Startup 34: Nepotism

Arodus 27

Smoke billowed and faded, revealing a long coat of alabaster leather. Within its voluminous folds, more tightly fitted leather formed a silver engraved corset around Yael’s waist. The white slacks that appeared around her legs followed quickly, followed by incongruous black boots that glowed violet to my arcane vision. Her face, such as it was, was nothing but a well carved porcelain mask over formless shadow. The final touch was a necklace formed of small golden disks; my necklace, glowing with a similar aura to my boots upon her feet.

“No,” I answered her as she was still forming. “You can keep using my gear for now, and I hope it comes in handy.”

She hardly reacted to my answer, looking around the cavern with a sweeping gaze.

“Emrys, you claimed they were family.” She said in her echoing voice, “They are keeping you in a place like this? No wonder you wish to rid yourself of them. I shudder to think what I’ll do if my husband treats me so. Run away with a dashing elf, perhaps.”

“To their credit, no.” I told her, “I’ve been given a very nice room to stay in with my wife. I just don’t want them knowing about you.”

“Indeed, think of the scandal.” Yael said dryly, “Bad enough that you would consort with the short lived races, just think how your wife would respond if she thought you might trade up.”

I smiled at that. I physically couldn’t touch Yael without experiencing frostbite, and we both knew it. There would be no torrid love affairs between us any time soon, even if Shae were supposedly capable of interbreeding with mortals somehow.

Then again, with the way my build is going, cold resistance would be perfectly on brand. Just saying.

“Though I risk sounding crass, why am I in this stinking hole?” Yael asked, “If you have no need of your equipment…”

“That’s only partially true.” I clarified. “I wanted to check something. Can I see the bag?”

I rifled through the compartment of her purse she’d helpfully set aside for me, and pulled out a small parchment scroll. It didn’t glow, which was exactly what I was hoping for. Some of the more esoteric items created by my menu were only for me. Stuff like the Seal of Alternate Payment or the Tome of Retraining, both of which I’d ended up using on Syl, couldn’t be used by anyone else and didn’t even register as magic items. No magical aura. Usually that didn’t matter, but it meant I had an emergency trump card to fall back on.

The Scroll of Inverted Reactions was a one off item that would reverse everyone’s relationship to me for 24 hours. It operated on a 7 step scale from self destructive hatred to fanatical devotion, with complete neutrality in the middle. Everyone in my party was sitting at helpful, the middle positive tier, while most of my crew were either neutral or friendly other than Narwhal, who was Helpful as well.

I was fairly comfortable with the idea of using this thing as a trump card if I saw an opportunity, as I didn’t really want to find myself away from my crew often. Having my entire party suddenly want me dead while I was near them seemed like it would be useful in almost no situation I could possibly imagine.

Really the biggest problem is that I’m not sure how hostile Dovnu and Nendra actually are. Flipping them from unfriendly to friendly wouldn’t be enough to get them to self sabotage. I’d need at least helpful.

I tucked the scroll, my revolver, and a few alchemical cartridges into the folds of my robe, just in case. (Slight of Hand to hide a weapon: roll revealed upon hostile inspection) The gun probably wasn’t as dangerous as my frost blast, but having a weapon I could use with or without Autopilot made me feel a little bit more comfortable.

“Here.” I said, handing her about half of the black onyx, “Your pay. Thank you for assisting me. Did you speak to your parents?”

“Yes.” Yael said, “Father is willing, if you can provide an adequate sample.”

“How do you feel about halberds?” I asked, smiling, “I’m not making anything fancy without a payout guaranteed.”

“Fret not.” Yael assured me, “A halberd should be adequate for one of the footmen.”

“Thanks.” I said, “I’ll get to it when I can. Speaking of which, I can’t stand around here all day. Did you need anything?”

“Nothing of note.” She assured me. “I need only return before my tutor grows wroth with me.”

I let her go, and the shadows that formed her body faded away like disappearing smoke. I sighed, and considered where I wanted to be when it was time to get caught.

••••••••••

When I reached the large central cavern, I took to the ceiling. Zero-gravity crab walking across the roof seemed like the best way to stay out of sight, as long as I avoided the scattered stars built into the surface. My plan was to simply drop down onto my destination from above. Alas, it was not meant to be.

Dovnu did not spend money on aerial defenses, considering them to be mostly an expensive show of **** rather than a counter to a realistic risk. I ascended far enough from the spire to be outside of the darkvision range for even a drow, so I didn’t need to worry about getting shot by what guards she did post. I felt rather clever, honestly.

I looked down at the constellation of small lights that filled the city. It was surreal, knowing that a few thousand people were crammed into the vaulted cavern beneath me but nearly all of them could operate in pitch darkness. I still had enough motes of light to show me the oblong crescent shape of the city, studded by the six houses. Each house, according to Autopilot, claimed and patrolled a set of caverns that was practically a small city unto itself. I was so preoccupied by taking in the sights that I forgot to keep an eye out.

“You forget yourself!” The words slithered through the air. “Such an obvious ploy was doomed. Return to your place and no punishment will be levied.”

I looked around, and saw Kiyon’s bird circling beneath me.

I doubt that. More likely I’ll be beaten **** again regardless. Then again, if absolutely nothing stopped me I’d be tempted to make for the harbor now and say to hell with the mission.

I began latching onto handholds and stalactites and throwing myself forward, moving far more quickly at the cost of stealth. (Acrobatics (dance) 11+12=23) I was fairly sure Kiyon’s bird was only a familiar, a glorified camera and intercom if I could trust my reference document. It probably wasn’t a real threat on its own, but certainly meant that Kiyon knew where I was. I wouldn’t be able to use this route again, unless he and Dovnu were dumber than I thought.

I caught myself on a stalactite, and everything froze. I looked around, and there was nothing to see except the bird. I didn’t particularly want to piss off my father in law by shooting his pet out of the sky, I definitely didn't want to get my ass kicked by a flying GoPro, and I didn’t see anything else that could have caused the fight to start.

Well, I’m about to show off anyway. Welcome to the front row, Kiyon.

A swirl of white mist formed around me, and for a moment I was as cold as if I’d entered the plains of Cocytus. Then I felt nothing for a fraction of a second as I broke apart, becoming nothing but cold wind. I surged forward, leaving behind a trail of flash frozen vapor in my wake, and reformed more than a hundred feet away. (Gather Energy, Energy Leap). It was disorienting as hell, but damn if it wasn’t fast. I tried to get my bearings and ignore the lurch in my stomach as Autopilot repeated the process a dozen times.

I landed on the rampart of House M’Dair, and swayed to the side to avoid the inevitable volley of arrows meant for my gut. I did quite well, actually, avoiding all but one of them. (11 damage)

They’re shooting at us? They don’t even know who we are!

Yes. That’s why they are shooting at us.

Three angels landed on the wall to either side of me, bows drawn and feathery wings spread. They varied in coloration, with one white, one deep red, and one a light purple, but all had long black hair and eyes like flint. What little optimism I had faded when I saw their blood splattered wings and jutting black horns that blended into their hair. I wasn’t sure what these creatures were at a glance, but was fairly certain that normal angels didn’t have those kinds of massive red flags.

“Ladies, I am Emrys M’Dair.” I said with as much authority as I could muster. “You will take me to my mother, Carys M’Dair, or an appropriate location to wait for her.” (Intimidate 18+12=30 Success!)

They exchanged a glance, and the purple one stepped forward. She held up a rope of corded black fibers.

“Lord M’Dair, welcome home. I will do as you ask.” She said in a musical voice. “Consider this to be ceremonial garb, and we can both avoid embarrassment.”

The rope lunged at me like a serpent, wrapping around my body and tying my hands behind my back. It was probably the best I could expect after arriving unannounced.

••••••••••

House M’Dair was either extremely powerful or extremely aware of appearances. Honestly, Autopilot had given me enough evidence that either one could have been true. I knew they were loaded, since the polished walls were studded with semiprecious stones that formed mosaic depictions of all sorts of creatures I couldn’t be arsed to have Autopilot explain individually. I asked, but I didn’t really pay attention; I figured I could scroll back and review my logs next time I had Autopilot doing something boring. As I walked through, I found myself relaxing in spite of myself.

The “angel” escorting me was an Erinyes, or Fury, a type of devil created from corrupted celestials and the souls of fallen priests. They served as special forces for the Legions of Hell, intended to get in, kill a specific target and get out. More importantly, their power easily eclipsed anything I could hope to summon as I currently was. It was likely that the three I encountered could kill the entire crew of the Enterprise if they chose to, though perhaps not in one strike. (Knowledge Planes 12+13=25)

Well. Fuck. Don’t go to war with Heslandaena, I guess. Not until I level up a bit more, anyway.

I hadn’t been in a room as nice as the M’Dair waiting room since I left Melku behind, and I remembered quite well how that first night went. I didn’t expect to be assaulted by paintings, but given that all of the artwork present was of demigods and archdemons I imagined that Emrys’s family had everything they needed to make my life hell if they wanted to. I was very polite when a tiefling secretary asked the nature of my visit, and perfectly honest from a certain point of view.

“I have grown in power and wish to consult with my mother on my next steps,” did not seem to upset anyone’s preconceptions, as the secretary wrote my words down without comment. Then he left me behind, with nobody but the Erinyes for company.

My go to method for relieving stress, small talk, hit a brick wall with the devil woman. I’d seen drunk guys completely strike out with girls too hot to turn men down politely and just keep going, but I’d never been in that position myself. Even the fairly innocuous “so, what is your name?” was met with a withering glare. It wasn’t because she thought I was asking for her true name or something, either. Autopilot insisted that most intelligent devils had a chosen nickname for casual use. No, it was just that all Erinyes hated mortals with a passion that simmered just beneath the surface.

I had much more of an opportunity to go over the results of my knowledge checks than I thought, as my mother was apparently engaged in pressing matters. I was offered tea a few times, but it was hours later when Carys entered the room… followed immediately by Nendra.

Carys walked with total confidence, as if it were unthinkable that any would be so crass as to stand in front of her. The first thing I noticed about her were the stripes, like those of a tiger, that stretched across her exposed skin. She was also damn tall, nearly half a foot taller than Nendra and an inch or two taller than me. I noted with some dismay that she wasn’t showing much skin; she was either lower ranked than I might have expected or she was deliberately flaunting custom with a layered leather ensemble that wouldn’t look out of place on Catwoman.

https://postimg.cc/GTw8DnZW

“Emrys.” She said, turning her catlike orange eyes upon me, “You did not go through proper channels.”

“I’m sorry.” I said, to Carys and only Carys, “I hope I didn’t embarrass you. I don’t intend to be here for long and didn’t want to miss the opportunity to see you.”

“You will return to your duties at once.” Nendra commanded. “This is an outrage.”

I bit back my immediate retort, watching Carys for cues instead. She sneered at the outburst, glancing down her nose at Nendra. (Sense Motive 8+10+5=23)

“Oh, do be quiet Nendra.” I griped, “I’ve done more for your finances in the last 24 hours than anyone has in years.”

It was the wrong thing to say, it seemed, as a swirl of orange light filled the room and the temperature dropped several degrees. A wall of ice appeared between Nendra and myself, and Carys didn’t move a finger as she did it.

“I see there is much that I am not yet privy to.” She said casually. “Emrys, you will be civil. Nendra, you will respect my claim. He was my son before he was your husband.”

Through the semitransparent glass, I could see Nendra compose herself. She took a deep breath and schooled her face into a neutral mask. Despite that, purple sparks of uncontained arcane energy dripped from her hands.

“Matron Carys, I am here to retrieve my husband.” She said evenly. “He left the grounds of House D’Lann in flagrant disregard of my wishes.”

“A good Shadow foresees his mistress’s needs.” Carys said loftily. “No doubt you intended to inform me of his return some time today regardless, no?”

“Of course,” Nendra said with saccharine sweetness. “I would never deny such an esteemed matron access to her only child, nor would I question the wisdom of one who has been so discerning in her search for her own Shadow.”

She placed a special emphasis on the word “only,” which clearly stung if Carys’s expression was anything to go by.

“Give me ten minutes alone with my son,” Carys offered, “and he will return with you.”

She didn’t bother consulting me, but if she had I would have accepted it. I’d been pushing my luck already, and coming here would hopefully cover for my little excursion to the **** pits. Nendra and Carys stared at one another for a few long moments before Nendra sniffed and walked out of the room, politely escorted by the Erinyes after I was finally untied.

“I suppose it is the fastest way.” She said, “Ten minutes, and not a moment more.”

I let Autopilot decide what to do, and he chose to be quiet and wait. Carys circled me and conducted a thorough inspection.

“So, what do you need from me?” She asked, “Azog tells me you seem to be planning something, but he had nothing else to go on. What is your situation?”

Azog works for Mom? No wonder he was so polite.

“I need to leave the city and give Dovnu twenty thousand gold pieces by the end of Neth.” I told her plainly. “Nendra will try to stop me and interfere with my efforts.”

Carys stopped in her tracks. Seconds stretched out as she processed my words.

“I can see why Nendra is frustrated.” She said at long last. “I hope you have a plan?”

“I have several, so that one or two of them can fail.” I answered. “All of which require that I leave.”

“Not for the money.” She said, slashing her hand horizontally in front of herself. “I wanted to know if you had plans to leave.”

“I have several, so that one or two of them can fail.” I answered, a cocky smile creeping onto my face. I quickly wiped it away when she shot me a look I knew from my own mother. “I intend to move upwards, starting with those that won’t burn any bridges or cost any resources. There’s something I need to do here first, though.”

“What is it?” She asked, glancing at the door. “Is there anything I can provide you, short of an unreasonable loan?”

“I need to speak with Dovnu to make a proposal to her. From you, I need a list of any people in or around Heslandaena that could plausibly teleport someone.” I said, “Also, a list of important people who would kill me given the opportunity. I’m asking that you trust me on this.”

She considered that for a moment, and I worried that she would demand more information. Instead, she retrieved a pencil and parchment from a nearby desk and began writing out a list.

“Very well. I will attempt to make arrangements as best I can.” She said, then her face softened into a smile. “Now, before she comes back; I understand you flew here? Tell me more of that.”

She seemed so genuinely curious that it almost hurt to leave out my best tricks, even though she was already fairly enthusiastic about my new ice magic. Then again, the name of the perk was Inheritor; I was her son, and to all the world I looked like I was becoming more like her. She wasn’t really my mother, but she was a warm shelter after a few weeks hiding and skulking. I wanted to trust her, I wanted to confide in her and get her advice. I didn’t.

••••••••••

Nendra led me to a palanquin in silence, one supported by a quartet of masked dwarves in heavy cloaks. This one was not as heavily shrouded as the one Kiyon used on the surface; I could see the street outside through the gauzy fabric walls, though it was much harder for those outside to see in.

I had the lists Carys prepared tucked into my sash. I earnestly hoped that I wouldn’t need either of them, but only an idiot plans exclusively for the best case scenario. I was a little bit worried that I had done just that by agreeing to come here, but I preferred to think of it as making the best of a bad situation.

“Dear, please tell me why you left the house in such a manner,” Nendra Suggested the moment we were ensconced, “when you very well could have waited for your mother to request your presence.”

I clamped my mouth shut as the spell pierced my will, giving my spell resistance just enough time to absorb the violet haze.

“I wished only to seek my mother’s aid and counsel as quickly as possible,” I said quickly, as if the words were pulled from my throat, “and to test the perimeter.” (Bluff 17+12=29)

Nendra sniffed, and we began our duel. She conspicuously didn’t have any spells protecting her mind, but she still slipped a charm through before I could.

“First you visit my whore cousin and then you embarrass me in front of House M’Dair.” She said, “I’ll need to keep you under a closer watch.”

“I’m sorry, dear.” I said, shamefacedly.

I followed Nendra around in the house, giving her a back rub before she worked on some paperwork. She had work in town, acting as a liaison to the common people in Heslandaena. I hoped for her sake she was better at that than management.

Of course, she couldn’t risk someone outside the house noticing that I was charmed, so instead I was shoved in a cell and clapped in chains. I was practically hogtied, in fact, with my hands manacled behind my back and my ankles tied to my arms with a short length of chain.

(Opposed sleight of hand to conceal items 17+12=29 Success!)

“Well, it is a domestic dispute.” Azog explained politely once the charm faded. “She can’t simply do this with no cause, but punishment is within her rights when you defy her wishes. She left no orders regarding your dietary needs; shall I fetch you something for dinner?”

He looked down at me.

“Perhaps some bread?” He suggested, “I worry that soup would be undignified.”