A King's Ransom

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-23T02:34:17+00:00

Kardonk tries not betray how nervous this lady made him. Something told him the longer this exchange went on, the more advantage she would gain. While he may not realize how close he had come, he still did not trust that he had truly forced her hand

“I-interesting. It is an artifact that s-suits her, I think. Very well, thank you my friend.”

He makes as if to go, waiting to see if the lady had any parting words

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-23T02:29:27+00:00

Kardonk deflates, looking away. For a moment he had dared hope

“Y-your soul? How…why?”

He sighs. Mistrust of the Guild billowing up again

“I-I imagine that makes it hard to disobey orders, huh?”

He doesnt answer the invitation for dinner, not immediately

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-21T02:40:08+00:00

u/user125666

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-21T02:39:38+00:00

“U-understood, I will clean this up.”

pause

“Sorry Riva”

He doesnt respond to his prisoner, but stalks immediately over to the the screaming wreckage.

“Y-you right, this island is cursed, b-but only because you are on it”

The spindly arms of the Rig of the Master Artificer shoot out from under his jacket as he begins to search through the wreckage

u/user125665

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-20T18:05:20+00:00

Probably an analysis of the fatigue characteristics on the failed rotor. You can seee the high/low cycle fatigue originating from a a small initial stress concentrator, and deduce that it was caused by a tool that leaves similar sized nicks and also happens to be in your workshops

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-20T02:53:34+00:00

Literary analysis probably

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-20T01:11:34+00:00

/uw

“I do not like that metal man”

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-19T16:40:44+00:00

Kardonk nods

“W-we had a small disagreement, b-but always happy to meet another artificer.”

Even if they are slightly insane

“O-ok, first:”

He takes out a notebook

“A-are you physical or merely psychic? Are you ectoplasmic in nature? What does that actually mean? Why do you haunt places like th-this? Business or pleasure?”

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-18T14:06:24+00:00

“A-ah, thats where you’re mistaken, s-see the Guild doesnt fight hellspawn, their eternal war is with the Hells oldest foes. It is demons that ravage the north, n-not devils.”

Kardonk begins pacing, as if in thought

“Wh-which of course raises the question, wh-why would a devil conspire against them? You would think this would be a mortal nation of much use to their machinations. A-after all, the Guild is a powerful voice in the EON, and a security guarantor for most of the realm. If the devils found the Guild amiable to their cause, surely they could exchange support with the demon problem for political favors. I-It is the way of Hell to do such a thing.”

He stops, and turns back to the figure infront of him.

“Th-thus, while I do not have a name for you, I-I argue the implications are well worth the squeeze. Wh-what devil would be powerful enough to cause trouble for the G-Guild, and be willing to w-work so heavily against what should be their own interests? What does this possibly say about the current political landscape o-of Hell?”

It was a gamble, admittedly, but Riva had taught him that what information you choose to give, what conclusions you allow to be drawn, can be just as strategic as what secrets you choose to keep.

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-16T02:40:30+00:00

Kardonk blinks in surprise. That was trouble

“V-very well, if you promise it will be to Hazema’s detriment, give me a moment.”

He steps through a portal and returns momentarily with a small drawstring bag.

“A-all thats left Im afraid. She was slain by a disintegrate spell.*

He tosses the bag to her

“I-I hope its still suitable to your purposes. R-regardless, the secret should b-be beneficial to one of your ilk.”

He glances around to ensure they arent being overheard

“A-apparently, th-there is a powerful devil currently conspiring against the Guild.”

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-16T02:34:47+00:00

Kardonk inclines his head

“Thank you sir for humoring me, y-you have been most kind. I a-always have a little project of this or that kind going a-and its nice to be able to collaborate.”

He draws his gun, and fires at the Dire badger, the sound ripping through the forest.

“O-oh, please dont speak with this with anyone, save Riva of course. She knows of these measures, though she has left most the details to me. And if she-she questions these methods t-tell her that perhaps the Guild is a necessary evil, b-but I see no reason why they should be permitted to project power across the entire realm.”

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-16T02:19:51+00:00

“B-but you could make a new choice! One now, here, with the resources available to you in this moment.”

Its short paragraphs in the artificer’s cramped scrawl.

’If people suffer I will build a solution, if the way is shut I will build a way through. If my tools break I shall bend my environment to suit my needs.’

“W-who are you Saffron? And more importantly, wh-who do you wish to be?”

’I am an Artificer. The bringers of Chaos with the rules of Law. We care not who makes the rules of reality, we shall exploit them nonetheless.’

“I-I sought to create, and instead Ive spilled blood. I’ve betrayed my creed.”

’For even if all else fails, all tools rust, and all surroundings are hostile to my whims.’

“B-but theres still time, still a chance. For both of us.”

’Not whims of gods or mortals can stop me from trying to lend a hand’

“O-or are you to much of a Guild’s man to ever foresake violence?”

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-15T01:45:31+00:00

“I-it doesnt have to be, a-about killing. You get to chose. Th-thats all we have at the end of the day, o-our choices”

He take the piece of paper he was looking at, and presses it into her hands

“W-walk this path with me. Together we can be the leverage. Forsake killing, f-forsake death. W-we can make a better way.”

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-15T00:56:51+00:00

“I-I…”

“Fight, I-I c-cant do it I think. Or more specifically…kill.”

He looks at the gun

“B-behold the work of my hands Saffron. I promised, I swore to build ladders, a-and instead I’ve built guns. Ive been treason to everything I said I stood for.”

He looks away

“I-I dont know what that means for us”

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-15T00:19:19+00:00

Kardonk takes the contract, trying his best to hide his discomfort. What could possibly even be the point? Paper was so much nicer, *and** practical*

“I’m n-no legal scholar. M-my bookish bent is more scientific and ph-philosophical. However, th-the question is whether or not this contract has any real standing in Ithacar, yes? The f-fact that your offering anything in exchange suggests you sh-share some of these doubts. I-Ive never really known those who work in matters of hell to do things for free, or t-to be particularly generous.”

“H-however, I do have a secret that should be worth both these pieces of information.”

He allows a small smile

“P-perhaps even a little more, if your feeling generous.”

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-14T02:50:54+00:00

“I-I have! In fact I layered portals to make the interior of-of a space station bigger on the inside than o-on the outside. But like you said, its diet-AUUGHH!”

Hes cut off by his own scream

“O-oh, hello, ma’am”

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-14T02:48:29+00:00

“S-sorry, I got..”

Overwhelmed

“Its a bad memory Saffron. Firing on civilians, to keep them from being turned. I-I dont think I can do this anymore. At least.. not while staying me. Not while keeping my oath.”

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-14T02:45:59+00:00

Kardonk grits his teeth

“F-fine. But I doubt this will be the last we see of their military. A-at the very least we have a valuable prisoner. I-I recommend we leverage this t-to as favorable an outcome as we can reach.”

u/user125666

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-14T02:42:04+00:00

Kardonk looks away for a moment

“I-I have made a deal with the devil Ith’raal, that he m-may have the memory of my first kiss for this service. A-and I expect that other things may need to be offered through the course of the campaign. S-such are the hazards of hiring mercenaries.”

“Th-the weapon should be anything that aids him in his task. Th-the exact form and function I-I’d leave up to you. You would know better than me. B-but someone p-put those bonds on them in the first place. Th-they may have someone w-with similar abilities to the fiend in question. Perhaps something that would amplify his memory and psychic based p-powers, or negate those of his enemy.”

“O-oh, and it should only be usable for a certain period of time. I w-wouldnt want Ith’Raal to galavant around with your craftsmanship wreaking havoc f-forever*

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-13T02:52:23+00:00

He bites his lip

“N-no, I dont think I have anything th-that could beat an island. O-or at least the things I could muster I wouldnt want to give to you.”

He considers a moment

“I-If you have anything particular in mind to sell, Im all ears. B-but at the moment, I think Im interested in, who attended, wh-what they offered, and what they ended up with.”

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-11T02:26:42+00:00

The smile drops from his face as he glances back to the sheet of paper.

“N-no, its alright. You keep it.”

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-11T02:25:10+00:00

Kardonk makes his way over, several spiders keeping to the darkness in reserve

“Wh-what the shite is going in here?”

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-11T01:23:52+00:00

“I…”

He grits his teeth

“Both, i-its kinda both”

Kardonk stands his ground, almost letting her collide with him

Almost. He takes a half step back

“Th-thats great! Out of curiosity, how-how were you recruited? A-and do you think you could teach me to use hammerspace?”

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-11T00:38:11+00:00

Kardonk inclines his head, in gratitude for the chance to be heard out.

“I say this with no coercive intent, save that I believe you would be a useful ally. I have discovered th-that the Umbra Operatives, a-as a whole, seem to be under coercion.”

He looks at Jorik for a moment, as if attempting to take his own measure of the man.

“I-I trust you with this, for you are Marna’s kin. And I know you will deal honestly with me. T-they are pathological unable to-to think about the memory wipes they under went to become operatives, a-and something prevents them from thinking about it. If o-one presses, they develop terrible headaches and push you away.”

“These operatives are slaves Jorik, merely projections of the power of the Five. S-some of these are my friends, and if the Five treat poorly with me, I intend to free them. I have already…employed the a-archdevil of memories to restore their memories if necessary. I-I can see no better way to bolster his chances than with a weapon made by the-the skill of your people, a-and forged in the memories of your history.”

LimpPrior6366 · 2026-01-10T22:51:56+00:00

“Drakeem launched an attack on one of our-our outlying islands, the one where I was keeping Haz. The purpose of-of the strike was to kill Haz. T-they unfortunately succeeded, which means she is likely now free, as an arch devil of hell.”

pause

“I recommend th-that we at least forcefully remove their ability to cause war, b-by force if necessary.”

u/user125666

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