Nodding, the Speaker sinks into his chair and gestures to the bucket. "Well, that is what they are there for..."
Shiro finds it ironic that Ohmen is the one to be be given the message to not listen to the voices in his head. He wonders why only three of them were delivered messages, was there nothing in his future of note? Or did his darkness preclude the right to advice, to counsel... Shiro suppresses his dark thoughts and looks instead to the well dressed man. "Noble Speaker, what is this quest you speak of? And should I assume that the Oracle hears every word that I tell you and will reply when she believes she has something to say herself?"
While he talks Shiro piles a plate with food and takes a glass for drink so as to be polite, but does not partake until he is more certain of his surroundings and who exactly he was dealing with.
First approaching the soldier with a light smile and youthful face, Ohmen feels his heart skip a beat as the syllables of his name ring out… In a flash his eyes suddenly flicker, cutting straight through his appearance, staring not at the soldier who read his name out loud, but at the scroll itself… and Taking a deep breath and swallowing, Ohmen replies calmly. ‘Yes. Yes I am.’ Meanwhile, despite all, Wisdom seems somewhat unaffected. Calm even, the raven’s eyes continuing to slowly drift around, whilst Ohmen’s focus remains firm. Walking into the courtyard Ohmen can feel his heart beating a little faster… In return he slows his pace. Takes in deeper breaths. First he looks around, to the sky, and to the ground, before then turning to the singular figure. A somewhat blank, yet intense expression on an empty face. Remaining silent. Deadly silent. To the pont where even his breaths are quiet Ohmen turns to focus on the figure before him, listening to his... The oracles… words from behind the mask of a face, a person he had created, he was. Staring with such intent, the others fade away as he replies. speakign calmly despite Despite the figure, the situation before him. ‘I, I Would be lying if I said I didn’t expect something of this kind… the word, the title Oracle is not one to be spoken of softly…" "The voices in your head. The voices in my head you say...They are me. I am them. It is no different. Or so I told myself… like" ‘H-How-’ The raven beside him begins to whisper, to speak as it continues to look around the room, listening in to every single word, syllable and letter the oracle had to say, no matter who it applied to... Perhaps focusing on what they said to the others even more so... Immediately Ohmen snatches onto the sentence the bird was starting to say ‘like, H-Howling winds through a forest on fire’ "...." “Tread cautiously… tread cautiously… tread cautiously true.. I have-" "..Option one, I Step on the air and fall down into the abyss. Option two, I Step upon pillars of sharp, cutting steel stone, flaming with ice. All the while bearing my ever-increasing weights... People say some things are easy, some things are hard. I say They know not of what one can achieve in one.. ‘Mortal’ life... ” “And yes.. I.. I never had a doubt about my goals being unattainable…but It is the price… the price I would, I will have to pay for what I wish, for what I see, for what I fear. The sacrifices I would, I will have to make”. “Besides, Thank you, thank you and your, The Oracle for the compliments. I know not of you both, I know not where you both come from or why... he, she, they wish to talk to me, to us. But thank you for giving us an audience, whatever ends it seeks to fill… if you could care to inform us of such?” Ohmen leans back. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath before looking as the others beside him came back into view, into focus… hearing the others speak, their voices a slight relief from that of the oracles. His, her, it's tone. Heavy. Stirring mixed emotions. Looking around Ohmen tries to allow a portion of himself to relax, to enjoy the scenery, nature and architecture of the courtyard. But he could not. In another attempt he turns to see the food which Big bang was starting to make himself familiar with, Ohmen felt nothing. He would could not bring himself to eat. And so, focused, silent until speaking he remained.
Shiro notes the effect that the Oracles words have had on Ohmen... He seemed electrified by them. He resolved to keep a closer eye on what was happening so that they were not caught unawares.
But... despite everything, despite himself, he felt a mounting excitement. He could feel the honour of the upcoming quest. Surely Law could not have abandoned him when one of their emissary’s, an Oracle, a speaker of truth of base law, is commanding them.
"Now," the Speaker says once he has collected himself, "I am sure all of you would like to know why you are here." Getting up, he walks over to one of the tables and pours himself a glass of what smells like fragrant fruit juice. "It has come to our attention that you are seeking the whereabouts of certain individuals," he says before taking a sip. "Hmm, little sweeter than I like, but still chilled. So, here is the thing. Kithmali, both the city and the City-State, are supposed to be neutral. However," he adds, a sour look on his face, "the Council is starting to grumble, and some of our trade is beginning to suffer." Reaching into his dalmatica, he pulls something from an inside pocket and tosses it into a table in the middle. It appears to be a pair of rolled-up scrolls, tied with lengths of ribbon. "Now, because of our neutrality, both in local and stellar affairs, Kithmali is not allowed to interfere in, well, anything. So I certainly cannot tell you where to find what you seek," he tells you, gesturing to the scroll with a nod of his head. "Nor can I offer you any weaponry out of our armory to equip your ship," he adds, again nodding to the scroll. "After all, we are supposed to be neutral. This means I cannot tell you anything about the scro, like the fact that they favor bows and don't use crossbows, or that one of Drakk's relations is working with them," he adds, casting the kobold a stern but sad look. "And," he says, winking at each of you in turn, "I cannot offer to pay you for your work, and there is not a payment hidden in a hand-cask under the table with Bigbang's lunch on it. Do we understand each other?"
Bang, pausing mid bite checks under the cask under his lunch, sure enough, there it is. Bang constantly has to remind himself “these aren’t the ones with chocolate in them, these aren’t the ones with chocolate in them”. bang will ask if he can use these funds to finish the prototype and being designs for the ship artillery
"What funds?" the Speaker asks innocently. "Like I said, I cannot hire you to go after the scro. In the meantime," he adds, a smile gracing his lips for the first time, "is there anything I can help you with? I would rather the Oracle not possess me again so soon, but the questions are part of the commission we're, um, not paying you, so if needs must..."
Shiro leans forwards. “I would ask the Oracle of my situation. By her title itself I imagine she knows of it. I would harness it for good, but would ask how I can do this more effectively...”
Facing the Seer, Ohmen speaks. ‘Do we understand each other? Yes. Yes we do… And I do suppose the ‘Scro’, Do say ‘If you're not with them, You're against them’. Which, by their own design, makes you against them, not of your own. But of course, of course of course, Kithmali is a neutral state. And it needed not meddle in the affairs of the Scro.”, Ohmen gives a slight smile, whether in character or not can only be guessed. Ethier way, he now cats ‘Big Bang’ a serious, yet kind look before gesturing for him to drop talk of the so-called ‘Funds’, Speaking in a soft, yet stern voice. ‘Perhaps, Big bang, you should leave, whatever that is, because it's clearly not for us, and go back to enjoying this lovely food provided to you.”
Drakk stares in awe at the speakers words. Before saying with a goofy smile "It's a real shame you can't pay us to kill the Scro. But nonetheless we will find a way to deal with them!". Reaching down to grab the gold, Drakk stows the bag in his Bag of Holding to count later. Then turns back to the man and says "Thank you for your time, is there anything else you wish to say to us?"
For a moment, Scribonius stares at you, a confused look on his face. Then his eyes glaze over and begin to glow again, and his face jerks about like he's looking at things at high-speed before stopping, clutching his head, and wincing. "Ah, I see," he finally says. "That is a pickle. I have been told to inform you that channeling it for good can be done, but you will need to work on it. Something about focusing energy?"
“Peace and thank you. Please tell the Oracle, that she obliges one who is desperate and gives a blind man riotous colour, a deaf man an angel’s symphony, a dumb man words of love whispered in a lovers ear...” Shiro bows towards the man, hoping the Oracle can see this too. Straightening, he turns to the others. “Well we must not dally. He has his work and we must away,” he pauses to grasp the scrolls and nods to the man, before striding off in the way that they came in.
"Before you go," the Speaker says, holding up a single index finger, "I wish to offer you a piece of advice. Stealth will be your friend in the near future. You will be wise to remember this. Also," he adds, "you may wish to consider investing some of that money over on the Street of Wands. Liryk?" he calls out. The soldier returns. "I am done here. When these fine travelers are done with their refreshments, would you please escort them back to the entrance of the Palace?" "Yes, Speaker," the guard replied. Bowing to all of you, the Speaker finishes his drink and leaves.
Bang looks around, half a goblet hanging from his mouth. “Weird person but pretty cool all things considered. Anyways I will uhm take these contents that have no value what so ever.” Bang finishes his food and nods, showing he is ready to leave the plaza whenever.
Drew sees that neither BigBang nor Drakk can carry the barrel of gold, so Drew walks over to it, hefts it onto his shoulder, but then realizes that it is too heavy for just him, so he asks Izema to help him carry it back to the ship. Drew then motions for BigBang to hop back onto his head, and leaves the chamber