Scene #936:

Owner	Pose
Goffard Gaffgarion	The robbing and murdering trade-- ...er, that is, the SELLSWORD trade-- is tough business, and often requires downtime. Which is what Gaffgarion's doing here at this pub in Goug-- taking some time off. He's not often seen out of his armor. Not unless he's off duty. Which he currently is. So sitting here at a table with a mug of ale is not a darkly-armored night. Rather it's an older fellow with short, close-cropped hair and a well-groomed mustache. He's wearing a well-made tunic and shirt, black trousers, and a sturdy pair of riding boots. He's also not alone. There's a young boy, maybe sixteen, sitting at the table with him. Strawberry blond hair, dark red tunic and trousers, brown riding boots. Like Gaffgarion he has a mug of ale before him.
Ineryon	While not exactly in the practice of doing every dirty deed conceivable simply for a few wages, Ineryon Valos wasn't the pinnacle of ethical models within the Multiverse, albeit, by extension, if he were inclined towards hiring someone who was willing to do the seediest sin possible, that made him an accessory, in some people's books. Nevertheless, a tall dark elf strode into the tavern, hailing from the same world of origin as Gafgarion himself. Far be it for most to know a dark elf when they saw one from the realm of Ivalice, one as well-traveled as Gafgarion presumably heard rumors of them, if he was a resourceful sort, and with luck, he /might/ have even seen one in person, in defiance of the fact that the Lodestone Cavern was ordinarily protected by a magic bubble of the likes of which even Kletian could not pierce with his divinations! Indigo skin, lavender-silver hair, a singular horn atop his head, tail, and spines protruding from his elbows were the earmarks of a drow....besides the most significant ear-mark, a dark elf's long, tapered ears! Ineryon wasn't hunched over as they were said to be, yet, even if the dark knight didn't know the drow, the dark elf certainly could tell that this was Gafgarion, who was far more renowned in his notoriety than the sylvan race; it helped that Ineryon had bribed some folks to inform him of the knight's whereabouts, since he was oft distinguished by his fur-collared black armature. Taking a seat at a table across from Gafgarion, Ineryon Valos pulled out a satchel and dumped a few coins in front of him atop the wooden surface, "If one in this room answers to the name of Entity Gafgarion, then I'd be honored to render him these pieces of silver for a few minutes of his time...." Is all he says. As one person begins to stand who is anyone but Gafgarion, probably a greedy opportunist, the dark elf chimes in, "...And if one decidedly attempts to deceive me, then I will be tempted to extract an equal amount of metal from their body. I hear that without iron, most organisms cannot survive. Let's just consider this a fair toll for my time that would be wasted on persons who I've no interest in consulting, how about?" He tilts his head questioningly at the man who started to rise. Chances were, if Ineryon didn't mercifully give the warning he gave, Gafgarion himself would have slain him without even providing that much generosity as a threat, or, mayhap he was every bit as charitable as the drow in question?
Goffard Gaffgarion	The sight of a dark elf is enough to prompt a legitimate double-take from Gaffgarion. The sellsword looks to the door, begins to look back to his ale, and then quickly turns his head back to the door. Blinks. It's not a look of disgust or revulsion, but one of surprise and confusion. He actually doesn't know much about dark elves, truth be told. He knows enough to /recognize/ one, mind-- the ears are enough for that. But aside from that, little else. However, this particular dark elf gives him a clue as to what he is. The mention of removing metal from one's body... to do that he must have a powerful magnet. Or magnetic powers! That's a hallmark of dark elves, isn't it? Ladd, the boy sitting with Gaffgarion, looks to his master as the Dark Knight's name is spoken. The look on his face is a clear 'what do?!' Gaffgarion cups his chin in a hand to think. He didn't actually notice the one shifting to stand until the dark elf's warning. Then his eyes narrow, and he looks in the direction of the one who was about to claim his name. It is very likely that if the dark elf hadn't given the warning, Gaffgarion might have indeed dispatched the greedy opportunist himself, without the charitable warning. No one uses Goffard Gaffgarion's name to profit without his permission. In fact... Looking to Ladd, Gaffgarion leans closer and says quietly, "Keep your eyes on that one." Referring to the opportunist-to-be. "I wish to have... 'words' with him later." Ladd nods once... and then swallows hard at the mention of 'words'. Gaffgarion's idea of 'discussion' involved punching at best, and swords at worst. That said Gaffgarion stands, bringing his mug of ale with him, and walks to the dark elf's table. "Did I hear you were seeking me?" he inquires amiably. He's capable of being friendly, and generally is to people who may be his clients. Especially when they show money immediately! Gil is, after all, the only god Gaffgarion pays tribute to.
Ineryon	In truth, Ineryon was a black sheep of the dark fae, in that he deviated from the mainstream path of metal-control, and leaned towards that of dark magic and earthen powers. True, he still had an inborn persuasion over magnetic technique, which was what his kind were famous for manipulation thereof, yet, this particular drow could control substances that absorbed sunlight to the fullest, a kind of nod to a Green Lantern who could control 'black' instead of green, and raw iron just happened to be black! The tall individual who seated himself did observe that eyes were on him aplenty when he emerged through the doors, however, probably no fewer than were laid on known celebrities such as a nobleman, or warlords, with the prime example being the white-moustached mercenary. Having acute hearing, even as Gafgarion whispered to Ladd to keep tabs on the location of the wannabe-sellsword, Ineryon could already tell that his intuition was right-- only someone as unforgiving as Gafgarion's ilk would be disinclined to let such a thing go, even after the dark elf had dissuaded the opportunist from taking advantage of the situation. This wasn't to say there weren't other cut-throats abound, on the other hand, most didn't want to risk getting into a scuffle just to prove a point; this was because most weren't as competent in warfare as the dark knight, ergo, for Gafgarion, there was practically no risk to /his/ person if he decided to incite an argument with the would-be interloper. The price of misusing the reputation of the dark knight was a high one, and Ineryon made a mental note of this in the back of his mind, even if he knew he couldn't pass as Gafgarion in his lifetime, what with how different their visages were! As soon as Gafgarion arrives at the dark elf's table, he watches the man cautiously, making certain not to make any fast movements that could be construed as threatening-- even an accidental gesture could be costly, courtesy of the fact that Gafgarion assuredly didn't /yet/ trust Ineryon, for absence of any sort of long-standing relationship, "You might have heard that. If you did, and you are Gafgarion, then you not only heard correctly, but you'll be due ten silver pieces after our discussion is adjourned." The dark elf manipulates the chair's nails and joints in such a way that the chair itself back-slides a couple feet so that Gafgarion can seat himself as needed; the metal-ware embedded inside of the wood is firmly anchored enough so that the whole object can be moved without danger of anything being yanked free. "Sitting would be more comfortable.... but beyond that, I want to discuss fair exchange rates of currency with you, for a time, as it applies to what services I have heard you may relinquish to interested parties. I'm light on conventional moneys, but I have a knack for crossing paths with.... gems."
Goffard Gaffgarion	The sight of the chair moving itself gets a raised eyebrow from Gaffgarion. And while Ineryon makes mental notes of the high price of misusing the Dark Knight's reputation, Gaffgarion makes a mental note of his own-- to watch it when he's wearing armor around this fellow! Nonetheless he does have a point. And the offer of silver is definitely enough to drive the point home. Gaffgarion sits in the chair-- carefully, in case it tries to pull away from him and dump him on the floor. His brows rise at the mention of gems-- he is a greedy bastard, after all. Though he's smart enough not to just grab the opportunity. He shifts to prop an elbow on the table and voices his observation, "To offer so much, so quickly, you must have quite the task in mind for me to complete." His tone isn't mocking or derisive, merely observing.
Ineryon	Ineryon would've been foolish to spark a feud with Gafgarion by pulling a prank like pulling the chair away, however, that didn't mean the dark knight was liable to be careless even for lack of the presence of a trickster trying to make a fool of the older man. For while Ineryon could control certain types of metals and minerals, that didn't mean his body was /immune/ to the effects of being impacted by a blade or bludgeon forged of them, therefore, for one quick enough on the draw, the head of a dark elf could be removed if he wasn't hasty about staying the hand of potential sword-slinging assailants. There was absolutely no sense in creating trouble between himself and the mercenary knight, and being of rational mind, the drow refrained from it, to the best of his power. Suspecting that Gafgarion wouldn't leap without looking, Ineryon Valos stroked his chin lightly while listening to the man's implication that the task to be done was a difficult one! It was a very good inference, earnestly, though, in Ineryon's case, this was all a practice-run, but so as not to be deceitful, he made it known right from the onset, "Entity Gafgarion, I have to say that you are mindful to ask questions before assuming responsibilities, which informs me that you afford heed to details in your dealings with others, as far as the balance between gaining assets versus risk of liabilities." His head sways from side to side as he thoughtfully considers this, and comes to a stop, "At the present time, I have need for a pair of eyes, and ears that proceed beyond the confines of my own skull." Hooking a thumb at himself, he remarks, "I happen to belong to the arguably-elusive race that belong to Ivalice known as 'dark elves', and as such, I'm curious of the statuses of others who might have ended up in this nexus of worlds." Pushing the silver coins towards Gafgarion manually, he pauses, retracts his hand so that the monetary morsels are now easily within the black knight's reach, hinting that they've very nearly been earned in full, Ineryon states, "I'm seeking an ongoing contract. I suspect there will be either a fee paid in small monthly increments, or annually, yet, whichever your preference, I'm hoping I can be offered insights as to where others of my breed could be located, should they appear in this Multiverse." He grins, "Flat-rate for continuous efforts regardless, and considerable bonuses would come upon actual materialization of desired knowledge."
Goffard Gaffgarion	Perhaps surprisingly, Gaffgarion's actually following Ineryon's words. The dark elf seems a verbose kind, and a lot of what's said seems likely to confuse the casual listener. Which was actually good; that meant anyone attempting to follow the conversation would probably get lost fairly quickly, if they could pick it out amongst the normal chatter of the pub. Ah-ha. A look of recognition comes to Gaffgarion's expression as he realizes what's being asked of him. Not necessarily dangerous, but desperate. That makes more sense. He nods. "You seek more of your people." Hard to tell if that's a question or not. Though he does venture, "I say this not for grounds to ask for more payment, but as a safeguard against disappointment. It has been observed that, in this 'Multiverse', there are numerous versions of... well, everything. 'Dark elves' that are found in it may or may not be from Ivalice. And the Multiverse itself is practically endless. To search it for displaced dark elves would take thousands of people thousands of lifetimes. This I cannot do, and will not take payment for." Of course... it's less likely that he's being altruistic and more likely that he's trying to save his own ass. He doesn't want to tangle with a dark elf when metal armor is his only defense! He raises his index finger into the air, to punctuate his next statement, "However! I will keep watch. I will keep my eyes and ears open, and if I hear of 'dark elves' I will investigate. Should they be from Ivalice, I will send them to you. Is this agreeable?"
Ineryon	Ineryon Valos gently drums his cheekbone with his fingers, in rumination of Gafgarion's supposition that he's looking for his own kind-- while this was true, the reasons /why/ he sought out his own kind he had left to the imagination. Would one such as this drow be the type to succumb to loneliness? As soon as Gafgarion agrees to locate and send dark elves from Ivalice to the horned fellow, Ineryon shakes his head, "...Nay. I would not advise that." He too, is no altruist, but a businessman, and isn't about to send a man out on an insane mission without giving him a touch more intelligence about the nature of the arrangement, "...You see, my name is Ineryon Valos. There are a number of my blood-line who would be grateful to see me dispatched, along with all those who might be my allies. This is not to say that all of the other Valii out there could outmatch you, by any means, as I intend no offense." He raises a finger in objection, "...On the other hand, while there are those who are scarcely even close to being within your range of prowess, be your reputed ferocity true, there are also a very select few who I believe happen to transcend it. Not all drows are equal." Ineryon frowns, "If you were to be looking for them on my behalf, and they discovered you were reporting to me, I'd undoubtedly receive unwanted attention, plus, you might end up having to do more slaughtering than you'd care for, or end up being the lamb sent to the slaughter...." The dark elf sighs, "I merely want to know where I can find them, if you overhear rumor of their presence. I'll be able to discern which ones crave to see my head separated from my shoulders, and which would rather see a crown atop it. I was considered by /some/ to be something of a troublemaker, back in my world of origin...."
Goffard Gaffgarion	"Oh?" This in response to the statement of not sending the dark elves back. Gaffgarion listens to the explanation, and again the look of recognition comes to him. "I see. You seek to learn of them before they learn of you. Possibly to ensure that they do NOT learn of you?" He raises a brow as he says the last, as if confirming it. He nods to the mention of determining which dark elves were friendly. Makes sense to him. "Separate the wheat from the chaff. Weed out those who would see you struck down, until only allies remain," he observes. "A good strategy in battle as well. And apparently in politics." The last is said with a bit of hurmor. But there is a question to be asked! "Report if I hear information of dark elves and let you investigate? I believe I could do this. Oh. Have you a 'radio'? It will allow us to keep in contact." Damn newfangled technology. But it has its uses.
Ineryon	Ineryon clears his throat when Gafgarion makes more inferences as to his client's motives, "I'm perfectly willing to stay on my side of the fence. I've no need to decimate those who despise me unless they display some disinhibition towards becoming violent, while.... on the other hand,..." He gives a very faint smirk, "...Helpful folk are -always- welcome to loiter on my side of the fence." Before he can arise from his chair, Gafgarion asks the dark elf about a radio, and he squints, "I have... heard of this radio contraption before. I do not use it often unless it's on a private frequency, since I dislike disclosing knowledge to people who've no need to acknowledge my affairs. Can I trust that I would be able to speak with you, while avoiding the chance of eavesdropping?"
Goffard Gaffgarion	That is also a bit of a glimpse into Gaffgarion's motives and thought patterns-- he's brutal and amoral. Not immoral; even immorality would indicate an acknowledgement of 'morals', at least enough to flout them. This is not acknowledgement and flouting of morals. This is a complete and utter lack of anything resembling care about morality. Ah, but the question of eaves being dropped gets a nod from Gaffgarion. "Aye. I would offer you my personal frequency, for just that reason. My squire, Ladd, monitors it and ensures that the frequency is not being monitored. However, for added security I can claim a frequency with an encryption key."
Ineryon	Ineryon had heard Gafgarion didn't have much care for the welfare of others, lest they be useful to himself by some means that effectually gave them some value. This was one of the precise causes that compelled the dark elf to seek out the swordsman. Prompted by everything Gafgarion says, the dark elf stands, and bows, "I would appreciate a frequency with an encryption key. Outside of this, I should say that our business is concluded, Entity Gafgarion. Pleasantries can be... pleasant, except that when one realizes they've frittered their time, the backlash is a painful compensation one has spent on affectionate, idle antics between two or more parties." He shrugs, "For that reason, I'd like to forego further pleasantries, and be on my way, since I know your time must be of value to yourself, irregardless of how much mine is worth to me." The drow nods to the coins, "Those are yours until you die of old age, or someone else takes them from you... And I know not if this is much comfort, but I have no intentions to pilfer from you, Entity Gafgarion." Unless blocked, Ineryon will head towards the exit, suspecting that at least one of the patrons he leaves behind will suffer for having strove to take the name of Gafgarion.... maybe that man would assert he was getting up because he just happened to have a cramp in his leg at that very /exact/ second in time? Maybe if he groveled before the entire pub, Gafgarion would let him off-- the main objective was to make certain people knew not to take the mercenary lightly, or engage in identity theft!
Goffard Gaffgarion	Gaffgarion nods. "Encryption key it is. I will have Ladd forward you that information as soon as it can be set up." He doesn't want to admit that he can't really work a radio aside from using it to speak on. That would make him look incompetent, and he can't abide that. Ineryon indicates his desire to leave, and Gaffgarion stands, picking up the coins. "Your patronage is appreciated, sir, and will not be forgotten," he assures the dark elf. As for the greedy opportunist? A murder rap in any city is a pain to deal with. Particularly when you have a well-known name. So no, the man won't be found dead later. He will, however, likely be found very violently beaten within an inch of his life. But dropped off where he could be retrieved for healing. It's still a lesson learned the hard way-- never use the name of Goffard Gaffgarion to profit unfairly.