h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

*Jorias splutters, his eyes fixed on the hilt and frozen in place. The Old Man goes and gets two chairs, and sets one out for Thoran. The other he sets next to it*

[Old Man] For Lord Kethlin, my Lord Farranger. *eyes downcast, respectful*

Thoran: Thankyou old friend *he smiles*. Now tell me, who are these... lovely... new people I see before me. Jorias I've already met.
*Kethlin laughs slightly as he goes and sits down*

~Thoran

[Old Man] Well, you know me sir, Haliwell Brant..this here *gesturing to the other old man* is Lord Danellus Lyndo, as I'm sure you know...these here younglings -

[Jorias] /I/, the /head/ of the council, am Jorias Fletcher. Here is my betrothed, Zarina Harper. *gestures at the downtrodden, sad-looking girl*

[Jorias] These two are the Havenrick twins *gesturing to the young man and woman*, Torl and Erin. And that man there is Darvo Mhael. We joined the council when the older, slower members decided it was too much responsibility for their aged minds. *smiles a little cruelly*

Thoran: Understandable of course; you always have to replace inneffective parts of any machine, and the council is a machine. So I'm sure you'll appreciate the benefits of my replacing you as head of the council effective immediately.
Kethlin: I'm sure heading the council seemed to be very confusing for a immature mind such as yours.
Thoran: And I think we'll have a brief break here so I can just discuss with you all individually what is going on before I go and step in rashly. I'm sure you'll appreciate the fact that I ask you not to leave the room as it would inconvenience us all if we had to walk around trying to find each other so we could talk *he smiles* guards if you could see to it that none of these esteemed gentlemen and ladies forget my instructions by standing at the doors it would be much appreciated by all I'm sure.

~Thoran

[Jorias] WHAT?? *looks utterly infuriated* I swear, you - you - you'll pay for this!

*the guards move round and guard the doors, looking rather confused by all the goings-on*

[Torl Havenrick] This is an outrage! A Farranger or no, no one should show us this disrespect!

*his sister nods in agreement*

Kethlin: Disrespect? For the likes of you I'd say this is eloquence that you don't deserve.
Thoran: As far as I recall the laws here, as a Farranger I am, by default, head of the council. If there is any other disrepect you feel I have done to you please tell me now so I am sooth your worries.

~Thoran

*Jorias huffs again, then sits back in his chair with all the grace of an impatient child*

[Cyren Sasser] Er....what do you want, Lord?

Thoran: As I said, just a quick chat with a few of you to get an idea what is going on and then we will resume business as usual.
*Thoran turns to Haliwell Brant and Danellus Lyndo*
If you would my lords
*Thoran gets up*
Kethlin: *under his breath* I'll just sit here and keep an eye on the children to make sure they don't get out of hand shall I?
Thoran: *under his breath* If you would, and if Jorias soils his nappy can you change it?
*Thoran walks out of earshot and waits for the other two to join him*


~Thoran

*the younglings stay in their seats, glancing at Kethlin furtively. It looks like they're scared of him more than anything else, too scared to challenge him*

*Haliwell and Danellus get up and joins Thoran*

[Haliwell] *quietly* what would you have of us, my lord?

Thoran: Just tell me what has been going on these past years.
*Kethlin considers saying "Are you all siting comfortably? then I'll begin. Once upon a time...*

~Thoran

Kethlin: Are you all siting comfortably? then I'll begin. Once upon a time...

~Thoran

[Haliwell] Well, my lord, it all started going wrong about three years ago, when news of the worst fights over Imardin reached us. The Dark Alliance was gaining in strength, or so the runners said. Then this dark man arrived, a human man, but he was - *shudders*

[Danellus] He was evil, a supporter of the Dark Alliance. He tried to make speeches in the market square, but we ordered the guards to stop him. He evaded capture, then went about trying to sway people more...subtly. Without our noticing. After a year or so, with us trying to have him caught all the while - we don't know where he stayed, where he was hiding! *calms down slightly* After a year and a half, he had poisoned the minds of many, young ones for the most part, their minds were still forming.

[Haliwell] Then he started getting the more powerful people, the rich merchants, he must've promised them with power, money, I don't know what...suffice to say, there was an...insurrection, of sorts. About a year ago.

[Danellus] He says of sorts, because there was no violence, it was all cloak and dagger. The other Council members were involved in made-up scandals, or made out to seem incompetent, and they were all removed. We were kept, I suppose to make the traditionalists more happy. But we have no power here.

[Haliwell] All the young ones were instated to replace the disgraced members. And they have the power, and they - they - they

[Danellus] *in a harsh whisper* They support the Dark Alliance.

*back over at the table*

*the young ones pale; Jorias slumps down in his seat, hiding his hand moving to grab a dagger at his belt*

Kethlin: Am I boring you Jorias? Well let me tell you another story. Once a very follish boy tried to stab his elders. And do you know what happened to that boy? Let us just say it was worse than no pocket money.

Thoran: Is this man still in the city?

~Thoran

[Danellus] We've heard rumours that he may be, holed up with one of the merchants, or at least in his house...but we're not allowed to leave our homes unless escorted, and it's only ever to this building...Kethlin is under the same house arrest as us. He tried to oppose the young ones, and they had him locked up for it...he didn't want to hurt them, I guess we all hope that they'll come around...

*over at the table*

[Jorias] *ascerbically* What, he had to stare at /your/ face for a full five minutes? That /is/ worse than no pocket money. *glares sourly, sarcastically*

Kethlin: Yes I'm aware my face makes people feel bad... I was cursed with such good looks when I was younger and since then a lot of people who are... insecure... about their looks *looks pointedly at Jorias* find it very hard to look at me for long without feeling bad.

Thoran: yes... well I'll see what I can do. Are the merchants loyal to the Allience or to money? If money I can work around it very easily.

~Thoran

[Jorias] YOU - you,you are...*sits there, shaking*

*Zarina, his betrothed, looks up for the fist time with a small smile on her face, looking at Kethlin*

*over with Thoran*

[Danellus] In all likelihood, to money. That is what I would wager. But he has had all this time to poison their minds, I do not know.

Kethlin: Witty? Smart? Funny? Amazing? I know it is so hard to find the words to describe me; I'm so great words don't do it justice. So don't worry, I understand the problem.

Thoran: That is good; it means that if the money goes then there loyalty will... I'll get the restraining orders on you two lifted, or at least have the guards replaced with ones we can trust. If you two have some men you can trust to start spreading rumours that the allience has collapsed that will help our cause. I'll have the gate guards monitor who comes and leaves as well to see if there are any messengers.

~Thoran

*Zarina laughs slightly, and looks back down at the table; she misses the poisonous look that Jorias shoots her*

[Haliwell] the Alliance, collapsed? But they won't believe it, surely!

[Danellus] Have the guards replaced, but quietly, my lord. Your coming here has disrupted the status quo enough, it has alerted the dark man enough without setting us free entirely. Who knows what he might do..*shudders*

Thoran: I know. But in the next few days I intend to hunt this man down. And then I intend to replace this excuse for a council. I'm afraid I won't be here for too long after that, but I'll make sure things won't go down hill again.

~Skenvoy

[Haliwell] Thank you, sir. Any help /you/ bring will bring the city to rights, I'm sure.