Monty and Boris Conversation

[16:21] <Boris> [15:17] * Boris is riding around the city. It's late in the day, and since before first light, Boris has been riding back and forth to various points on the city defenses to speak with the soldiers and see how things are going. Now, though, with scarce a meal since breakfast, he needs a break. He startes heading to the workshop.
[16:21] <Boris> [15:20] * Boris dismounts from Zoya as he gets close. She's not wearing armor right now, her bay coat somewhat messy after a day's worth of riding. Boris pulls out a bucket to draw water for her as he approaches the workshop.
[16:23] <Earthflame> The workshop is quiet... At least, by the standards of such a place. No pumping bellows, no ringing tones of a hammer, just the quiet sound of coals as the heavy stone and metal forge retains it's heat. And... The slight scratching of metal on metal.
[16:23] * Boris walks inside, poking his head around the corner to see who's still working there.
[16:25] <Earthflame> Montgomery sits at a table, a long roll of thin metal before him. His left hand is... Sitting on the opposite side of the room, a simple wooden hook being used to hold down the metal as he carefully scribes it with his right hand, holding an engraving tool as he slowly but precisely works the metal... It's hard to tell exactly what at this distance, but Boris can tell those symbols are magic
[16:25] <Earthflame> of some sort.
[16:26] <Boris> "Montgomery. I did not expect to see anyone working here at this hour." He ties Zoya off at the door, going to a nearby barrel to put water in the bucket for her.
[16:27] <Earthflame> He looks up in surprise, but smiles. "Ah, Commander... It's one of the few places where I'm not freezing. You northeners are far better at coping with the cold, I think."
[16:29] * Boris chuckles. "Not especially better at coping with it, but we know it doesn't go away if we complain. What are you working on?"
[16:30] <Earthflame> He taps his stylus on the metal. "Oh, an old mans foolishness... That's what I was told, anyway. I submitted the design to the Cygnaran engineers a dozen times, but they thought it was too much work for not enough effect." He looks up at Boris with a tired smile. "...But with an enemy at the gates, it pays to find something to do with yourself."
[16:31] <Boris> "I see. I'm afraid I know little of the arts of arcane engineering, despite wearing a mastercraft of the field as my armor."
[16:31] * Boris puts the bucket down for Zoya, then finds a chair nearby to slump into.
[16:33] <Earthflame> Monty glances up to him. "...Would you like a drink? I only have a little left, but you look like you could use it." He gestures to an iron kettle sitting in the slowly breathing forge. "And..." he pauses, glancing at Boris. "...Do be careful around this. A small spark of magic could make it explode rather violently. It's meant to do that, of course, but only at the proper time."
[16:40] * Boris nods. "Sure, I will take a drink. And I do not expend my magic lightly, but would a power field set it off?"
[16:42] <Earthflame> "It shouldn't, but this is untested magic. Well, never tested on this scale. Runes are volatile at the best of times, and this is intentionally so." He moves to the bench first, pulling off his wooden hook and reattaching the blue painted gauntlet, affixing it to his wrist with the snap of a few locks. He moves to the forge, and picks up the hot kettle in the steel hand, untroubled by the
[16:42] <Earthflame> heat as he moves to pour tea into two rough cups. "You know the basics of runeworking, yes? Even if we may use slightly different scripts."
[16:43] * Boris shuts down his ambient magical power, to prevent it from running his power field. "A little bit. I know of magical runes and how they are used, but the translation process to runeplates was not covered in my education."
[16:45] <Earthflame> "I looked at older texts, too... The benefits of academia. The worry with many runes is keeping them running... But my plan is to activate a very large number of runes for a very short amount of time." He unclips the hand after placing the kettle back in the heat, reattaching the wooden hook and using it to carry over both cups, passing one to Boris before taking a seat himself, tracing the
[16:45] <Earthflame> patterns with his still flesh fingers.
[16:46] * Boris frowns. "To trigger a number of magical effects, but only briefly? To what end?"
[16:48] <Earthflame> "First are large runes of destruction, with deeply scored lines. This will cause the rolled steel to violently shatter into many, many fragments... And trigger the second strage of runes." He taps one individual section, a knife shaped section of the steel roll with smaller patterns on it. "Runes of swiftness and sharpness. The surge of magic after the initial explosion will not last long...
[16:48] <Earthflame> But long enough to send a cloud of mystically deadly shrapnel at incredible speeds, with any luck decimating any foes nearby."
[16:48] <Earthflame> He gives a little smirk, and sips at his tea. "...That is the theory, anyway."
[16:49] <Boris> "A magical bomb then. No wonder you were concerned about ambient magic."
[16:50] * Boris takes a drink of the tea. "So you were brainstorming a new weapon to use against our foes out there?"
[16:52] <Earthflame> "New?" He shakes his head. "I've been planning such things for years. You Warcasters win much of the fame and glory, but I believe gunmagic has not yet reached it's limits... And I've been trying to take it further for a very long time." He chuckles. "Without much success, I should add. At the academy I was generally thought of as a harmless eccentric, wasting a hundred hours on a magical
[16:52] <Earthflame> shell which would be gone in the fraction of a second."
[16:54] <Boris> "Ah, a rune bullet then. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't the runes of destruction trigger inside of the weapon as you fire it? If it responds to the magical energy conducted by your gun."
[16:56] <Earthflame> "That is part of the problem." He nods. "I've experimented before with baffles and dampeners, glyphs designed to delay the magic... But this shell..." He taps it again. "Is designed to the bore of your local cannons. A conventional charge could launch it, and an alchemical cell at it's heart could trigger it... I hope. I always wanted to make them smaller and more portable, but now is not
[16:56] <Earthflame> the time for intellectual research."
[16:57] <Boris> "I see. So a contact fuse to connect to a small cell?"
[16:59] <Earthflame> "And now you see why I was told it was far too time consuming and expensive." He grins. "But, when one has nothing better to do with one's time, why not make something that will explode spectacularly?"
[17:04] <Boris> "I can see the logic, though I can understand your colleagues' frustration. If supplying in Cygnar is anything like Khador, you can never have enough mechanikal weapons and armor, and those technologies are already proven effective."
[17:04] <Earthflame> "And yet there is always funding for the latest warjack or lightning attracting insanity..." He sounds rather bitter, sipping at his tea with a slight scowl.
[17:13] * Boris smiles. "Of course. Always need the latest warjack to crush your enemies underfoot. Though, as you recognize, I am biased in the matter."
[17:14] <Earthflame> That makes him chuckle. "Indeed, indeed... Perhaps I was a fool to hope to rival Warcasters... Gunmages seem to be dime a dozen compared to your sort. Still..." He turns his eyes to his missing left hand. "All dreams have their price."
[17:15] * Boris nods. "I take it that is a reward for this research as much as punishment"
[17:17] <Earthflame> He shakes his head. "A failure on my part, giving in to hubris... And a consolation from the few friends I still had afterwards. There is a reason I'm forced to go to the ends of the earth to find work rather than living out a comfortable retirement in Cygnar..."
[17:18] <Earthflame> He takes a sip of tea, notices the cup is empty, and looks to Boris. "Care for something stronger?"
[17:18] * Boris nods. "I could quite use that. It also explains why you're in the land of your most ancestral rival rather than friendlier shores, such as Ord."
[17:22] <Earthflame> "News travels very fast in academic circles." Monty is quiet as he stands, moving over to a bench covered by firs... Presumably a place he's taken to sleeping. He comes back with a small bottle, about half empty, and two small glasses which he fills with a rich amber drink. "And with a dishonourable discharge..." He knocks back his own glass, taking a deep breath as the burn sets in. "...And
[17:22] <Earthflame> blood on my one remaining hand, well. Options were limited."
[17:24] * Boris nods, taking a drink of his own glass. "And now you're under siege by insane elves that burst out of peoples' chests." He chuckles at the grim joke.
[17:27] <Earthflame> He laughs darkly at that. "Morrow has a sense of humour, I have no doubts. But perhaps it is for the best..." He looks across to Boris. "Even if our countries are rivals, enemies even... We are all human. I may have fought your folk, even killed them... But we bury your dead, and you bury ours. But those elves?" He shakes his head. "I was telling Izolda... I had hoped to leave all the monsters
[17:27] <Earthflame> back on the southern coast."
[17:30] * Boris nods. "Truth be told, even though we are enemies, every officer I've spoken to has deep respect for Cygnar. A country half our size, standing up and even pushing us back on occasion? Were the treaty of Corvis not a point to divide us with, we could make even dragons tremble."
[17:31] <Boris> "Of course, that is not the world we live in."
[17:32] <Earthflame> Monty smiles at that, refreshing both their glasses and then raising his to Boris. "A toast, Commander... To what we humans, we soldiers can do when we stand together. Those Nyss will not break us, no matter what vile blood or dark gods they bring forth."
[17:33] * Boris clinks his glass against Monty's, then downs the fiery liquid. "We won't give them overlong to regret their decisions."
[17:34] <Earthflame> He chuckles. "I pity whatever foul god decides to go against Izolda in a rage... Even amongst the Satyxis I have seen, she is a scary one."
[17:34] * Boris shakes his head. "It was everything I had to keep her from charging out there herself, and even more to not simply charge out with her. She's always been a bad influence."
[17:36] <Earthflame> He grins at that. "The blood of Khador burns so fiercely despite this hellish cold. But you follow the path of wisdom, Commander." He pauses, and gives him a look. "...Of course, if you ever do go charging out, be sure to let me know. You'll need someone to watch your back."
[17:49] <Boris> "You'll be the first to know. Horselord blood has always run strong in my family, as well as Zoya's."
[11:43] <Earthflame> "Rather you than me. Riding is not uncomfortable, but was never that adept a horseman. Riding one into battle sounds terrifying." He chuckles. "A horse lord might not fear it, but I would likely be thrown the first time I fired a shot."
[11:45] <Boris> "The horse is trained, of course. I would not put a simple riding horse into combat. Zoya began training for combat at a year of age. Without that training the horse is deadlier to its rider than anyone else."
[11:48] <Earthflame> "And with it... Alongside your axe and armour." He chuckles. "If you survive this posting, I imagine you're destined for greater things, Mm? Warcasters rarely spend long in obscurity."
[11:49] * Boris nods. "I was curious as to why I would be assigned here in the first place, but recent events have shown High Kommand to be more prescient than I had given them credit for."
[11:52] <Earthflame> "I should have known, when I saw you... But when do the higher ups tell those below them anything? From what I've heard, that fact remains true whatever side you're on." He shakes his head and laughs. "Ahh, all my hopes of a quiet winter..."
[11:59] *** ID has joined #idikrpgic
[11:59] *** IterationDrive has quit IRC: NickServ (GHOST command used by ID)
[11:59] *** ID is now known as IterationDrive
[12:01] * Boris chuckles. "Buried in snow. Perhaps you'll have better luck in the summer."
[12:02] <Earthflame> "If I'm still alive, I'll probably be heading off to the next contract." He rolls his shoulders with a sigh.
[12:11] <Boris> "A mercenary's life never stops, hmm? I'll likely be moved elsewhere as well, though if this threat is not contained I might just remain here."
[12:13] <Earthflame> "Ohh, mercenary lives end all the time. It's just the bit before they do that's a bloody nuisance." He refreshes their glasses again with a sigh. "...I do hope you can get rid of this. That it's some isolated outbreak... But I am not sure we will be that lucky."
[12:15] <Boris> "I do not know either, but I will do as much as I can, with what I have."
[12:17] <Earthflame> "Aye." He smiles, tapping at the shell. "And every bullet, spell and bomb at my disposal is at your command. As are the skills of Igor! He may be a Gobber, but do not underestimate him. He's been a good friend to me for years."
[12:25] * Boris nods. "He seems capable, but is generally unassuming. I'll keep that in mind."
[12:26] <Earthflame> He laughs. "Gobbers are good at avoiding attention, but when it come to some areas his expertise far exceeds mine. When we want this shell to fly true, I'll want him looking over the cannon with me."
[12:31] <Boris> "Truth be told I am surprised at the ingenuity of the entire retinue, though Zima's obvious contempt for authority is a concern. Strangely, I've only ever seen her in Lady Alkaev's shadow recently
[12:31] <Boris> ."
[12:33] <Earthflame> "I quite like her, but we Gun Mages have a reputation for being a little free spirited in Cygnar." He smiles. "I have noticed that as well, myself. Although... Stories of Izolda's kin have them ensnaring and bedazzling people with great ease."
[12:34] <Boris> "True, but Lady Alkaev was raised by her father her entire life. It's quite the story for the ladies of the court to gossip over. Shame that her father has basically cut himself off from traditional Khadoran society to do so."
[12:35] <Earthflame> "Then perhaps it is nature, not nurture? But that does explain how she acts more like a Khadoran than a Satyxis."
[12:36] <Boris> "Indeed, but some parts of nature are unavoidable. Which I would wager is why nobody is eager to join themselves to her father's house."
[12:37] <Earthflame> "I wonder if that situation would change with Lady Izolda's prowess being more known... Her fathers efforts might yet be recognized? It would explain why she was sent here, too." He laughs and shakes his head. "I know I'm driven by no agenda other than wandering legs and desire for coin, but it seems I stumbled into the middle of something far larger."
[12:38] * Boris shakes his head. "That is not the reason. While there are doubtless numerous young men who would leap at the chance to share a bed with her, any line that joins hers will never produce a son again. For every noble house, that is an intolerable state of affairs."
[12:39] <Earthflame> "...Hm." He nods slowly. "...I had not considered that, but... I can see that making things difficult."
[12:43] <Boris> "Likely they'll have to marry into a lesser noble house, such as a Kayazy, and find a third or fourth son who would not be inheriting. It's cruel, but it is also how things are done. You cannot force one line to marry into another."
[12:44] <Earthflame> "And you're for a better fate, I imagine? Some beautiful Khadoran snow queen your chosen bride?" He gives him a smirk.
[12:45] * Boris chuckles. "I think my parents are waiting on me to earn great glory on the battlefield to improve our standing first."
[12:46] <Earthflame> "Well, if you're still alive at the end of this winter, you'll likely have at least a taste of that."
[12:47] <Boris> "Indeed. Yourself as well, though a mercenary's glory is for paychecks and little else."
[12:48] <Earthflame> "It keeps food in my belly and ammunition in my pocket... One does what one must."
[13:06] <Boris> "Indeed." He stands. "I think I should return to my patrol, but I enjoyed the drink and the conversation."
[13:07] <Earthflame> Monty raises a hand in goodbye. "I'll bid you good evening Commander, although I think it will rapidly become Good Night." He smiles, stretching and pulling off the wooden hook again, leaving his left stump bare as he moves to the pile of furs.
[13:07] * Boris nods, and goes to get Zoya ready to rejoin patrols around the city.