Nakmarr Party: Getting To Know Terrata

[Deosinet]

Deosinet leads Troy back to his room which takes a bit of time considering the enormous size of the manor. He's been to small towns smaller than this estate. He grew up in a place that was just one large building so he feels a bit at home here despite it not being his home at all. He has to keep turning down Arako's advances, but he's gotten so used to exchange with Lord Nakmarr that he hardly notices anymore. Once into the room he gestures for Troy to head to the desk. Troy will have much to write down after all, or Deosinet will have to write it down for him. With luck his servant will return to do it for them. “Please, make yourself comfortable. We have much to discuss and plan and little time to do it all in.”

[Troy]

With a nod, Troy moves to settle himself in a chair before the desk. It was becoming more difficult to hide his emotions. The thought that success might finally be in his grasp after nearly two decades was... a bit overwhelming, really. Still, he maintained his calm façade with the ease only years of practice could afford. "Of course. Where would you like to begin?" Karelai... I am going to save you. I swear it, Sister. His gaze moves over the desktop briefly before he locates a pen. Lifting it, he twirls it absently between his fingers and waits for Deosinet to begin his questioning. "As you said, time is short and we have a lot to do before we can save her."

[Deosinet]

Deosinet raises and eyebrow in question when Troy says that last word. Interesting, so there is a her we're saving? Oh well, deal has already been struck for the whole group. He moves to a side cart that has decanters of different things and some glasses. Without asking what Troy might like he goes ahead and pours two bourbons and then brings one over to Troy. The glasses are not overfilled like an uneducated peasant fills theirs, but have just enough for the liquor to still breathe. He offers one glass to Troy as he glances down at the empty paper. "We should start with a location and their current lord, employer, or owner." He glances back up to Troy's face to study the other's reaction to his last word choice. If they need to be freed though, that implies they are not simply in employment now, but are controlled.

[Troy]

Manners dictated that he accept the drink, but not that he partake of the beverage. Setting the cup down, Troy glanced up. Deosinet would be rewarded by seeing the blond's eyes narrow with anger on the last word, his body tensing just slightly before he forced himself to relax once more. "Their owner," he ground out, "is my father. Leon Vryce. He was the one who started the entire Terrata project. Using his bastard daughter, my half sister, as his first and favorite lab rat." And that was who he aimed to save. Just like he'd promised. "I don't know where they're located. If I did, I'd have gone for her myself. I can name half a dozen conspirators in the project, funding, how he got his new subjects.. But I don't know where the bastard is keeping her."

[Deosinet]

Deosinet raises an eyebrow again at the reaction and then both at the name of the owner. He finds it interesting that Troy is going against his father, but then Deosinet himself was exiled by his. He takes a sip from his own glass and then looks back at Troy after lowering it again, "We may have to treat lightly since he's here and there is a truth telling drug in the air. Does he know you are... what's the right word here? On to him?"

[Troy]

"You.. really don't know my father. He beat me nearly to death when I was seven years old because I saw him stab Karelai's mother and leave her for dead while he dragged my sister away." He'd never forget it. That poor woman, bleeding out onto the cobbles. But all she'd wanted, all she'd asked, was that he save Karelai. What could he have done but promise to do it? Clenching his fists to hide it as his fingers trembled, Troy smirked bitterly. "But does he know that I know about his little Terrata project?" His shoulders came up in a shrug. "He suspects I know something. He just doesn't know what or how much. Or what my intentions are, for that matter." Troy strongly suspected that he'd be a dead man if his father knew even half of what he'd discovered about the Terrata project. "He'll probably try to kill me and frame someone for it. Just like he framed the Celsunder family."

[Deosinet]

"Yes, well he sounds very unpleasant, so be careful. I'm not sure if you are aware but there is an airborn agent called Veritas released into the air. Our host was trying to catch a killer by hoping someone would randomly confess. The killer was caught by other means so that part isn't important, but Veritas not only compels you to speak the truth, but compels you to speak as well. Some people have a harder time fighting it than others. But on the plus side, this is how you can be sure you can trust me. We struck a deal and I will do all I can to ensure the Terrata are freed from your father."

[Troy]

He might have known that Arako would do such a thing. Irritation flashed across his expression briefly before he simply nodded. Best to accept without a fuss. What was done was done, after all. "In other words, I need to stick with my plan of avoiding my father as much as possible. There's no problem there, at least." Shifting in his chair, Troy rubbed at his right forearm thoughtfully. "But, we do need to move quickly. She's been his lab rat for twenty years, gods alone know what the son of a bitch has done to her in all this time in addition to the experiments.."

[Deosinet]

Deosinet pauses a little, looking up and off into the distance of unseen things. He himself has done things to people over periods of time. He's taming a wolf as they speak. Freeing them from control may be harder if they have been brainwashed to serve. “Is that how he makes them?” He is now curious and wonders if he can get a hold of the notes of that experiment. “Your father might suspect something if you just avoid him outright. Being who he is, he probably knows who a few of us are and would expect movement toward him in some regard. You need to find someone to shack up with at this party and stay in their room, use them as a cover of why you are avoiding your father.” He gives a shake of his head to clear his mind. He's getting ahead of himself. He points at the paper, “but after you write down all these conspirators you mentioned and details you know about how he gets the funding.” Having said so much, Deosinet tilts the bottom of his glass up and finishes the contents from within in a final drink.

[Troy]

"It's how he instilled their abilities." As for how he controlled such powerful beings.. Well. Shaking the thought away, Troy twirled the pen between his fingers a final time before pulling a piece of paper toward him and beginning to write. Everything was listed neatly, name first, then contributions to the experiments. Most seemed to be simply funding, though three also seemed to provide different drugs. His lips twist into a vaguely amused smile at the mention of using someone as a cover and staying in their room. "I suppose it is that kind of party, isn't it? The only problem being I don't believe I've met anyone that I could consider using in such a way while I've been here. Unless you're offering up yourself to be my cover." The blond chuckled quietly to himself at the thought before he went back to writing everything down that Deosinet had asked for.

[Deosinet]

“No one would believe that.” He responds with a matter of fact tone. “Well, some might, but if your father can do this,” he gestures toward the paper and the things Troy is writing down, “then he might know things about me. Things like my being completely faithful to the love of my life.” Other things too, but he'll share those are needed or as the Veritas demands. “You'll just have to go forth and find someone. Bribe them to play along if you have to. I can donate money to that cause if you need.”

[Troy]

Grimacing slightly, Troy snorted faintly. "Why waste good money? I'm sure that I can find a bed other than my own, knowing how these parties usually go." Lola Grimm had made it abundantly clear that he was welcome to share her bed in a variety of positions while he was stuck babysitting her. Rolling his eyes at the thought, Troy leaned back in his chair and placed the pen down. "Is there anything else that you might need to know?" He glanced toward the page with a critical eye. He knew a lot more than that. The chemicals used to keep them under his father's control, for instance. With that in mind, he frowned thoughtfully. It was possible that the servant that his father had brought was one of the Terrata. The man had had a very vacant sort of look to him, the same sort that could be caused by said drugs. The frown deepened slightly. Too early to raise suspicions. He'd have to make sure first.

[Deosinet]

“The manner of the binds that contain them would be useful. I can't free them if I don't know what chains them. If they were anyone else, I could just kidnap them and figure that out later, but in this case I'd rather not walk into a death trap.”

[Troy]

Now that was a dangerous question. One that he knew could be used in terrible ways. Damn the Veritas in the air! "...my father has created a drug that allows him to control them. I don't know how it works, exactly. But it makes them obey his orders even if they don't want to."

[Deosinet]

"Ah, like the Order of Light.." He looks off in the far distance again seeing things that aren't there as he lets Troy's information sink in and consider what all it means for the task at hand. He doesn't think to other tasks yet, but part of his mind suggests he might want to think about that later. Such a power would be very useful. Might draw too much attention if used poorly or too often though. "That could complicate things. Will make them harder to free if they don't yet want to be freed. We will have to break that control first. Do you know where it is manufactured?"

[Troy]

"I can do better than that. I can create a counter to the drug that lets him control them." Assuming that the formula for the original drug hadn't been altered, of course. Even so, his counter measure should prove sufficient to the task of neutralizing the control, even if the formula had been altered. "I've been working on creating it for quite some time now. And... I might just know how we can test it." If his father had brought one of the Terrata as his servant, then that would present them a prime opportunity to both test his counter agent and get their hands on someone who could help them locate the other Terrata. And more importantly, locate Karelai.

[Deosinet]

Deosinet raises his eyebrows, not in question, but in wonder. This boy is very resourceful. He is a little happy he didn't make the boy an enemy. "That is fortuitous indeed. I won't lie. Such a drug is intriguing to me. I almost desire it, but I certainly don't want it in the hands of someone like your father so neutralizing it is the best choice at this point." He thinks about the testing of such a thing and how Troy seems a little eager to try that and what that might mean for them here at this party. "Are you saying he brought one with him?"

[Troy]

"I think he may have. The servant he brought with him, he seems to show the signs typical of someone under the control of the drug my father created. If that's the case, then with my antidote, we can not only free him, but secure a means to the lab where the rest of them are currently being held." Troy was genuinely becoming excited now, and it showed in the sudden smile on his face. With Deosinet's assistance, it might just be possible. Alone, it would have been close to suicide to try. But with someone else to assist him, there was a chance he could succeed in the endeavor.

[Deosinet]

"Very fortuitous." He repeats, but he looks thoughtfully through the table into a distance only he can see. "We will have to tred lightly and carefully as to not alert your father or anger any under his control before testing of the antidote." He considers briefly just killing Leon and being done with that threat, but another would step up to take his place and they know so little about his organization. Also, Arako would not consider it to be as much fun. Sometimes it's annoying playing by his seemingly lack of rules and order. It took Deosinet a long time to figure out what those rules where and how to navigate their host's shadow paths.

[Troy]

Nodding slightly in agreement, Troy's thoughts were already occupied with how best to go about creating an opportunity to test his counter to the drug his father had created. Given that his father wouldn't want to let his precious tool too far out of sight, it might prove rather difficult indeed. But, he did have an ally now. That should afford him a much better chance to accomplish it. "There are two days left of the party. This will require a delicate touch in order to accomplish," he mused quietly. "But it has to be done. He'll be near my father most of the time, so we'll first need to engineer a situation that would require Father to leave him alone, or send him off. Either would work.."

[Deosinet]

Deosinet normally likes to plot and plan things out in great detail long in advance. This is how he is able to remain hidden and not get discovered at the Shadow Leader of Towyanes. He has already revealed more of himself to this boy than he likes, but he is willing to take a small chance that the boy won't repeat any of it if he gets what he wants. However he isn't sure just how to get the boy what he wants. He hasn't had time to plan and plot yet. So he must refer to the expert, "You come up with the best way to make either happen and I'll get you the personale, objects, or magic you need." Of course he doesn't say it won't be his objects or personale or magic. It's not like he packed all he'd need for this heist when he packed for this party. He'd no idea this would happen. Unless he was told so by a seer. Either way, Troy knows he can trust Deosinet's words because the Varitas in the air demands truth.

[Troy]

Now that was something that helped soothe his misgivings a good deal. The only real question was, how to get his father away from the servant to test his serum? Frowning, Troy tapped the pen against the desktop as he thought. Ideally, he'd like to see that his father died sometime soon. But said death would serve little purpose if they lacked a means to reach the other Terrata and Karelai. So then, how best to lure him out... "Perhaps if someone should mention that I'm nosing around about his projects.. He'd more than likely send his assassin after me, knowing him." His willingness to act as bait spoke volumes to just how badly he wanted to see this through.

[Deosinet]

"I can arrange that. I suppose I could do it myself, but I am not overly fond of the notion of being bait, so I'll have someone else mention your troublemaking. Pick a location where you'd like to conduct trap. I might suggest the room of someone able to hold their own against the assassin just in case something goes wrong? Maybe one of our host's inner circle. I will get word to your father that you are meeting in secret with one in their chambers. Which one would be most believable?" He looks thoughtful and isn't sure he should give Troy a choice. Trishae would be the best bed strength and ability wise. The only better solution would be, "Or perhaps our host himself? I'm sure your father has heard rumors of some of the things he deals in, and I think our host would like to be part of this experiment." And thus is revealed who Deosinet is actually working for. He may be the Shadow Leader of Towyanes, but he answers to a higher authority and that authority is throwing a party at the moment. "Besides, to catch a big fish, you need large bait."

[Troy]

Ah. Now that was something to consider, wasn't it? Troy rested his chin in his hand as he considered. It would be best to have someone capable of helping fight the assassin with him. And someone would have to go to his father. He gazed at Deosinet thoughtfully, the implications that he was one of Arako's men not escaping his notice in the slightest. Well, I had intended to try and make use of the man's connections. So I suppose I'm doing that after all. "Perhaps it might be best to ask Arako for his assistance. If I'm to face one of the Terrata, I'd feel more secure knowing that someone of equal or greater power was waiting to keep him from slitting my throat." Not that he was entirely willing to trust Arako with his safety. He had the distinct impression that the man would be just as happy to let him die if it got him a laugh out of the situation. Which meant that he'd need to prepare a few... other things before the confrontation. Reaching for another sheet of paper, he wrote up a list of herbs and other alchemical ingredients before offering it to Deosinet. "I'd like to have these beforehand. A precaution."

[Deosinet]

Deosinet takes the list of ingredients from Troy when offered. He of course did not bring these things into the party with him, so he'll have to get them from their host. "I'll see to it these things are collected and bring them to Arako's chambers in an hour. We can enlist Lord Nakmarr's help then or if you are in a hurry go ahead and spring the trap at that time and I will get word to your father that you are meeting our host in his chamber in an hour to discuss things your father might not want you discussing." He worries that would be too soon, but they are on day two of the party already and thus time is limited. "Unless later tonight would be better for this trap?

[Troy]

"Later this evening would be better. It will give me time to prepare," Troy replied quietly. He rubbed at his right forearm almost thoughtfully, considering what spells he might utilize to best press his advantage when the assassin came for him. Granted, the things on that list would help immensely, if he could get his hands on them. It wouldn't take much to scribe a few protective wards. And possibly a few other things, depending on how pressed for time they were. 'But yes, we should speak with him soon on the matter. Best not let him get too distracted with that dragon woman." Their host had seemed fairly intent on showering that silver eyed woman with his attention during the game last night, at least.

[Deosinet]

"Alright, I'll go gather these ingredients and meet you at Arako's chamber in an hour." He stands and takes a deep breath to steady himself and any nerves starting to threaten to show up now that the plan is about to be put into action. Things are moving faster than he likes, but if they get Arako involved than he will try not to worry too much. "If you need anything else of me before then, now is the time to ask."

[Troy]

"No, that should be all that I require. I'll need a bit more time once everything on the list is gathered to complete my preparations, but beyond that, I should have everything that I need." If they could manage to capture his father's pet assassin and use him to locate the others.. That left the matter of dealing with his father. Because doubtless, Leon would not sit idly by and let his precious Terrata be taken away from him. A cold glint sparked in his eyes as Troy smiled. He'd be more than pleased to turn his father over to the very assassins that he'd created and let them deal with him. "I'll meet you there in an hour, then." Another smoke break was in order before the meeting. His nerves were going to need all of the steadying that they could get, unless he missed his guess entirely.