Moderated Quest: Diplomacy with Hodekin

[Yvonne]

Yvonne sat high in the saddle of Mead, her chestnut palfrey with a redhead's mane. She rode at the front of a substantial gathering, leading the way at a trot with a city guard entourage. Strangely she had been sought out by city officials, selected to deal with their political mess. Word of her rapport with the kobolds had spread over the last month - she had a cordial relationship with one regiment in over five hundred regiments, but apparently that made her the kobold-whisperer. The grey dwarf tied her hair into a loose, low bun, allowing wispy black bangs to fall from her fringe. The style spoke volumes of how she felt, if you knew a thing or two about dwarven women.

Many significant people she met at The Greyhound were gathering to sort through this kobold-invasion business, the likes of Philomel and Storm Veritas nearby. It was war, there was no denying it and wars rapidly escalate out of hand. A month of people killing each other, far too long a time already. To think wars could drag on for years, the thought twisted her insides into knots of grief and contempt. The death count was rising. There were so many needlessly deceased. How many sons and daughters have we buried? How many mother's and father's hearts need breaking?

The regiment of kobold warriors she was familiar with had besieged an Ettermire factory, disrupting the production chain of incredibly vital airship parts. The Aleraran officials were not overly concerned with kobolds building airships for themselves, but these attacks had ground production to a halt. Evidence suggested their species wasn't intelligent enough to coordinate construction of one, and many more factories would need to be claimed for the threat to become real. Nevertheless it was best to never underestimate your enemies, and to keep in mind Alerar opposed other nations that would use this invasion as an opportunity to sow chaos. Spies undoubtedly lurked in the capital.

It seemed Gru'Hal had been busy fortifying his position, ordering his minions to build barricades which would keep them from storming the building. That was fine. Yvonne had no intention of storming the building. She didn't want to fight with her single-handed friend, or his cohorts. Never did. Her crossbow was strapped to her back of course - it would be folly to participate in a war weaponless, but she would give a great deal to avoid using it. She had to present herself with a measure of strength as strength earned respect from many of these creatures. Alerar building airships and achieving air superiority was a similar show of strength. Building airships prevented wars before they even began. Nobody wants to fight with a more dangerous opponent.

Yvonne brought Mead to a stop near the five kobolds on the wall with a low, elongated "Whoa." She gave his neck a comforting rub as he was tense - as were the city guard, many of them directing their guns at the great kobolds, at the building windows and the rooftop where kobold activity had been spotted during their approach. The dwarf hybrid sighed. Ye lot be making tha situation worse. She gestured at them to lower their guns, annoyed. Some of them did. Others ignored her. Still atop Mead she searched the rooftop, looking for the one in charge of this tiny empire. She wondered whether he would hear her if she spoke loudly enough.

"Gru'Hal, honey? We need ta talk dear," Yvonne hollered, easing into the conversation, watching his five greatest warriors for any sudden movements.
"I not be here ta stir up trouble. Ye know I have yer best interests at heart."
Her silver elven eyes yet scanned the building, fairly confident he was up there within earshot.
"I can leave these guards down here, we trust each other. We'll have a chat, ye and I," she offered, making her request.