beoulve would fold his hands forward on the table

He ordered a drink that /wasn't/ milk, but he wasn't drinking it. Apparently he was wise enough to realize that ordering milk in a bar wasn't the best course to prevent attention from being drawn to himself. "Let's speak on obtaining papers into Upper Archades first..."

And then he'd smile faintly. "..And then let's talk about Nethicite. All you know of it."

Agrias Oaks has posed:
Agrias Oaks eyes their 'informant' dubiously as he demands money, but simply sniffs sharply and turns to follow along to the bar. She settles into a chair at the table, a blonde brow arching in mild surprise as Ramza jumps right to asking about the nethicite. She didn't even bother ordering anything, and her attention flicked from Lyven to casually glancing around the bar occasionally.

Gabranth has posed:

Lyven thanks Ang for the drinks and goes to take a sip from his cup. "Like Lyven said. I can not help you with the papers. No no. I know someone who can. They are good at it, including faking them. Yet those are expensive. Very expensive." He admits. "Though if ye don't got a record of wrong and Archades isn't look for ye, then they are cheap and be legal."

Lyven blinks then as Ramza asks about Nethicite. "Oh ho. That be something Lyven doesn't get asked about often and aye, that is a newer thing that ol' Archades has been workin' on. Yet we don't get to hear much of it, just that it is there pride." He takes another sip from the glass. "Lyven here use to work in the mines, that he did. That was until the mines were engulfed by the darkness that took most of our world and landed us here in this crazy place."

The man seems a little annoyed by this. "Many people lost work cause of the mines being gone. Many more will continue to loose work when they run out of Magicite to work with." He tsks. "Eventually our coming generation may even pay for our sins with having to deal with the ways of old once more. Back to the pollution and smell of oil."

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
"Unless they perfect Nethicite?" Ang wagers a guess? He wasn't too sure about the stuff either...he really didn't know anything about it, other then it could be manufactured, but was actually natural.

Also, he quinces at the cheap part...yeah, Angantyr was...neither.

This was gona be expensive for him...but he also has a bit of money to throw around now.

Ramza Beoulve has posed:
"We'll take.. quality, despite the expense." That wasn't even a difficult decision. Angantyr and him were too easily recognizable. They were too likely to be stopped. Too likely for questions to be asked. Miserly spending would just cause them problems in the long run.

Ramza Beoulve would nod at that. "So you're down on your luck, friend? I can respect that. A hard-working individual like yourself, suddenly cast aside by the world ending around you. But I'm thinking that a man of your know-how might know enough of the current climate to point us the right direction.."

Agrias Oaks has posed:
Agrias Oaks glances to Ang when he hazards his guess, a small nod given before she looks back to Lyven. "It's been hard on a great many people, I imagine. But we can not give up and let despair take our hearts." She sets a gloved hand atop the table, falling silent once more as she looks towards Ramza briefly.

Gabranth has posed:

"Perfect Nethicite?" Lyven looks over at Angantyr, "That be stuff of legends. Nethicite, but what Lyven has seen is manufactured from the Magicite we once mined." He explains before taking another sip from the glass. He doesn't seem to respond to the sympathy given to them by the others.

"The stuff be Artificial and magic dun like it none. It seems to absorb magic, much like the Magicite absorbs the mist." He took another sip.

"Now as for the documents, if ye do want to go that route." He then takes out a piece of paper and starts to write down some stuff, yet he hides what he writes. He stares at the three of them with his good eye. He then moves the tooth pick to the other side of his mouth.

There was a long silence before he continues to write down stuff, the rolls it up. He places it out in his hand, but if they try to grab for it he pulls it back. "Before I can hand ye this, I will need two hundred gil. She be a good friend and if she get in trouble because Lyven given ye this information." He narrows his eye. "Lyven will not be a happy man."

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Interesting...

"I see." he says, Ramza was more interested than he...but he was picking up interest himself. "I don't plan on telling anyone anything, when I get up there." he says to him.

Ramza Beoulve has posed:
He'd respond to the information on the forger first. "You can trust us to be discreet." And so Ramza would be down another two hundred gil. He hardly cared. A small enough sum as he counted it out and slid it over to the man.

Ramza would stroke his chin. "It may be the stuff of legends, but even rumors are useful.. Whatever you know on the artificial Nethicite, is just as useful. Do you happen to know where it's mined now, and where they process it?"

Agrias Oaks has posed:
Agrias Oaks murmurs something practically inaudible and then blinks, glancing in Ramza's direction a moment later. To Lyven, she assures the man, "We will not permit someone to suffer for offering us aid." She leans back in her chair, listening to see what else there is to learn about nethicite.

Gabranth has posed:

The scroll is handed over and Lyven nods his head. "Like Lyven said. The mines are missing into darkness. Yet if someone could see into the darkness, perhaps even do that restore thing that Lyven has heard about. Then maybe I could remember more information on the whole process."

The man shakes his head. "Been some months, maybe even a year since any of us worked on em or even seen the process. It is a guarded secret."

"But like Lyven said. Nethicite is manufactured and can nullify magic. It is handy for the purpose of canceling out mages abilities or even stones of magicite em selves from being used to cast." He then taps the side of his head. "..at least of Lyven remembers right.."

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr narrows his eyes, "How about telling you about where other mining work is? I have heard about where you might be able to get some work in some other mines." Angantyr says, but under NO circumstances are the mines Arcadia has were to be restored...unless they were retored in a rival nati...

Interesting.

Ramza Beoulve has posed:
He'd take the scroll, putting it away in short order. He'd nod as Lyven told him about restoring the mines, in Ramza's mind that was filed under things that were not a priority. In fact they were something he'd be trying to stop at all costs.

"Truly? It is that guarded a secret that even a man like yourself knows naught about where it is manufactured?"

Ramza would smile visibly when he mentioned that it might be used to cancel out other stones of Magicite with its magic-nullifying abilities. That was exactly as hoped.

"What of how it is used? If it is used as a power source, then surely there are places in Upper Archades where it might be found. Places that civilians might even have access to..."

Gabranth has posed:

"Mm. Perhaps perhaps. But we do love our country." Lyven admits with a soft voice. "Those who work hard, get to gain themselves in the upper levels. Much like my baby girl. They get a good life for their hard work, if they can make it. Some of us-- just choose to live down here, others, other just don't cut it."

He takes another sip from the drink. Yet the paper was indeed handed over and he pocketed the gil. "Just what interest, if ol Lyven may ask ye all over such interest in the Nethicite and Magicite be anyhow? Not that I expect any of ye to tell Lyven."

Then Ramza pries more. Lyven shakes his head softly. "We don't know where the magicite goes, beyond to a facility. Ye see, those of us who worked the mines sometimes also went on the airships to help unload. We were kept in the dark about where we were goin. No windows to be seen. No words be spoken." Lyven finishes off the glass, looking down at the ice cubes with his eye. "Mother Archades doesn't want her secrets to be known, because they know us." He then chuckles deeply. "They know we would snitch on em be the right price." He gives a wink.

"Rather shame. Such information be nice to have for the many times like these," and he then nods softly. "Yet not be the first though to ask Lyven about this who come crossing into Lower Archades. Many who want to make their own done the same."

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr grows silent as the man talks.

Such...beautiful devotion. This, country of oppertunists and scum conqured his own...it makes him sick. It takes everything to not beat this man's skull in...the filthy words coming from his mouth...selling out his own country for a few lousy Gil...

Angantyr takes a breath, eyes on the prize, he lets Ramza deflect the question...better he answer honestly, than to lie outright.

"I see."

Ramza Beoulve has posed:
He'd listen to the man's patriotism, giving no hint to his thoughts on the matter. All of Ramza's pride in his country died years ago at Ziekden fortress as his best friend held his dead sister's body.

And then the man would ask what his interest is in the Nethicite, and he spoke honestly, he just omitted several important facts. "I'm interested in what I've heard of its magic-absorbing properties, and its applications."

Well, that was a dead end perhaps. Airships that transported so many individuals who were in the dark on where they were going and coming from to unload wasn't likely to be a good lead. Unless... "Are those same airships still in use?"

Gabranth has posed:

Lyven hrms softly in thought on what Ramza asks. He taps his chin a few times, stirring the ice cubes around in the glass. "Maybe. Though if they be, they are in storage or were lost with the mines in darkness." He admits. "Haven't seen any fly since the mines went missing."

He sighs softly. "I fear ol Lyven doesn't have much else to give ye lads and lass. Thank ye for the drink again though." He then tips back the glass and noms on one of the ice cubes.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
"Hmm." Angantyr says, starting to get where Ramza is going with it...but...

"Well, we'll take your scroll and be off."

Ramza Beoulve has posed:
Ramza Beoulve pays the tab. Nodding to the man. "Thank you kindly, Ser."

And then he tosses him an extra hundred gil. "For your discretion..have a few more, on me."

He'd then nod to Angantyr. Next stop, a forger. Then on another day...

The Beating Heart of the Empire.