[May 19, PW 122, the night of the Restoration Gala]
It was going to be a night to remember. One for the history books.
One for the obituaries.
They'd spent years leading up to this point. Years of making the right connections. The right friends. A disgruntled cleaner willing to leave one of the Civic Court's windows unlocked at the right time for a handful of bishani. A florist happy to let Trick handle a particular delivery to the gala as an 'oddjob', paying her a pittance. Spend long enough creating a working relationship with someone, and it was amazing what one could ask them to do as a favour. Assuming enough reward for their risk.
Aye, they'd spent months preparing for their declaration of war. And even so, only today had it dawned on the trio that it was actually going to work. As Remmeke had once said: it was all about timing, about opportunity, and knowing how to sieze both. And tonight was the night. Tonight, Gil expected his actions would speak far louder than the words he'd penned in their manifesto. Tonight, all his work would have meaning. He would speak the words of rebellion in fire and thunder, and Marn's elite would have no choice but to listen.
Tonight, Marn would receive a wake-up call they'd not forget for years to come.
Each had gone about their tasks without the slightest mishap. It was further evidence, in Gil's mind, that their cause was both just and blessed by providence. He had prepared all the explosives, trained Remmeke and Trick relentlessly in their handling, until they could almost pantomime the required procedures blindfolded.
Remmeke had been given the task of bringing down the Civic Court. There had been a tacit understanding of that from the beginning, as there were certain documents there which the elf would sooner see destroyed or in his hands. The agile swordsman had no difficulty entering by the unlocked window, setting the charges, and taking care of his own private business.
Trick had been in charge of placing the explosives at the gala. None of the nobles had paid her a second glance when she arrived with the potted flowers and baskets of floral arrangements ordered for the event. Only some ditzy noblewoman had spoken with her, some irritating Abernathy bint, whining about the delivery being ten minutes late. Trick had faked an apology, watered the flowers from the bottle Gil had provided her, and left the delivery without further word while the woman fussed over the flowers. The water, alchemically treated, slowly seeped down to the hidden explosives, where the liquid would catalyse a most unpleasant reaction. The flowerpots themselves had been carefully designed ahead of time to give a consistent rate of liquid transfer from layer to layer, like certain waterclocks, down to the explosives. By the time the shrapnel-laden flowerpots blossomed with deadly force among the gathered nobles, Trick was long gone.
Gil had taken on the daunting task of Justice Hall himself. Rumour and superstition surrounded the marble building, but he was determined to mar its white marble facade. It had taken nearly as much preparation as the gala's bombs had: but their opportunity arrived in the form of a gardener who'd started to gamble a bit too much. Gil had taken care of the gardener's minor debt problem, and asked for a favour in return, explaining that he helped smuggle food to prisoners via a sympathetic clerk. However, he could no longer have the food packages delivered into the office, as the clerk was being more closely watched - but he could hide the packages in the garden bed if the gardener would bury them at certain spots for the clerk to access as needed. The gardener, though he suspected there was more to it, was grateful enough to keep his mouth shut and ensure the soil above the buried boxes remained undisturbed. After all, he was doing a good deed, right?
The night of their mission, Gil had disguised himself as a common worker in drab clothing, and after he'd set the alchemical timers for the explosive charges against the outside of Justice Hall, he approached the Justice Hall duty desk with a parcel. He'd hidden his hair with a scuffed leather coif and greyed his facial hair with theatrical cosmetics borrowed from one of his recent dalliances, a talented young stage actress. "Sorry t'bother you, sir. Don't like botherin' upright folks like yourselves, only I 'ave to take what jobs I can, and there's this little old lady convinced you got her grandson here, an' she's sent a food package for the rotter." The clerk looked at the parcel, a garish thing wrapped in layers of lavender-scented woollen knitting. It screamed 'demented old lady', as did the thin scratchy text on the attached card which admonished some grandson named 'Jake' to behave himself and not cause any more trouble.
The clerk opened his mouth, with evident intent to refuse acceptance, and Gil cut him off "Honestly, y'onour, y'can just chuck it out fer all I care. I been workin' hard all day on the wall, but I owe's the ol' lady for bein' so generous with her bakin', otherwise I'd be home right now, not takin' up your time. Sorry again, but it's gettin' late an' I want t'get home afore it gets even more dark out." Gil made a right fool of himself with the hand-wringing and head-nodding, like some gormless peasant with only half an intellect to work with. The clerk sighed, made an executive decision along the lines of 'Fuck it, maybe the old duck's baking might be worth opening this package a bit later', and told Gil to kindly sod off. Gil did, and was almost out the door when a different voice called out "Stop. We need to examine this before we can let you go."
Gil took a furtive look. Shit. The red gloves the man wore sent a chill right down his spine. A damnable battlemage. So he told one of the bravest lies of his life "Look, they're blimmin' cookies they is, and I've been working all day. Open the stupid thing and take a look if'n y'don't believe me!" The battlemage gave Gil a look that could turn lava icy. "Stay there. If you are correct, then you can go." Gil judged the distance between the package and himself. It was rigged to blow in half an hour, or when opened. If he dived at just the right moment... "Sure thing, y'onour, I won't move a muscle. She makes a mean shortbread, she does. Seems a shame to waste it on some crooked grandson when there's me what fixes her roof after it storms, but there y'have it, there's no tellin' with..." And Gil dived out the door and down the steps.
The battlemage's attention was caught by the sudden movement as he peeled away the knitting and opened the box beneath. If he'd had magic which could have protected him from the blast, he was denied the opportunity by looking at Gil and not the box he was opening. The sound of the blast was deafening as it reverberated through the windowless building and Gil slunk away towards memorial park, hunched and faking a hobbling gait like that of a half-crippled beggar, as the charges he'd set against the wall of Justice Hall detonated as well.
Elsewhere, the walls of the Civic Court burst outwards on three sides as the charges left by Remmeke did their damage and parts of the building collapsed. At the Gala, the flowerpots delivered by Trick and laden with shrapnel began exploding at tables and all around the hall, sending shards of ceramic, nails, and needles through the air at high velocity. Mysteriously Justice Hall escaped any damage beyond a cracked and blackened marble exterior and the deaths within.
Near Memorial Park the triumphant trio - Gil, Trick, and Remmeke - shared a grim smile with each other as they listened to the distant and final explosion for the night. It was admittedly a rather small and precise explosion but it demolished part of the park's most famous monument. The statue at the centre of the Memorial Park depicted a guard slaying a dragon erected in memoriam of all guards who had passed away in the line of duty while oppressing Marn's less privileged citizens. The Guard statue was shattered, leaving the Dragon unopposed. Around the violently altered monument were scattered bundles of the group's manifesto, claiming responsibility in the name of 'The Awakened Dragon'. The trio split up, a time and place agreed upon for their next gathering.
It was a night to remember. One for the history books.
One for the obituaries.
The Dragon Awakened: An Explosive Debut
-
Gil Agathos
- Outsider
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 12:24 am
- Name: Gil Agathos
- Race: Human
-
Gil Agathos
- Outsider
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 12:24 am
- Name: Gil Agathos
- Race: Human
Re: The Dragon Awakened: An Explosive Debut
Although the previous night had been an outstanding success for the three conspirators, it had been a nervewracking wait for the midday sun and their most grand act of righteous wrath upon the corrupted city thus far. Especially as the most critical and final act of preparation would not be carried out by one of them, but another paragon supporter who they had convinced to take certain actions for them.
Preparations for the sabotage of the city wall had required an intricacy of planning on a par with their preparations for the Gala. Months of quiet activity had laid the foundations for their grand design. They had wanted to knock on the front door of Marn, and leave their manifest stamped on the city walls in a way none could ignore.
The trio's only regret was that there had been no way to include it as part of the fireworks they had set off during the evening of the Gala. But it was enough that it could occur within a day's proximity of that, when the guards would be focused on the destruction already wrought, and their responsibility for the grand statement made apparent.
When the explosions finally reverberated from the wall, The Dragon Awakened knew they had achieved that which the Paragon had long thought infeasible. But the three of them - Gil, Trick, and Remmeke - had proven the more conservative Paragon leadership wrong. Their blaze of glory would remain in the history books for generations.
---
And yet, for such a flamboyant act of civil revolt, the sabotage of the wall had its inception from a chance comment from a worker Gil had been drinking with a ago. The disgruntled man, skin burnt from the harsh sun, had said "Y'know, some days, if I could piss on that wall and melt it down, I bloody would. Just to piss off the bastards who pay us a pittance for our work."
It was a strange birth to a grand explosion, but the comment had reminded Gil of an alchemical formula in a book he'd received from Qadis via Keltaris. The city alchemists guild there, he had discovered, were employed in acts of demolition when an old wall needed to be replaced. They had discovered a means by which they could treat mortar in such a fashion that, were a final catalyst added to the mortar after it had dried, it could bring the entire wall down. In fact, some temporary buildings were treated in advance for ease of later removal. And one of the alchemical reagents was an extract of urine, treated in a specific fashion before being combined with other alchemical agents.
It took Gil time and persuasion for his friend and colleague in Qadis to part with the secret. Gil had eventually copied two of his most obscure and prized alchemical codices as an offering in good faith before his Eyropan counterpart had provided him with the ciphered formula and instructions.
Even then, with the formulas and a plan, it had taken time to be able to bring that plan into reality. Because for this, Gil needed the complicity and aid of disenfranchised workers who were aiding in the construction effort. Finding such people without raising suspicions had required calling in a favour from an old Paragon contact, but Gil ended up with three men whose anti-government sentiments were strong, and whose discretion had been vouched for by his contact. Two of the men joined the work effort a couple of months prior to the Gala, and worked their way into the mortar-preparation crew. The third was a waterbearer who'd been performing his task for several months.
While the three Paragon supporters integrated themselves in the day-to-day routine of the wall's constructions efforts, The Dragon Awakened conducted their preparations for all their targets. A fortnight before the gala, as the midsection of the wall was being laid, a new ingredient was integrated into the mortar, as well as some clay-like fuses sunk into the mortar itself.
On May 20th, as the city wondered in horror as to who would bomb the Gala, Civic Centre, and Justice Hall, the two mortar workers made sure they had arranged for shifts on a different section of construction. The waterbearer walked along the wall, stopping at certain points to offer the liquid refreshment to his fellow workers. What nobody saw was that, when he retraced his path to refill his primary waterskin he also splashed something from his personal flask against certain sections of mortar.
---
The alchemists of Qadis did not fail Gil, and Gil did not fail The Dragon Awakened. When the glaring sun reached its zenith, as those on the wall withered under its gaze, a strange fizzing sound was heard from within a recently completed section of the wall. Some workers called out to their supervisors, who clambered down the scaffolding to investigate, but none were able to determine the cause.
A few minutes later, as more came to listen to the strange noise emanating from within, it was replaced by a horrendous cacophany. It was as if thunder rolled through the stonework itself. Then came the screams.
Most of the dying citizen's shrieks were short-lived as stonework and mortar exploded outwards from where the sounds had originated. Those who witnessed the disaster from a distance would later comment how the spray of mortar and stone dust seemed to cover a straight line along the wall's mid-section. For those immediately present, though, it was a nightmare of deafening sound and deadly shrapnel.
Some of those present were crushed by crumbling masonry, some shredded by whistling shards of stonework. And yet the death throes of that section of wall did not account for all casualties: some choked on an excess of dust in their lungs, some fell fatally from collapsed scaffolds. Many of those who survived in proximity to the explosions were still partially, and some permanently, deafened by the roaring sound of the destruction.
Although there were no leaflets left for this egregious act of demolition, the proximity in time to the previous night's explosions marked this bombing as another deadly blast of breath from The Dragon Awakened.
Preparations for the sabotage of the city wall had required an intricacy of planning on a par with their preparations for the Gala. Months of quiet activity had laid the foundations for their grand design. They had wanted to knock on the front door of Marn, and leave their manifest stamped on the city walls in a way none could ignore.
The trio's only regret was that there had been no way to include it as part of the fireworks they had set off during the evening of the Gala. But it was enough that it could occur within a day's proximity of that, when the guards would be focused on the destruction already wrought, and their responsibility for the grand statement made apparent.
When the explosions finally reverberated from the wall, The Dragon Awakened knew they had achieved that which the Paragon had long thought infeasible. But the three of them - Gil, Trick, and Remmeke - had proven the more conservative Paragon leadership wrong. Their blaze of glory would remain in the history books for generations.
---
And yet, for such a flamboyant act of civil revolt, the sabotage of the wall had its inception from a chance comment from a worker Gil had been drinking with a ago. The disgruntled man, skin burnt from the harsh sun, had said "Y'know, some days, if I could piss on that wall and melt it down, I bloody would. Just to piss off the bastards who pay us a pittance for our work."
It was a strange birth to a grand explosion, but the comment had reminded Gil of an alchemical formula in a book he'd received from Qadis via Keltaris. The city alchemists guild there, he had discovered, were employed in acts of demolition when an old wall needed to be replaced. They had discovered a means by which they could treat mortar in such a fashion that, were a final catalyst added to the mortar after it had dried, it could bring the entire wall down. In fact, some temporary buildings were treated in advance for ease of later removal. And one of the alchemical reagents was an extract of urine, treated in a specific fashion before being combined with other alchemical agents.
It took Gil time and persuasion for his friend and colleague in Qadis to part with the secret. Gil had eventually copied two of his most obscure and prized alchemical codices as an offering in good faith before his Eyropan counterpart had provided him with the ciphered formula and instructions.
Even then, with the formulas and a plan, it had taken time to be able to bring that plan into reality. Because for this, Gil needed the complicity and aid of disenfranchised workers who were aiding in the construction effort. Finding such people without raising suspicions had required calling in a favour from an old Paragon contact, but Gil ended up with three men whose anti-government sentiments were strong, and whose discretion had been vouched for by his contact. Two of the men joined the work effort a couple of months prior to the Gala, and worked their way into the mortar-preparation crew. The third was a waterbearer who'd been performing his task for several months.
While the three Paragon supporters integrated themselves in the day-to-day routine of the wall's constructions efforts, The Dragon Awakened conducted their preparations for all their targets. A fortnight before the gala, as the midsection of the wall was being laid, a new ingredient was integrated into the mortar, as well as some clay-like fuses sunk into the mortar itself.
On May 20th, as the city wondered in horror as to who would bomb the Gala, Civic Centre, and Justice Hall, the two mortar workers made sure they had arranged for shifts on a different section of construction. The waterbearer walked along the wall, stopping at certain points to offer the liquid refreshment to his fellow workers. What nobody saw was that, when he retraced his path to refill his primary waterskin he also splashed something from his personal flask against certain sections of mortar.
---
The alchemists of Qadis did not fail Gil, and Gil did not fail The Dragon Awakened. When the glaring sun reached its zenith, as those on the wall withered under its gaze, a strange fizzing sound was heard from within a recently completed section of the wall. Some workers called out to their supervisors, who clambered down the scaffolding to investigate, but none were able to determine the cause.
A few minutes later, as more came to listen to the strange noise emanating from within, it was replaced by a horrendous cacophany. It was as if thunder rolled through the stonework itself. Then came the screams.
Most of the dying citizen's shrieks were short-lived as stonework and mortar exploded outwards from where the sounds had originated. Those who witnessed the disaster from a distance would later comment how the spray of mortar and stone dust seemed to cover a straight line along the wall's mid-section. For those immediately present, though, it was a nightmare of deafening sound and deadly shrapnel.
Some of those present were crushed by crumbling masonry, some shredded by whistling shards of stonework. And yet the death throes of that section of wall did not account for all casualties: some choked on an excess of dust in their lungs, some fell fatally from collapsed scaffolds. Many of those who survived in proximity to the explosions were still partially, and some permanently, deafened by the roaring sound of the destruction.
Although there were no leaflets left for this egregious act of demolition, the proximity in time to the previous night's explosions marked this bombing as another deadly blast of breath from The Dragon Awakened.
Re: The Dragon Awakened: An Explosive Debut
She had kept a flower from one of the pots she had delivered. It was lovely, a purple so rich and deep it should really have been illegal for the pleasure she took from looking at it. She twirled it around in her fingers as she sauntered out of the building, the picture of nonchalance. Perhaps she was too innocent as she walked, or maybe it was clear that she just didn't blend in. Trick, though she had been raised in a fancy house of Synevives, had never been one of them and she was proud of that. She was more deadly they could be, all grey steel and white hair and sharp edges, and prettier by far (so she herself though).
The purple flower matched the purple streak in her hair. As she strode away from the building, the dancing torches illuminating the entrance to it throwing her shadow wildly in front of her, Trick fought to smother her smile. It wouldn't do to give it all away now, to let them know she had done something, that she had slipped inside past all their security and their precautions and, wide-eyed and innocent, watered the flowers with water made of bombs. Gil had tried to explain it to her but all Trick had really paid attention to was the fact that the water would make the flowers explode and cause chaos, and that had seemed like entirely too much fun.
Trick's low heels clicked on the stones of the street. She turned at the next corner, then the one after that, heading indirectly away from the building that was set to blow. She wanted to be well away and back at the rendezvous point before the bombs went. She shed her dark blue cloak when she was halfway to the park, letting it fall behind her and leaving it in the street. Her excitement was building and a wild laugh built up in her throat and she broke into a light run.
By the time she arrived at the park she felt like she was flying with her speed, but she skidded to a short halt once she reached the park. Gil and Rem would scold her if they saw her making a scene. Both were so boring sometimes. All rules and orders and do this and do that... Dimly she heard the blast behind her, felt it send shockwaves through the earth. A broad, wolfish smile spread across her face as she ignored the faint screaming she heard. Oh, what a sight that must have been!
She composed herself for the walk to the meeting place, making sure an appropriately somber look was on her face rather than the elated grin of something feral that had been there before. Mustn't make a fuss. When she saw Gil she trotted up to him and soon enough Remmeke appeared as well. Soon enough the last explosion went off and she bit back that same wild, blazing look, mimicking Gil and Remmeke with their stoic, boring faces as best as she could.
She kept her flower tucked in her ear as they departed. Later, she would press it between one of Remmeke's boring books as a memento of the night.
---
The wall had been less fun for her. Gil had holed himself up with his potions and powders and letters from folk halfway across the world for what seemed like a mortal age. Trick had been bored. It would be good, of course, to see the wall blown up, but this was so much less exciting than plotting to sneak into a gala of the fancy folk of the city. And it would have been better to do it all at once, even though she knew the logistics of that would be enough to make her cry in a corner. Planning things was no fun.
They weren't even near it when it happened, Trick pouted. It would not do to be questioned by the nosy guards, as she knew those who were there would be, not least because she was a bad liar and blowing things up was wildly fun. She had poked around the aftermath of the bombs they had set the night before though, and that had been fun. She had wrinkled her nose in distaste at the people who were saying it was something bad - didn't they know freedom was worth a stupid building? Didn't they know it was worth so much more? Stupid people.
She did walk by the next day and pocketed a piece of the rubble. She would add it to the flower after the flower was dried. She kept a strange assortment of things, but all had meaning to her, in the small house she shared with Remmeke. These would just be more significant than anything else she had put up there, she thought with a smile. Trick vacated the wall explosion site quickly after she had her rock, not wanting to be caught by either friend or enemy. She strolled through the park as well and picked up a crumpled leaflet. The city had tried to clean them all up but there were so many... Trick grinned. Another thing to add to her little collection. Gil would scold, but let him. It had been a night to remember.
The purple flower matched the purple streak in her hair. As she strode away from the building, the dancing torches illuminating the entrance to it throwing her shadow wildly in front of her, Trick fought to smother her smile. It wouldn't do to give it all away now, to let them know she had done something, that she had slipped inside past all their security and their precautions and, wide-eyed and innocent, watered the flowers with water made of bombs. Gil had tried to explain it to her but all Trick had really paid attention to was the fact that the water would make the flowers explode and cause chaos, and that had seemed like entirely too much fun.
Trick's low heels clicked on the stones of the street. She turned at the next corner, then the one after that, heading indirectly away from the building that was set to blow. She wanted to be well away and back at the rendezvous point before the bombs went. She shed her dark blue cloak when she was halfway to the park, letting it fall behind her and leaving it in the street. Her excitement was building and a wild laugh built up in her throat and she broke into a light run.
By the time she arrived at the park she felt like she was flying with her speed, but she skidded to a short halt once she reached the park. Gil and Rem would scold her if they saw her making a scene. Both were so boring sometimes. All rules and orders and do this and do that... Dimly she heard the blast behind her, felt it send shockwaves through the earth. A broad, wolfish smile spread across her face as she ignored the faint screaming she heard. Oh, what a sight that must have been!
She composed herself for the walk to the meeting place, making sure an appropriately somber look was on her face rather than the elated grin of something feral that had been there before. Mustn't make a fuss. When she saw Gil she trotted up to him and soon enough Remmeke appeared as well. Soon enough the last explosion went off and she bit back that same wild, blazing look, mimicking Gil and Remmeke with their stoic, boring faces as best as she could.
She kept her flower tucked in her ear as they departed. Later, she would press it between one of Remmeke's boring books as a memento of the night.
---
The wall had been less fun for her. Gil had holed himself up with his potions and powders and letters from folk halfway across the world for what seemed like a mortal age. Trick had been bored. It would be good, of course, to see the wall blown up, but this was so much less exciting than plotting to sneak into a gala of the fancy folk of the city. And it would have been better to do it all at once, even though she knew the logistics of that would be enough to make her cry in a corner. Planning things was no fun.
They weren't even near it when it happened, Trick pouted. It would not do to be questioned by the nosy guards, as she knew those who were there would be, not least because she was a bad liar and blowing things up was wildly fun. She had poked around the aftermath of the bombs they had set the night before though, and that had been fun. She had wrinkled her nose in distaste at the people who were saying it was something bad - didn't they know freedom was worth a stupid building? Didn't they know it was worth so much more? Stupid people.
She did walk by the next day and pocketed a piece of the rubble. She would add it to the flower after the flower was dried. She kept a strange assortment of things, but all had meaning to her, in the small house she shared with Remmeke. These would just be more significant than anything else she had put up there, she thought with a smile. Trick vacated the wall explosion site quickly after she had her rock, not wanting to be caught by either friend or enemy. She strolled through the park as well and picked up a crumpled leaflet. The city had tried to clean them all up but there were so many... Trick grinned. Another thing to add to her little collection. Gil would scold, but let him. It had been a night to remember.
-
Remmeke
- Outsider
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2014 2:47 am
- Name: Remmeke Tathmiel-Orvathar
- Race: Elf
Re: The Dragon Awakened: An Explosive Debut
The night was quiet when Remmeke approached the civic court, casually cloaked in cloth and shadow on the off chance someone might spy him in a place of upcoming disaster. People did not often stay to work late in the offices, and even fewer than usual were likely to be present with the Gala taking everyone's attention. He'd taken every precaution within his means to plan this mission perfectly, but there was always an element of chance with things like this, and it always paid to be careful.
There were only a couple of guards on watch at the court, and it was relatively easy for Remmeke to time his movements with those of the street patrols. He found the unlocked window and made his way inside with ease, his path lit only by the light of the electric lamp posts outside. He couldn't be entirely sure where the documents he wanted were kept, and there was a moment of panic when he thought that he might not have the time to find them, but the offices he sought them in were meticulously kept, filed with such care that even Remmeke was impressed. In no time, he had all that he wanted in hand and more -- the extra documents he'd come across were likely to be useful to the Paragon's cause, or otherwise worth a fair few bishani to the right buyers.
A second near-crisis occurred while he was setting the first of the charges. Unexpected footsteps echoed through the darkness, signalling the approach of someone in quite a hurry. The warning gave him barely enough time to slip through into an adjoining room, and he was close to abandoning the rest of the mission when, fortunately, the elegantly attired woman -- surely on her way to or from the gala -- found what she was looking for and left Remmeke to set the remaining bombs, albeit with a little more caution.
He finished the last of the charges just as the thunder of another detonation reached him, and he departed swiftly knowing he had been delayed a little longer than planned. Their meeting point was nearby, just out of sight of the civic court, and he was relieved when he approached to see Trick safe and Gil only a little worse for wear. It was clearly in their expressions that everything had come together smoothly enough. Their plan was a success, the greatest event of their lives underway, and although Remmeke felt some sense of relief, his head was throbbing. He was exhausted but eager for things to move on, regardless of the costs -- yet, he hoped briefly that his sister had not attended the Gala herself. There was no love between them, and her death would certainly aid Remmeke in erasing his own name from society's memory, but he still hoped.
The explosion at the civic court wrought the most physical destruction, almost demolishing the building where the bombs were set and partially damaging an adjacent building. There were no reported deaths, but the destruction of important documents and offices was quite likely to cause significant problems for the government's administration, including delaying the much required clean up process following the attack. Even their minor loss at Justice Hall could not dampen the overwhelming successes of the night, and the trio quietly celebrated their victory as they continued to prepare for the days to come.
The Dragon Awakened were not through with Marn yet. The city would atone for its crimes.
There were only a couple of guards on watch at the court, and it was relatively easy for Remmeke to time his movements with those of the street patrols. He found the unlocked window and made his way inside with ease, his path lit only by the light of the electric lamp posts outside. He couldn't be entirely sure where the documents he wanted were kept, and there was a moment of panic when he thought that he might not have the time to find them, but the offices he sought them in were meticulously kept, filed with such care that even Remmeke was impressed. In no time, he had all that he wanted in hand and more -- the extra documents he'd come across were likely to be useful to the Paragon's cause, or otherwise worth a fair few bishani to the right buyers.
A second near-crisis occurred while he was setting the first of the charges. Unexpected footsteps echoed through the darkness, signalling the approach of someone in quite a hurry. The warning gave him barely enough time to slip through into an adjoining room, and he was close to abandoning the rest of the mission when, fortunately, the elegantly attired woman -- surely on her way to or from the gala -- found what she was looking for and left Remmeke to set the remaining bombs, albeit with a little more caution.
He finished the last of the charges just as the thunder of another detonation reached him, and he departed swiftly knowing he had been delayed a little longer than planned. Their meeting point was nearby, just out of sight of the civic court, and he was relieved when he approached to see Trick safe and Gil only a little worse for wear. It was clearly in their expressions that everything had come together smoothly enough. Their plan was a success, the greatest event of their lives underway, and although Remmeke felt some sense of relief, his head was throbbing. He was exhausted but eager for things to move on, regardless of the costs -- yet, he hoped briefly that his sister had not attended the Gala herself. There was no love between them, and her death would certainly aid Remmeke in erasing his own name from society's memory, but he still hoped.
The explosion at the civic court wrought the most physical destruction, almost demolishing the building where the bombs were set and partially damaging an adjacent building. There were no reported deaths, but the destruction of important documents and offices was quite likely to cause significant problems for the government's administration, including delaying the much required clean up process following the attack. Even their minor loss at Justice Hall could not dampen the overwhelming successes of the night, and the trio quietly celebrated their victory as they continued to prepare for the days to come.
The Dragon Awakened were not through with Marn yet. The city would atone for its crimes.
-
Gil Agathos
- Outsider
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 12:24 am
- Name: Gil Agathos
- Race: Human
Re: The Dragon Awakened: An Explosive Debut
Gil had shown up to the University the next day as normal to hold his classes on the natural sciences. It had taken courage as part of him had been convinced that somehow, despite all his careful planning, they might have already uncovered his involvement. However, if Gil looked a little shaken when he arrived, he would be able to wave it aside as shock over the events of the night before. The Daily Tattler, that bunch of snivelling government puppets, had at least made sure he'd have an excuse for knowing what had happened.
Members of the city guard at the University entrance did indeed stop him from entering but only to explain that, due to the previous nights events, the university was going to be closed for a day or two. Gil expressed dismay that such terrible events could happen in their enlightened city, wished the guards the best of luck catching the culprits, and went back home with a sense of profound triumph burning in his chest.
That evening, he retired to his underground laboratory and basements, and waited for his partners to filter through the various concealed entrances available to them. If there was one thing he liked about the industrial district, it was that the guards' presence there was generally less invasive than the residential and downtown areas. And under the cover of darkness, Trick and Remmeke were rather good at not being seen.
Gil prepared wine, brandy, glasses and a platter of cheeses for when Trick and Remmeke arrived. They had pulled it off, and still had room to breathe and plan their next moves.
Members of the city guard at the University entrance did indeed stop him from entering but only to explain that, due to the previous nights events, the university was going to be closed for a day or two. Gil expressed dismay that such terrible events could happen in their enlightened city, wished the guards the best of luck catching the culprits, and went back home with a sense of profound triumph burning in his chest.
That evening, he retired to his underground laboratory and basements, and waited for his partners to filter through the various concealed entrances available to them. If there was one thing he liked about the industrial district, it was that the guards' presence there was generally less invasive than the residential and downtown areas. And under the cover of darkness, Trick and Remmeke were rather good at not being seen.
Gil prepared wine, brandy, glasses and a platter of cheeses for when Trick and Remmeke arrived. They had pulled it off, and still had room to breathe and plan their next moves.
Re: The Dragon Awakened: An Explosive Debut
Trick couldn't even start to wipe the self-satisfied smirk off her face for the whole of the morning after the exciting events. As such, she felt it was more prudent to stay in and clean all her blades and armor. Well, she had really thought it more prudent to hide from Remmeke and Gil and anyone else who might tell her that having a smile the size of a northern mammoth might not be the most subtle thing the day after a series of tragic bombings had occurred.
She meticulously cleaned each of her many swords, spending the most time with her falchion. The thing was singing to her more sweetly than a noble's songbird by the time she was done, and the melody was in tune with that of her armor. Together they sounded so gentle and deadly all at once that she couldn't resist taking them out for a spin to the training yard. It was really just a backyard, not a quarter as grand as the training hall in Remmeke's family home had been, but it was all hers. And his, whenever she could wrangle him down to it.
Trick leapt into a practice dance like a fish into water. Her falchion sang both in her mind and against the air, a light metallic brush against the city noises. She hacked and slashed with all the grace of a hunting panther, destroying her cloth and straw opponents. Bits of straw and canvas rained down onto the ground, and when she stopped fifteen minutes later, breathing hard with a light sheen of sweat on her brow, it was only because she had destroyed all of her straw men... and, she saw as she looked around, most of the gardening tools as well. With a wince, she checked her blade. It was lightly scuffed, but Trick had always been of the opinion that if blades and armor were unmarked they weren't being used properly.
She returned to her room to clean it again, killing time until Gil had said they would meet. When dusk started falling outside her window she donned her cloak and strapped her falchion to her side. Adjusting her lightweight bracers before she went out, she waited for Remmeke just outside their house. He'd probably scold about the mess she'd made of the backyard again, but she'd clean it up. Tomorrow.
She meticulously cleaned each of her many swords, spending the most time with her falchion. The thing was singing to her more sweetly than a noble's songbird by the time she was done, and the melody was in tune with that of her armor. Together they sounded so gentle and deadly all at once that she couldn't resist taking them out for a spin to the training yard. It was really just a backyard, not a quarter as grand as the training hall in Remmeke's family home had been, but it was all hers. And his, whenever she could wrangle him down to it.
Trick leapt into a practice dance like a fish into water. Her falchion sang both in her mind and against the air, a light metallic brush against the city noises. She hacked and slashed with all the grace of a hunting panther, destroying her cloth and straw opponents. Bits of straw and canvas rained down onto the ground, and when she stopped fifteen minutes later, breathing hard with a light sheen of sweat on her brow, it was only because she had destroyed all of her straw men... and, she saw as she looked around, most of the gardening tools as well. With a wince, she checked her blade. It was lightly scuffed, but Trick had always been of the opinion that if blades and armor were unmarked they weren't being used properly.
She returned to her room to clean it again, killing time until Gil had said they would meet. When dusk started falling outside her window she donned her cloak and strapped her falchion to her side. Adjusting her lightweight bracers before she went out, she waited for Remmeke just outside their house. He'd probably scold about the mess she'd made of the backyard again, but she'd clean it up. Tomorrow.