Meetings and Strategy

[melodiesmods]

Characters: NPCs and the Heroes of Light.
Where: castle of Aqures Ixen | Calm Plains
When: 10th July | 12th July
Summary: Characters all received a Mognet Letter informing them of the upcoming meeting. It happens in the reunion room in the Castle of Aqures Ixen. If you . Feel free to start your own threads for IC Plotting! If you need to speak to a NPC or have to share your plan with them, reply to the appropriate thread below. Characters who received Kurma's letter will be able to meet him on the 12th of July.
Warning: NA

Ultima Weapon Plan
Mysterious Message
The Militaries
Law Enforcement
Civilians

Comments

[zodiac_brave]

Ramza rode up to the farm on a rented chocobo. He was armored and armed this time around, though he hoped he would not have need of it. He lifted a hand in greeting to the others, halted his mount, and dismounted. The blond gave the bird a pat on its flank to send it off to graze with the other chocobos in the field.

"No word yet from our host?" he asked quietly, looking out on the beasts in the fields. It was quiet and calm, far more than the city was, with the threat of invasion looming overhead. Ramza wondered now long the pastoral peacefulness would last.

[theendiswherewestartfrom]

Jack raises a hand in greeting to Terra, and then again to Ramza. What in the world? He isn't bothering to hide his confusion. "Uh, assuming neither of you sent that message, then no. I don't know who we're waiting on." What do he, Terra, and Ramza have in common? "Did you talk to anybody else about this?"

[greenmagick]

Terra shook her head. "I had told Tempest about the letter but no one else." It was true that Terra knew both Jack and Ramza but she didn't know how they might have had in common with each other.

Lately things have just be blending together.

[empirenpcs]

Three people through what they may recognize as the Teleportation skill of the Illusionist Job. Two of them they could recognize: the man in the middle was Kurma and to his left was the Moogle working with him. On his right side was a woman dressed in traditional Illusionist garbs.

Both the woman and Kurma looked very calm, but the Moogle looked surprised before facepalming and shaking his head though. Apparently he hadn't expected

"I can't believe they came, Kupo..."

[zodiac_brave]

Ramza had his mouth open to answer the two others that he too knew nothing of the letter's origin, but the appearance of the three figures halted his words.

He dropped to one knee before Kurma. "Your Highness," he greeted, "I take it this meeting was your arrangement?"

[theendiswherewestartfrom]

Jack startles at the sudden appearance, but his expression quickly shifts to one of comprehension. "Should've known."

He has to bite down on the couple of things he'd like to say to Kurma, the frustration that any messages or peace overtures had been ignored. Kurma is probably just as frustrated. "If 'Highness' is the correct term," he mutters. A double-take at Terra to see if she recognizes him, too? The woman is more resourceful than he thought if so.

"How can we help?"

[greenmagick]

She knew Kurma from her escape from the city but she knew little else about the man. She assumed he was someone in power which means she felt instantly uncomfortable around him. Terra said nothing, her gaze flicking between the new pair and then her two companions.

She wondered how they both just appeared there but she keeps her questions to herself for now. There are far to many things fluttering around her thoughts.

[empirenpcs]

"By listening."

Karma nodded to Ramza before continuing.

"I have no doubt you're preparing yourself for the upcoming battle, but you're missing something." He paused. "You don't know your enemy. On the other hand, your enemy knows everything about you. Long story short, on August 01st the second wave of Airship will reach Aqures Ixen. With your forces exhausted by the first wave, on the 02nd of August Kalki is going to raze the city to the ground, get every soldier and civilian killed and take advantage of the chaos to get to the Hospital. Then on the 03rd, she'll come to see you as she promised and she'll have manipulated you to be exactly as hateful and vengeful as she wants you to be for this meeting."

[zodiac_brave]

At Kurma's nod, Ramza stood back up.

"What benefit is there to Kalki to provoke our wrath and then place herself within sword's reach of us? Does she want us to incite us to violence?"

He made no mention of steps to protect or evacuate the Hospital. Kurma's ends were still largely unknown, and the Heroes' plans might be better served if he was not aware of them.

[theendiswherewestartfrom]

Jack looks up sharply at the mention of the Hospital, it's his personal priority to protect the Heroes who are helpless at the moment. Maybe they could still be moved out of the city.

"She wants us to start something and possibly take out the Crystal in the crossfire?" Ohhh, Jack knows one or two loose canons who should probably be kept away, then.

[greenmagick]

Terra decided to just listen as Kurma suggested. The others were already asking questions so for now she would lead it to them. Her gaze flicked between the man and his companion with a few questions fluttering through her thoughts.

He was here so easily which means that all of there best laid plans might be known as well. She at least knew one person she wanted to inform of this meeting though that will have to wait.

[empirenpcs]

"Yes. For reasons beyond my understanding, it is apparent Kalki seeks to drive you to the edge." He looked at Ramza before turning to Jack "It is a possibility. I don't know what's in her mind."

He paused.

"However, I am not simply here to state the obvious. There may be a way for you to turn Kalki's plan against her. As it's probably grown obvious by now, her social skills are lacking and she has few friends in the Empire." Another pause. "You met Kalki, you're speaking to me, but what do you know of the third member of the Triumvirat, Admiral Matsya?"

[zodiac_brave]

"Little more than her name," Ramza confessed. For nobles and leaders, there was remarkably little word circulating about any of the Imperial commanders.

He paused, considering. "Do Admiral Matsya and Kalki not get along?" he ventured. Ramza had not met Kalki personally, but he had no difficulty imagining that she endeared herself to very few people.

[theendiswherewestartfrom]

"Nothing," Jack freely admits, although he eyes the Illusionist with them with some suspicion when he says that. "If she has so few friends, how has Kalki gotten so much support for this attack, though?" Fishing for more information, if he can get it. Where is this coming from, who is really for this attack?

[greenmagick]

"Kalki's support might come from power or those below her. There is more than one way to control people and keep a position of power." She nodded to Kurma. "It's already clear she doesn't get along with everyone and most who talk about her do so in fear." It made sense and she knew one other who was very similar to Kalki. He was horrible and while people didn't agree with his methods he was able to control armies.

Her bright blue gaze landed on their guests curiously. She supposed must be a way to reach Admiral Matsya and unlike Kurma, she might be interested in giving them direct support over the strange subvert relationship they had with Kurma. That begs the question though; if Kalki was so prepared, would she know of there current plans too? That thought alone worried Terra.

[empirenpcs]

"Them not getting along is an understatement." He replied to Ramza before turning to Jack and Terra, "Kalki got her support from the Emperor himself. Matsya was against the attack on Esdham that happened months ago, and she has absolutely no desire to take part in this battle. She was a vocal opponent to it. The only reason she's leading the first wave is because the Emperor ordered her to." He then looked at the Moogle. "History."

[melodiesnpcs]

"Why do I have to do that, Kupo..." The Moogle sighed and grumbled before getting to work "Maybe you don't know, but before becoming an Empire, Hera was a Kingdom, Kupo. Far away from other countries and very weak. Roughly twenty-six years ago, Garland and Kalki came to Hera out of nowhere, Kupo. Before we realized it, Garland had gotten rid of the king and the queen. But people didn't complain-- He and Kalki brought technologies from the Ancients and drastically improved the quality of life for everyone, Kupo. You'll find very few Herans thinking things were better before Garland."

A short pause.

"Matsya was the child of the former King and Queen, the Princess of Hera, Kupo. She was spared and when Garland created the Triumvirat, she became a part of it, Kupo. It's unknown what happened or why he spared her, but she is loyal to Garland and the Empire. She does dislike Kalki though, Kupo."

[zodiac_brave]

Ramza's eyes flicked briefly to the silent woman in the Illusionist's robes as the moogle begrudgingly spoke of the princess-turned-admiral. But no, surely not...

"And you believe Her Royal...er...the Admiral's presence could be to our advantage in the upcoming battle?" he asked.

[empirenpcs]

Kurma noticed the glances given to the Illusionist and chuckled.

"That's not her. Matsya has no Job, she's what you'd call a Freelancer. Yet she's more dangerous than anyone I know. If you meet her in battle, run away."

He shook his head.

"Matsya is loyal to Garland, she will not help you. Not directly at least. Kalki will come on the 01st with the second wave of Airship, far more massive than the first one. Now, if somehow you could create a situation where Matsya is led to think Kalki is trying to eliminate her... Like one of the second wave Airships mistakenly attacking Matsya's airships or something else you could cook up..." He shrugged, "Who knows how Mastya would react."