An Interesting Development - RPLOG
Participants
Date
17/8/477
Log
It's a long trip down into the belly of the earth, down below the hustle and bustle of the city barracks. The trip here has been interesting - through a number of illusions and tricks meant to hide the entrance to the winding stairwell that stretches downwards, and at the end of it all, a heavy gate of what looks like Creator Steel that looks like it would have been ripped straight off the Ark. But that would be desecration, would it not?
None of Flora's escort touches her, but still stick close to the tigress, enough to invade her personal space a little too aggressively. Just in case. Just in case. An exception has been made for her, considering her station - the blindfold has been done away with, but the stern looks of her escort make clear of the consequences should she let her tongue wag thoughtlessly.
Flora nods and smiles faintly, her tails still flicking behind her, and her ears twitching lightly. She's looking straight ahead, giving the two spyguards as little reason as possible to come any closer, reprimanding her, or anything else she mightn't like. Of course, she's going to be remembering this route, like it or not, so the blindfold wouldn't have had any use anyways, as she tried to point out earlier on.
At the creator steel gate, both of Flora's escorts bide their time a while, saying nothing, doing nothing, and gesturing for Flora to do the same. At some unseen signal, the gates slide open with a hiss, and the three of them enter what appears to be a main hall.
The Spyguards' enclave is not large, and for good reason. Within a single kingdom, few beings - perhaps not more than a hundred - exist with the dedication and intensity required to be admitted into the highest ranks of the intelligence service, and most of them are out at any one time. A few tables have been arranged on the west side of the hall, and it's to one of these Flora's escort ushers her, stopping in front of a red fox and bowing before melting away into the background, leaving Flora alone.
"Good morning, High Lady Longtail," the fox says, all nine of his tails lazily swishing behind him as he invites Flora to sit at the table. A small, placid smile plays upon his muzzle as wrapped hands move to pour out a bottle of wine - no, not wine, it is juice - into two glasses. "I am Spymaster Edmund Sirus Solacious the Eighth. The King has personally approved your request for an audience, and I am cleared to answer - within reason - any questions that you may have regarding your house and history, amongst others."
Flora smiles softly, her ears flicking and her own quartet of tails swaying behind her. "Flora appreciates the opportunity, yes," the she-cat rumbles as she moves to the table, her ears flicking and her eyes cast around the room, before she takes a sip of her juice. "Sir Solacious is... Well-informed, yes. Flora wouldn't expect anything less, of course, from the head of the Spyguards, no."
"Flora has many questions, of course. Where Flora can find, or avoid the rest of Flora's House, where those may be found that can be swayed to support the new direction, whom to avoid, and so on, yes."
"Of course. Directly down to business, I see. All work and no play. Are you sure? I could tell you how my associates and I worked to trace down your history. It was quite troublesome retracing your steps from when you were quite literally pushed off the cart, I can assure you of that. But well, if you're certain of your desires...
"You will understand that after your grandfather's attempted coup fifty years ago, what remaining Longtails used the existing Spyguard network of affiliates to escape the Goods' retribution, primarily to other nations - you will remember that you yourself were found in Shralesta. Afterwords, they sealed off those contacts from us, instructing them not to cooperate with the new management - my grandmother was the one who informed the Goods of the time about the attempted coup, which otherwise might have very well succeeded. She, as one might put it, got accelerated promotion.
He takes a sip of his own juice. "Those Longtails - likely to be low on the ladder of things - who remain in Sweetwater are likely to be embedded with the underworld, or otherwise in hiding. I can see if I can dig up something in our repository for you, if you're interested."
Flora raises a brow lightly, before shaking her head. "Flora will hear that story /after/ those things Flora came here for, yes... Presuming sir Solacious still feels willing to convey it, of course. And of course, Flora has found several parts of, well... What remains of the old Longtail archives, degraded over the years as they were. With permission, Flora would like to look over, and transcribe those copies that were taken in by the Spyguard... They may no longer be relevant, but... It should give some insights, yes."
Again, she looks out over the table, nodding faintly, still swaying her tails. "Flora would appreciate that as well, yes... Other things that might be of use are the family's tactics, methods, and associates... Even if they are no longer cooperative, knowing of their werabouts might help in the long run, yes."
Slightly disconcertingly, Sirus' small smile hasn't shifted throughout the whole exchange, more a mask than a face. "Very well, High Lady. In fact, I'd thought you might want that, so I sought permission from the King to have copies made of the House's geneaology and histories. He felt it was important for you to learn from the past so that mistakes are not repeated. You may collect them before you leave - but a word of warning: in their escape, you ancestors destroyed many of the records that would incriminate or otherwise be used to track them down, putting them to the torch. What we have may not be much better than your own resources.
"Moving on to other matters. Associates are one thing. Those have largely turned their backs on us when the Longtails defected, and so I am at libery to give them to you. Fifty years is an eternity in this business. We had contacts in Shralesta, Thera'dor, further abroad...even in that stupid island hellhole to the south. Trading houses, shippers...and of course, diplomats. All excellent covers for informants. A list will be prepared."
"Methods and tactics, though...you will understand that what we do here currently is based on the work of your House in times past, and that we cannot reveal our methods to those not of our fold. Not even to you, High Lady, who if not for a quirk of fate, may very well have been sitting where I am today. You would have to be one of us for me to divulge our methods to you, I'm afraid."
Flora shakes her head lightly. "What you have... At least it is properly preserved, yes? The remnants of what Flora has... Torn, damaged, and so on. Flora is sure it should assist."
�s far as the family's... Tactics go... Flora would figure they'd shift, now they are no longer in an official position. Flora is... More interested in the current state of affairs, than in the tactics they held fifty years ago, which Flora will presume have shifted... Of course, if such is classified, Flora will simply have to figure them out by prolonged observation."
"And Flora will have to decline that outcome. If Flora is honest... Flora would've preferred to not sit in either chair. Flora would've preferred to simply study the world and discover the things hidden in plain sight," she mumbles, sighing lightly.
