The War for the Rose: Book One Complete

[Askia]

though i wonder if people in this world would find such names funny, i mean there has to be a lot of ridiculous names out there

[alexthewhite]

Read your fathers letter. It surely has important information!

"Lord Rose,

I have spoken to Setting Sun, and he is just as baffled as I am. The Ornegian presence in Honit has been a question we have all wanted an answer to, but it is doubtful that an answer can be produced here in Whitesky.

Setting Sun claims that the Masked in Honit during the Blue Sands War spent much of their time investigating the Ornegian convoys. Little was uncovered, other than the fact that they seemed to have been guarding something. Three months back, we spotted an Ornegian convoy moving through the sands. They did not bother us and we did not bother them, but the fact remains that, for whatever reason, the Ornegians sow both Whitesky and Honit (and possibly the rest of The Rose) with small groups of their own. What, exactly, these Ornegians are safeguarding eludes me.

Our last harvest has left us in want of certain foodstuffs. I am sure Palegarden is as abundant as ever, so I am prepared to offer the following in exchange for a twenty-ship of food:"

The rest of the letter is a list of different tools and weapons. At the bottom, it's signed by your father, dated one month ago.

The one from Lord Spire, first, but take all of them

You snatch the letters from Lord Sea and Lord Table, then close the cabinet. Your hands are now pretty full. You have nowhere to stash the letters on your person. You don't think you should carry out more than four, at most.

>Quickly read your dad's, and then go to the Northern Lord's cabinet next.

The Northern Lord's cabinet has far more in it than the Southern Lord's one; makes sense for a man who doesn't particularly care for the affairs of the South. Five letters catch your eye: one from Lord Flame, one from Lord Spear, one from Lord Skull (???), one from Lord Sage, and one from Lord Mirror.

From outside, you hear a voice.

READING SAGE: Lady Spire? I hear footsteps. They're distant, but someone is coming this way. You don't have to come running out, but you have, at best, a couple more minutes. I would make haste if I were you.

[OnBackorder]

We don't actually have to take all these letters. If it is just a distraction, there is a crackling fire in the office.

EDIT:

The great trio of peasant heroes who saved Sandmore from the great Avalian Bandit, The Lord of Flames Aku son of Augustus have been deceased for nearly a thousand years now! Besides, even if they were living, they are members of the Legendary Heroes faction, of which you are not a member!

I knew he sounded familiar!

[Whimbrel]

>Flame and Mirror then go go go

[Askia]

i have no idea...

so i drew something weird

show spoiler

hide spoiler

[alexthewhite]

>Flame and Mirror then go go go

"Lord Rose,

Things are getting rather tense around here. There is talk of surrender if the Honitians arrive at our doorstep. If that is the case, my family will fight to the last, but we are not in charge. Lord Star is. The Flames are still an ally of yours and of Whitesky, so if Lord Star gives in to the cowardice of Lord Water and his cabal, make the treachery of the Waters known.

The wedding between my daughter and Lord Daisy's son went well. It will strengthen the ties between Palegarden and Star's Rest even further.

- Lord Flame"

"Rose,

They come. I can smell them.

Your name is Rose. Funny, you don't look like a continent. You aren't an embodiment of us all, you're just a sad little man who never stops working to make his meager family more important than it is. And I am Mirror, but nobody reflects off me. I am just a sad little man who will die because of his cowardice.

A great wave approaches. It will wash away our sands and leave us stripped, naked. Honit's mountains will become anthills. Avalia's grain will drown. Reegus' great undercity will flood, and Reegus will be torn up by the roots.

Each and every one of us will die in water. It is foretold. I see it every time I close my eyes.

We are water, water with some skin covering it and some bone floating around in it, but water all the same. We'll just be brought back to where we came from. Much as we are born in water, we will die in it.

But although the thought gives me peace, I cannot stand what I see when I close my eyes. Children, my children, face-down in what was once the town my forefathers built. The streets run red. Figures with no will of their own, working only for the mighty ocean.

I'm afraid.

Shortly after I finish writing this, I will take my own life. We are but men, men with no place left in this world that will be ruled once again by the sea. Slitting my throat sounds preferable to a slow, agonizing drowning.

-Mirror"

Uh...

Wow. That was....

Wow.

You're likely out of time. What should you take, and what should you leave? Or do you want to press your luck?

[mellifluousMastermind]

>Take 'em both and get out of there!

[OnBackorder]

Burn the suicide note, Spire note, and the reply to Red Lion (He will have to re-write it anyway). Keep Flame and grab the mystery notes from Skull and Spear, then get out.

Burn some more notes on your way out.

[Miss_Meg]

Take the Spire Note, and the Flame Note. Replace the rest.

[Cadorean]

Take them all, and reach into the foreigners cabinet and gab a handful and get out.

[alexthewhite]

Keep Flame and grab the mystery notes from Skull and Spear, then get out.

Take the Spire Note, and the Flame Note. Replace the rest.

No time to do anything else. You replace the notes you aren't taking with you and grab the notes from Lord Flame, Lord Skull, Lord Spear, and Lord Spire. Your hands are now completely full.

HIDING SPIRE: Open the door.

Reading Sage opens it and rushes you out. The two of you walk away briskly, and seconds after you're clear, you hear footsteps in the hallway.

Reading Sage peeks around the corner, then walks out to meet the new arrival.

READING SAGE: Oh, you're back.

GUARD ONE: The infirmary says there was no harm to your wife, my lord. Where were you just now?

READING SAGE: I thought I heard something, but there was no one there. Good work, soldier. Let me reward you for your troubles.

You hear the familiar clinking of coins, followed by silence.

GUARD ONE: My lord-

READING SAGE: No need to say anything. In fact, let's just keep this entire incident quiet, hmm?

GUARD ONE: Yes. Yes, my lord.

Reading Sage returns to you and winks. The two of you start heading back to your room.

READING SAGE: Never underestimate the power of a bribe, lady Spire.

You don't see very many people in the hallways on the way back; dinner is technically over, but people tend to linger around after the meal for an hour or more. In any case, you return to your room without incident and part wordlessly with Lord Sage.

You are now Frowning Sage again. Having worked your way out of the infirmary and bribed the guard that had stayed with you, you head to the nearest mirror.

As you feared, there is some dust on your dress. You grunt and brush it off as well as you can.

Today had went well. Unless there's something else you want to do, you could probably go to bed now.

[Whimbrel]

I can't think of anything--to bed!

[mellifluousMastermind]

>Now wait just a minute. You aren't at all concerned about the success of your ingenious plan? Stop by Hiding Spire's room to see how she did, and if she found anything interesting.

[alexthewhite]

>Now wait just a minute. You aren't at all concerned about the success of your ingenious plan? Stop by Hiding Spire's room to see how she did, and if she found anything interesting.

You don't particularly care? It was a favor to your sister.

...Fine. Only because you aren't particularly tired.

You head up to Hiding Spire's room, where she's lying in bed, flipping through the letters.

FROWNING SAGE: Smart. Put the evidence of you robbing the Roselord all in the open like that.

HIDING SPIRE: I was going to blame you if I got caught.

FROWNING SAGE: Like always. Anything interesting?

HIDING SPIRE: ...Yes. But I don't want to talk about it.

FROWNING SAGE: Hiding things from me? That won't do.

HIDING SPIRE: I don't particularly care if I make you frown. Have you done the thing yet?

FROWNING SAGE: The...thing?

HIDING SPIRE: Y'know, asked Lord Rose about Skulking Ocean?

Oh, right. That.

FROWNING SAGE: Oh, right. That.

[mellifluousMastermind]

>"Because you were helpful for once, I'll forgive you for being so careless. Rest up, I'm going to go talk to Lord Rose now."

[OnBackorder]

> Flick her in the noggin!

[Askia]

show some sisterly love! (rivalry)

[alexthewhite]

> Flick her in the noggin!

You aren't sure why you actually did this, but you don't regret it in the slightest.

HIDING SPIRE: Ow!

FROWNING SAGE: Go to sleep. You've got a big day ahead of you.

HIDING SPIRE: I do?

FROWNING SAGE: You think you were going to stay here? I'm getting you onto a hundred ship back to Tritower. You can handle that, right?

HIDING SPIRE: I guess. Won't be very much fun, but that's alright. I haven't had much fun lately, anyways.

You shut the door behind you and head back to the feast hall. Lord Rose is no longer in his seat; he's walking around, talking to different groups of people.

FROWNING SAGE: Lord Rose? I have a question for you.

GRINNING ROSE: Ah, lady Sage. We missed you, where did you go?

FROWNING SAGE: I went to check on my sister. She's been cooped up in bed all day, I thought I'd give her some company.

GRINNING ROSE: I see. And your husband?

FROWNING SAGE: Eh? I don't know where he went. My husband does like to walk around after he eats, though.

GRINNING ROSE: True enough, true enough. What can I help you with?

FROWNING SAGE: I'd prefer if we may speak in private.

In response, Grinning Rose turns to leave, waving his many-ringed hand in a gesture to follow him. He leads you to a small, secluded garden that isn't connected to the courtyard.

GRINNING ROSE: My personal garden. I've found tending it to be very relaxing.

He kneels down and picks a white rose. With a pair of shears, he begins to shave off leaves and thorns from the stem.

FROWNING SAGE: In any case, I had a question about a...Skulking Ocean.

GRINNING ROSE: Ah, Ocean. Not a particularly important individual, nor one I'd speak at length about without a good reason. Why do you want to know about him, again?

FROWNING SAGE: I-

You stop. The question seemed innocent, but knowing Rose, you better tread lightly. You smell a trap.

[OnBackorder]

Exact phrasing sequence? Exact phrasing sequence.

"I thought Skulking Ocean was a women."

"My sister is having nightmares, visions perhaps and the name keeps coming back to her. To lay her fears to rest, I'd like to know all I can."

[Cadorean]

"Little Hiding was tasked by father to learn about Ocean. I know nor care not why, but given her current state I decided to complete the task for her."

[alexthewhite]

"I thought Skulking Ocean was a women."

GRINNING ROSE: He isn't.

You frown. You're certain Hiding Spire said Skulking Ocean was a woman.

"My sister is having nightmares, visions perhaps and the name keeps coming back to her. To lay her fears to rest, I'd like to know all I can."

Grinning Rose stops grinning.

GRINNING ROSE: Names do not come in dreams, little girl. There is no reason for the name Skulking Ocean to reach Tritower. And there is no such thing as visions. You have read too many fairy tales.

You flinch. Lord Rose seems to have a sore spot when it comes to visions. You don't know why, but that was the wrong thing to say no matter how you slice it.

FROWNING SAGE: Forgive me, my lord, I lied to you. The real reason is...

"Little Hiding was tasked by father to learn about Ocean. I know nor care not why, but given her current state I decided to complete the task for her."

Lord Rose just said Skulking Ocean would not be familiar to Tritower. It seems a strange thing to say; your father is well-informed and knows things many others do not. Why, then, is Lord Rose so certain Towering Spire wouldn't know Ocean?

[Whimbrel]

Could this have something to do with Mirror's suicide? You may have some blackmail here.

[alexthewhite]

Could this have something to do with Mirror's suicide? You may have some blackmail here.

Frowning Sage doesn't know anything about Lord Mirror! She never asked Hiding Spire about the contents of the letters she stole!

Furthermore, giving Lord Rose a hint that he's been robbed is a terrifically bad idea!

[OnBackorder]

Yeah, this guy is a hard head. I can't think of a decent lord that we A) don't care about and B) is believable that Hiding would wish to do a favor for. I can't even remember what is meta-gamming anymore. I know she can't tell the truth, Ten Knives is the client, so what else is there?

Blame it on Obsidian?

[alexthewhite]

Blame it on Obsidian?

GRINNING ROSE: Who?

FROWNING SAGE: Lord Obsidian. Current temporary lord of Southflight. I'm not sure where he heard the name, but he wouldn't allow my sister to bring a ship to Palegarden unless she gathered information on Skulking Ocean.

GRINNING ROSE: And you lied to me about it because?

FROWNING SAGE: Lord Obsidian did not want the information traced back to him. Apparently, he ordered my sister to keep his identity secret from you.

GRINNING ROSE: But he didn't say not to tell you about it, did he?

FROWNING SAGE: Lord Obsidian may wish to choose his words more carefully in the future.

GRINNING ROSE: That he should!

Lord Rose laughs and smiles, and you feel at ease. Even if he didn't buy it, he's pretending he did. You're in mild shock that what you just said actually worked, but you don't have time to be incredulous. Lord Rose keeps on rolling.

GRINNING ROSE: Skulking Ocean. Mercenary that I've hired for...jobs.

FROWNING SAGE: Jobs?

GRINNING ROSE: Jobs. He's one of the best, I have little doubt...but unreliable. He comes here every couple years, asks me what my most pressing concern is at the moment. Then he solves it, collects his payment, and leaves. I don't even know what his face looks like, but he travels constantly. Usually he sticks to large cities, but I also know he spends a good amount of time in settlements near the Ornegian-Whiteskyan border.

FROWNING SAGE: Is that all you can tell me?

GRINNING ROSE: Well...no, actually. Skulking Ocean is certainly not his real name.

FROWNING SAGE: How can you tell?

GRINNING ROSE: Because the Ocean family was exterminated fifty years ago. Anyone bearing that name has assumed it. Skulking fits him, though; he's a master silent walker.

FROWNING SAGE: And you said he does jobs?

GRINNING ROSE: Better than most Masked agents, I'd wager. Not a good person to have as an enemy. His fee's high, too, but not unreasonable for the service he provides. Is that all?