[center][h3][color=C0392B]Rudolf Sagramore[/color][/h3][/center]

[color=c0392b]"Well, now that we're all friends,"[/color] the profaned swordsman muttered dryly, leaning forward and clasping his hands as he took his seat upon the offered stump. [color=c0392b]"To business."[/color]

He scanned the room behind a frosty expression, eyes sharp after the second Grovemaster, meaningfully or otherwise, set the tone in his spirited rebuke of Izayoi. Undeniable now that there was extra tension in the air, once opinions had been made known. That much was fine interpersonally, and he had no high opinion reserved for the Grovemasters as a conglomerate for many of the same reasons Izayoi had brought to their attention— but these, fundamentally, were negotiations. Winding eachother into anger would muddy affairs prematurely, before they had even relayed the warning from Cid—

Regardless of the political end of things, as he had an inclination some of the more established representatives present were inclined or even [i]forced[/i] to consider, they at least had cause to share information. It would be like not telling Hien. These three were the highest authority in this land, as far as he knew.

He stared into the shadows of the centermost Grovemaster's hood, where he knew the eyes would need to be. This was the one that had quelled the other and urged the Kirins take the floor, so he was most likely to appreciate cutting to the heart of things. If there was any one thing Rudolf had been taught in nineteen years, it was the value in cutting to hearts.

[color=c0392b]"What my companion alludes to is the answer to your question— The emergence of Blight upon the land has a direct tie to the invasion of the continent at large by Valheimr forces. Beyond the simple confluence of timing, though that was our first lead."[/color] he began, voice a hard edge. [color=c0392b]"Their home continent of Arbor has fallen dead as a victim to the same process, carried out over a century— a leaching of the Mothercrystal's light from the land itself. We believe this to be done through seizure and subsequent abuse of the sacred elemental crystals— the fire of her nation already being lost, and the water of yours now at most risk, the softest target left on the board here."[/color]

He wouldn't mince his words here. The situation being discussed was far too dire to allow for it. If they would bristle at the implication of inability to defend themselves, he could simply point back to the 'warmonger' comment, and remind them of the stance that presupposed. That said, he didn't expect to navigate them out of the woods they'd just been thrown into with the opening statement.

Lucky that this argument wasn't being presented by him alone. He'd establish the stakes, then let the better suited pick the ball up and keep running it.

[color=c0392b]"The current spoiling of the northern lands will be a simple precursor. The situation is dire enough as it is with one crystal already out of the equation— speaking from experience, even Edren is starting to be spread thin keeping the beasts and blight contained. Osprey has been pounded flat enough that the invaders have established a foothold in its capital before it could hope to recover from the recent war— and it was the saboteurs they slipped into the country ahead of schedule that set the tone for invasion. A few of us have personal experience in dealing with this methodology firsthand. It's key that we check their attempts of infiltration while we still can, before the people in your care become wholly overrun."[/color]