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Post by TheAPlegends on Jan 21, 2019 10:12:21 GMT
[Stay with Vittorio]
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Jan 25, 2019 16:45:10 GMT
[Try to catch Urdo] It might be a fool's cause, but I feel like we have to try at least. The whole festival scene was really well-done by the way, it felt really immersive. From the environment down to the dance, it wasn't hard to conjure up a mental image at all. Ah, I am very glad to hear this! It was among my goals to really bring this scene to life, so it makes me happy to hear that so many of you enjoyed it and that I succeeded at giving it the atmosphere I wanted to. For certain, it seems it was the right decision to give this part the extra length to include the entire evening. That makes me quite confident that I will manage to hit the right tone with some of the later highlights as well, not just in this chapter
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Jan 25, 2019 16:53:34 GMT
[Stay with Vittorio] This was a good part. I could really imagine the festivities in the part. This new priestess character seems interesting. I believe her friends death must have to do with the mass sacrificing the Barboradians were planning. Ah, another thing I am happy to hear. Mother Linai is a character from the original campaign and she's someone I always really enjoyed as a player and DM, so I hope I will continue to flesh her out in an enjoyable way. You might be onto something there, by the way. It's just too much of a coincidence that the Borbaradians are preparing for a massive ritual in Drakesfield, while a Priestess of Tsa is burned alive in the very same village. It should be said, nobody harms Priests of Tsa, usually. They are devoted to a member of the Twelve Gods and therefore not just protected by law (even if they are, ironically, opposed to authorities by their very nature), but also outfitted with divine powers of their goddess, which means only people in very extreme mindsets are even capable to harbour the desire to harm them. It is unheard of that they are burned alive in a region that is known to be peaceful and civilized. So, you might be onto something there, it would be a logical conclusion.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Jan 25, 2019 17:00:40 GMT
The Voting is closed! Iiro is going to try and catch Urdo Huh, admittedly this is unexpected. Perhaps I was not quite able to show how dangerous he can be, but he is fast, faster than any person can be without demonic help. This, in turn, makes him an opponent few can hope to match in single combat. Even then, it means he can run like Usain Bolt on Caffeine, without growing tired, so Iiro's chances of capturing this man on foot are essentially zero. We'll see if he just placed himself in terrible danger, or if Urdo prefers to get away. The next part will be from Yveshin's perspective and it will begin on the next morning, showing the aftermath of Iiro's decision and Mother Linai's vision. Not much else can be said, I hope you enjoy it. I try to release it today.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Jan 26, 2019 4:32:11 GMT
Yveshin Spending the night in a human city was never easy or comfortable. At home, the elves of his tribe slept in palaces made out of crystal and ice, woven together by spell and song. They were clean and radiant and Yveshin had to admit, conscious as his decision to leave had been, there were moments where he missed the spires of his home. Baliho was not exactly a clean city and sleeping out on the street, it was unthinkable. Of course, he could go several days without sleep, but with the journey that would come soon, he came to the conclusion that it would not be a bad idea to get some rest. Thankfully, his new friend Vittorio was kind enough to explain to him that his four silver coins were more than enough to buy a room for the night for him and for Thea as well, in one of the better taverns in the city even. One silver coin for each room and another for breakfast on the next day, leaving him with just a single coin, but having slept in comfort and feeling no hunger. Slowly, it seemed like he got the hang of the whole coin thing the humans liked so much. At the very least, they seemed to like it when they had many of it, while cursing it when they had none. Thea herself had been remarkably chatty during this time. Though she claimed different, she had an inherent curiosity to the humans and their customs, as Yveshin noticed with amusement. It hadn't been much different for him when he first arrived in these lands. And Thea, she had been in this world for notably more years, without ever knowing anything but the lands of her tribe. Even the customs of his people seemed strange to her and in return, her tribe had many habits he himself wasn't used to. His tribe, the Lightbringer, were living in the remote and desolate region near the Eonaval, the immense mountain range which was known as the Brazen Sword to the humans. Commonly seen as the edge of the world, Yveshin's tribe knew better. There were lands behind it, perhaps as large as Aventuria, perhaps larger, but they were dark and dreadful, a place where evil men worshipped forgotten gods, where giants and monsters roamed. His sister had insight into the ancient texts his people guarded, some of which contained terrible secrets of the lands beyond the mountains. As the largest of the tribes, Lightbringer kept these lands safe. They stood guard, against the horrors of the Brazen Sword and beyond, but especially against the ancient enemy of all elves, against Bhardona, the Temptress, She-who-poisons-the-world. They were warriors and scholars, but few of them had ever left the borders of their home. The Wavedancer tribe, where Thea came from, were almost completely different and yet, humans had the habit of throwing them together as one, as part of the Rime Elves, as if a connection could truly be made this easily. They lived far from the Brazen Sword, on the northern shores of Amber Bay, in harmony with the frozen wastes and the icy waters. Bhardona was an enemy to them as well, but their tribe was a small one and where Yveshin's people fought and died, Thea's knew how to hide from Her toxic gaze. Where people such as Yveshin's sister kept and protected the ancient knowledge, Thea and her tribe actively sought out the old ruins, to uncover what had been lost when the High Elven cities fell. Well fed and rested and with a deeper understanding for his elven companion, Yveshin and Thea found themselves near the Temple of Travia during the next morning. The temple itself was a building to his liking. It did not seem like one of the cold, huge temples he had seen in the Bornland, dedicated to the stern Praios or the furious Rondra. Instead, it seemed almost like a normal house, if not for the fact that it stood entirely for itself and was notably larger than the other buildings. A small palace, but not for a king, but for the people. It was a half-timbered house with a pointy roof. The wood displayed elegant carvings, sometimes runes he knew little about, sometimes depictions of geese, the animal which the followers of Travia held into particularly high regard, if Yveshin understood this correctly. He could hear several of these animals from behind the walled backyard of the temple. The gates were always open and even at this early hour, supplicants and beggars came to receive food or other small favours. This was a process not unlike the way things worked back home. In front of the building stood a carriage. In the Bornland, Yveshin had seen massive examples, used by human rulers to travel across the country, large enough to house an entire family with comfort. True to their modest reputation though, the Church of Travia had access to smaller ones. It would be cramped in there with five people, but there was a roof to protect them from the elements and enough space to store their modest belongings. The whole vehicle was adorned with the same beautiful runes he had seen on the temple building. Mother Linai was already there, carrying her own bag to the back of the carriage. A young man was walking behind her and his robe displayed symbols similar to the chain Mother Linai wore around her neck. The priestess herself was clad in simple, practical clothing, but even then, it was clear to him that she was unlike most other humans. There were no priests among his kind, nor gods they worshipped. From the Light, his people had come, to the Light they would return. There was little place for gods in between that. But perhaps that was why the old woman seemed to different from the rest of her kind. “Mother Linai, I must implore you again, do not leave!”, the young man, perhaps a student of hers, urged her. “Give up on this foolishness” The woman raised an eyebrow, as she hauled her bag into the trunk of the carriage. For someone so short, she had a respectable strength. “Foolishness? I do not think so”, she spoke. “What I seek to do is a service to the Twelve and to a dear friend” The young man sighed. “You are putting yourself in danger, Mother!”, he spoke and by now, several bystanders had stopped to look. “Let your new friends handle this, if you insist. But you are not made for the perils of this journey” “I disagree, on both of this”, she spoke and her tone had something commanding in it. Her amused smile faded, replaced by the expression he had seen in her after the Tulamid evening. “Laniare begged her goddess to show me her last moments and Tsa allowed it”, she explained. “As such, it was the will of my friend and of a goddess that I make the right decision. I don't need to be a priestess of Hesinde to draw my own conclusions. I am needed in Drakesfield” “You are needed here!”, the young man tried again. “What about the people? What about Baliho?” Now, the priestess smiled again, but it was a smaller, thinner expression. “Baliho managed for hundreds of years before I was born”, she spoke. “Should I not return until the Nameless Days have passed, send word to Rommilys. The High Couple shall appoint a new head for this temple” This caused the young man to pause. “The Nameless Days...”, he mumbled, as if the term itself spelled doom. His eyes widened. “Mother Linai, do you mean to imply...” He did not get much farther, as the priestess took this moment to react to the approaching elves. “Ah, there you are!”, she said, as she snapped her fingers. “Good morning, my friends” From behind the carriage came Vittorio Crawford. The grey mage looked freshly bathed and groomed, his robe dusted off neatly and he gave them a nod. “You are a bit late”, he spoke, which earned him a stern look from Mother Linai, enough for him to pull himself together. “Ah, but still early enough. We haven't waited for long” “Indeed we haven't”, Iiro added, as he walked up from behind the carriage. Yveshin gave him a nod, before extending his hand, shaking Iiro's in the manner the humans do. Thea watched him carefully, raising an eyebrow at the gesture. “Good morning Iiro”, he greeted the warrior. “I... take it your hunt has been successful?” He carefully eyed the man to spot any injuries. Indeed, it seemed that he was walking a bit heavier, a slight limp perhaps. Iiro shook his head. “He lured me into a trap”, he spoke, his fist clenched. “Should have seen it coming, honestly. A man of his speed... and yet he let me catch up to him. We fought and he... I don't know how to say it, but he toyed with me” This revelation seemed to honestly upset him. “I don't claim to be Raidri Conchobair's equal, but I never thought any opponent could just toy with me” Though Yveshin had no idea whom this Raidri was, he suspected that Iiro had been badly outmatched by Urdo of Gisholm. “We fought and the only thing that saved me is the commotion we made. City guard came and Urdo escaped”, Iiro explained, looking genuinely disappointed at this. Yveshin narrowed his eyes. “Have you been injured?”, he asked. This time, the warrior hesitated for a moment, before he nodded. “A deep cut on my leg”, he revealed. “Vittorio did his magic and it's much better already” The mage shrugged. “I am no healer”, he admitted. “But he can walk and won't bleed out. I accelerated the natural healing process, that was all I could do” “It's not hard”, Thea interjected. “Perhaps you should let me have a look at it” Iiro raised an eyebrow and she sighed. “During the journey”, she added, speaking slowly as if she was talking to a child. “Your wounds shouldn't reopen. You're an impressive fighter, so we might need you during our journey” Finally, Iiro gave her a nod. “Thank you, mylady”, he spoke, still sounding notably unhappy over the way the evening ended. “I just hope we won't run into this man again. Twelve have mercy for when he decides to fight seriously. His speed... that was not natural” “It wasn't”, Vittorio confirmed. “I believe his speed is a hint at his true allegiance. This man sold his soul to a demon” He caught Yveshin's surprised gaze and shrugged. “I suppose it's not a thing for your people”, he spoke. “But some humans take the easy way to get what they want, be that powers, knowledge or riches” “They pay a heavy price”, Mother Linai added, as she took Yveshin's and Thea's bags, placing them in the carriage. “Though their powers are tremendous during their life, death claims them all eventually and their souls belong to the Nether Hells from that moment onward. Eternal torment is hardly worth a few decades of... of running fast, in case of that man, wouldn't you say?” She looked at Vittorio in particular, who raised both hands. “Oh, never!”, he assured her. “I wouldn't say otherwise” He smiled, though the expression faded quickly. “Though it means there are darker forces at work. Demon cultists, people willing to burn an innocent priestess... I've never been one to believe in destiny, but is it truly a coincidence that such capable fighters have gathered here?” Mother Linai shook her head. “Not a coincidence”, she assured him, as she climbed onto the coachman's seat. “Something evil stirs in these lands. I'm no warrior, but sometimes, an old woman has to do what she has to do” She gave her student a nod and the young man sighed. “May Travia watch over you, Mother Linai”, he spoke and the priestess gave him a kind smile. “And may my companions do the same”, she added with a wink. “Mother...”, Vittorio brought up, as Iiro limped towards the carriage. “Are... are you going to drive this?” Linai chuckled. “I might be a bit rusty, but I used to do this a lot when I was younger”, she revealed. “I was a part of the Wild Geese, the part of our church dedicated to teach our ways to the travelling people. I travelled with a group of Zahori showmen for almost a decade before I was called to Baliho” She gave him a wink. "So, yeah, I would say I am quite ready for our little adventure"
Yveshin understood exactly half of what the priestess explained, but once he was sitting inside the carriage, next to Thea and opposing Vittorio and Iiro, he had to admit that Mother Linai knew how to drive it. It was pulled by a pair of massive horses, larger than any he had ever seen, easily as tall as him or Thea and their immense strength, paired with Mother Linai's experienced guidance, meant they safely and swiftly drove through the streets of Baliho. He left the city through the same gate he had used to enter it and as such, he was not too interested in enjoying the view. It was quite something though, this he had to admit, driving around in a carriage. Though there wasn't too much space in it and though it was made out of hard wood, only thinly padded with a layer of wool, there was a certain comfort in the way they were travelling. That being said, he felt a sense of dread approaching. It was the same feeling he felt before, the one he could barely put into words, but it only grew stronger after the events of the last hours. The mage had spoken about dark times that were to come, but Yveshin had the looming suspicion that Vittorio himself barely understood what was going on, that he could barely imagine just how bad this would get. Closing his eyes, Yveshin remained silent for the first part of the journey. It was one of the benefits of being ageless. There was no need to hurry into a conversation. Instead, he thought back, trying to contemplate on this feeling in the back of his head. Mhair thaintalwa nurdraza was almost tangible by now, the feeling of seeing something blossom for the last time, before it was lost forever. Involuntarily, the memory of his sister formed in his head and he frowned mildly. Xeuna had always been the prodigy of their family. Brilliant and dedicated, she excelled where Yveshin himself remained merely decent. He had to ask himself what she would do, were she to feel the same approaching dread. She would probably try to stop it, not out of compassion, but out of duty. Perhaps that was the big difference between them. But Yveshin knew, without a doubt, that he missed her and that he could never look her in the eye again. Seeing how much his departure must have hurt her, that was the one sight he did not desire in this world. Yveshin remembered the early part of their route. He had taken the road from Trallop to Baliho to get to the city and it was the very same road they continued to travel down now. More than likely, Mother Linai intended to follow the eastern road at the village of Broonsford. Yveshin had spent a night there on his journey south and in a way, he was curious to see what would await them when following the eastern road. Curious, but increasingly worried. He only needed to briefly glance at Thea, who was silently working on Iiro's injured lower leg, weaving her magic into the damaged flesh, to know without a doubt that she felt similar. Then, something unexpected happened. Near the bridge that led over the river, just half an hour north of Baliho, the carriage slowed down. Vittorio, who had spent the silence to apparently take a nap, opened his eyes and raised an eyebrow. “We're not there yet, aren't we?”, he asked, displaying the sarcasm Yveshin slowly caught up to. This time, the elf gave him a polite smile, as it was likely expected of him. “I don't think so”, he replied truthfully. “But there is a bridge ahead. Maybe Mother Linai wants to be careful while crossing it” Vittorio leant towards the window of the carriage, gazing out of the window and immediately uttering a harsh curse. “Fuck”, he said again. “Iiro, do me a favour and look out of the window” The mercenary raised an eyebrow as he looked at Thea. “Is it done?”, he asked and the elf nodded. “I believe you wanted to thank me”, she reminded him and he tensed up. “Of... of course”, he stuttered, as he moved closer to the window. By now, Vittorio's concern had caught Yveshin's curiosity and the elf came closer. There was a small village, he remembered it from when he passed through. What was new were the banners and tents all around it. He was not a great tactician, but he knew how a war camp had to look. And this was clearly able to fulfil this role, with armed men and women patrolling through it and the entire village. The temple, dedicated to Praios, whom the humans worshipped as their god of sun and the law, was reinforced with a palisade and he genuinely wasn't sure if this had been there a few days ago, when he had passed through the village. But what actually caught his eye was the fact that he recognized the banners. Well, some of them. There were three different banners. One of them, the most prominent one, displayed a winged, golden sun on a field of red. To its right, there was a smaller banner, displaying a golden griffin on a field of red and a red griffin on a field of gold. And to its left, there was a banner he recognized, for he had seen it countless times in Baliho, a simple, white field, framed by gold. “What is the damn Banray doing in Anderath?”, Iiro mumbled, as the carriage came to a full stop. “Not just the Banray, my friend”, Vittorio spoke and Yveshin heard a nervousness in his voice. “The banner in the centre belongs to one of the highest bodies within the Church of Praios, the Holy Inquisition. That explains the third banner, which belongs to their personal guard, the Sun Legion” He shook his head as he turned away from the window. “Those have to be dozens. Perhaps close to a hundred. We got Banray fanatics, a whole unit of the Sun Legion and probably at least one inquisitor” With a sigh, Mother Linai descended from the coachman's seat. She opened the carriage and Yveshin noticed that she did not smile, for once. “Mother Linai, what is the Church of Praios doing here?”, Yveshin asked and the priestess shrugged. “Damned if I know...”, she mumbled. “They brought a small army, right to the front door of my city and nobody said a word about it” “An army of Praiots, blocking off the Pandlaril”, Vittorio said. “You might understand, I prefer to stay out of their way. The Banray in particular has a terribly backwards opinion on my kind” Mother Linai nodded. “While I don't share your suspicion of the Order of the Holy Banray, I understand your concern, Master Crawford”, she agreed. “Be assured, though, that you are under my protection. Think of them what you want, but I found most Priests of Praios to be quite agreeable, from a certain perspective” She raised an eyebrow. “Speaking of, you should all leave the carriage now” The four followed the order, Iiro quickly and without hesitation, Thea and Vittorio only after a moment of consideration. Yveshin was the last to climb out and he stood next to Thea. “Are you nervous?”, he asked in their language and the woman nodded. “You remember what the human said”, she whispered. “The Banray, those are the humans who burn mages” She narrowed her eyes. “All of our kind have the gift. I don't feel at ease having to meet people who would like to kill both of us just for the way we are” In the distance, four men and a woman approached them. Two of the men wore heavy armour, white and adorned with the omnipresent image of the winged, golden sun on it. They had heavy spears in one hand and a large shield in the other. They flanked the other three, two of which wore simple, white tunics above chainmail, armed with long swords. The final one was a woman in an ornate robe, white and golden. She was young, with short, blonde hair and a stern glare, perhaps even sharp. “Praios demands it!”, she greeted them. “Who are you and what is your destination?” She pressed her lips together, carefully eyeing the four and Yveshin was not sure if she was the most suspicious of the mage, the two elves, the armed warrior or the priestess of Travia who, as far as he was able to tell, quite different from most of her church. “I am Mother Linai, High Priestess of Baliho's Temple of Travia”, the priestess introduced herself. “These are my companions and guards. I am on my way to meet with a friend in the eastern Meadows, in the village of Drakesfield” It was partially a lie and Yveshin was surprised she told it so freely. The short-haired woman clenched her fists. “Drakesfield?”, she growled, her voice almost irritated, though she quickly calmed down as she continued. “A priestess of Travia, accompanied by... a mage, two elves and a sellsword... travelling towards the Black Sickle. This is highly irregular!” Mother Linai shrugged,huffing with displeasure. “Well, some might say the presence of a small army blocking off the Pandlaril and delaying the journey of a Priestess of Travia is highly irregular”, she spoke, her tone just as sharp and commanding as that of the other woman, who seemed to be slightly taken aback by the ferocity. “You are surprised”, the woman spoke, now slightly softer. “So are we. You have questions” She paused, now glancing at Vittorio. “So have we. I am afraid travellers into the eastern parts of the duchy have to be questioned. You have truly chosen a bad time to visit your friend, Mother Linai” She straightened her back. “Hand over your weapons to my companions, then follow me. His Excellency would like to have a word with you” “His Excellency?”, Vittorio asked and the woman narrowed her eyes. “Inquisitor da Vanya”, she clarified. “His orders are clear. Travellers into the eastern part of the duchy have to be brought to him for further questioning. This extends to those who travel beneath the banner of a church” She gave him a disdainful look. “Have I made myself clear, mage?” The last word almost sounded like a curse and on her sign, the two men by her side approached them. “Just a few questions, then you will be let go”, the woman said. “You have my word” Yveshin wasn't sure how much her word was worth, but as soon as she had said this, Iiro wasted no time handing over his sword. Though visibly unhappy, Vittorio gave one of the men his staff, while Thea raised her hands. “I am unarmed”, she spoke and the man in front of her nodded. “She tells the truth”, he confirmed. “Your weapons, elf”, the other man growled, still holding Vittorio's staff. “Do it quickly and you can be on your way once His Excellency has no more questions”, he presented his open palm and Yveshin knew, he had to make a choice. He needed to give up the bow and one of his hunting knives. The other, though, it was carefully hidden within his boot. Mother Linai seemed confident that they were not in danger, but Vittorio's warning was still fresh. The Church of Praios had disdain for mages, especially the wild ones. His own talent was not as much as Thea's but they both were wild mages without a doubt. Perhaps he should keep this one weapon, in case the Praiot's intentions were not as pure as they claimed. But could he successfully hide it from these people? The way the man looked at him, he felt naked, as if none of his secrets remained truly his beneath this gaze... [Give up the second dagger] [Try to hide it]
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Post by WildlingKing on Jan 26, 2019 14:17:47 GMT
Oh damn, Iiro got his ass kicked offscreen, ouch XD
[Give up the second dagger] I don't think one dagger is going to make much of a difference in a war camp, and giving it up would be seen as a sign of honesty. I'm quite interested to meet this inquisitor, I must say.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Jan 26, 2019 14:28:22 GMT
Oh damn, Iiro got his ass kicked offscreen, ouch XD [Give up the second dagger] I don't think one dagger is going to make much of a difference in a war camp, and giving it up would be seen as a sign of honesty. I'm quite interested to meet this inquisitor, I must say. Aye, that is the danger when fighting a demon cultist. I'd say in terms of raw skill, Iiro is probably better than Urdo, but it is hard to make that count when he has an opponent who is literally running circles around him. At least this time he got off easily. More dangerous opponents will follow and choosing which fight to pick will be crucial. True to that, one dagger won't give him much of a chance against nearly a hundred armed fighters, whereas showing honesty and truthfulness is a virtue of the Church of Praios. On the other hand, if he gets into a situation where it would be helpful, he'd regret not taking it. I must say, I am excited for Iiro's next part, because it will introduce some characters who are going to be a joy to write, among them the Inquisitor himself. It remains to be seen how this meeting goes, though, but I look forward for writing it
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Post by InGenNateKenny on Jan 26, 2019 20:37:44 GMT
[Give up the second dagger] Might as well be honest and open, maybe they are reasonable? Or not....
We could have had 5 coins if we were smart with our money!
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Post by Tales93 on Jan 26, 2019 22:38:49 GMT
[Give up the second dagger]
I'm afraid of what will happen if he tries to hide it, and they find it. Hopefully, Mother Linai's protection will be enough for them to get through.
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BlueShadow
Junior Member
The college has been vanquished
Posts: 96
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Post by BlueShadow on Jan 27, 2019 2:54:08 GMT
[Give up the second dagger]
What's worse, starting a fight unarmed or getting into a fight for no reason? Atleast this choice has an option for avoiding confrontation. Let's just hope we don't get ambushed afterwards.
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Post by GMS Freeman on Jan 27, 2019 3:02:29 GMT
[Give up the second dagger]
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Post by TheAPlegends on Jan 27, 2019 13:23:35 GMT
[Give up the second dagger]
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Post by diversegnu on Jan 28, 2019 3:13:28 GMT
[Give up the second dagger]
If something bad happens, we could always rely on magic right?
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Jan 29, 2019 0:46:56 GMT
[Give up the second dagger] If something bad happens, we could always rely on magic right? I am afraid this is not much of a good idea. It's something I haven't put that much of an emphasis on, but the Church of Praios is, by its nature, opposed to magic. In regions where they are strong, magic is subjected to strict rules and mages are viewed with suspicion. At their best, they offer guidance and order to the Aventurian society. At their worst, there is a notable number of them who deserves their reputation as being narrow-minded and harsh, especially towards mages. To make sure their rules are being followed, they don't just have the law, their own troops and the worldly rulers on their side, but priests of Praios are blessed by their god to withstand the effects of magic, to counter or outright negate it. Of course, not every member of the church is an actual priest, it's comparable to real-world churches there, where the clergy itself is just part of the whole organization. In general, only the higher-ups are actual priests of Praios, so out of the roughly one hundred members of the church present in the village, less than half a dozen are actual priests, but they are likely to be exceptionally powerful. So, magic is unlikely to be of much help in this situation. I wouldn't call it entirely useless, but the inquisitor himself is likely able to completely shut down any attempt at harming him through magic.
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Post by supersagig on Feb 3, 2019 19:11:29 GMT
[Give up the second dagger]
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Feb 4, 2019 17:52:01 GMT
The Voting is closed! Yveshin is going to give up his second dagger That... was a smart choice. The Church of Praios wouldn't have reacted kindly towards such a thing. In general, reacting kindly to things is not their job. I can already say, this would have been a safe way of really crashing the meeting with the inquisitor. However, I look forward for that scene, which will happen in Iiro's next part. First of all, the next part will go to Edmond. Last time we saw him, he and the necromancer Korobar started their journey to Drakesfield in the eastern Meadows, where the Borbaradians and a certain Hamid ben Seychaban prepare for a ritual, which shall succeed where Liscom once failed and return their master, Borbarad, back to this world. Travelling through Meadows, the part was mostly one for scenery and exposition. However, at the very end, the two learned that they are being chased by Delian of Plainsbridge and his mercenaries, as they plan to hunt Korobar down in the name of the Middenrealm. Neither Korobar nor Edmond intend to let Delian get away, as they have unfinished business with him. As such, they were left with the choice to either stay in the village of Aelderwood and prepare for Delian, who is expected to arrive there in two hours, or to push on to the village of Broonsgorge, which requires of them to ride through the dangerous Dragongap at night, a street leading through a jagged ravine. Since Delian would almost certainly not take the risk, this would leave them with several additional hours of preparation, if they pull this off. I hope to release the part later today, or early tomorrow. Furthermore, I released the next region guide, this time on the Orkland and the Valley of Svelt, fleshing out the orkish way of life a bit more. It includes a name guide for orks, if you intend to submit orkish characters and I intend to release name guides in every coming region thread, as well as to add it in for the regions I already told you about. Just check out this link, I hope you enjoy it: creators-haven.boards.net/thread/97/beneath-red-moon
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Feb 6, 2019 2:15:22 GMT
Edmond “Go, boy!”, Edmond yelled, as he pushed his horse onward. The Dragongap at night was a ride unlike any other. To his right, there was a steep wall of rock, ten foot tall. To his right, there was a thirty foot drop, a steep cliff leading all the way down to the Broonswater. The path they were riding on was, at most, five feet wide, just barely enough for carts to get through, if carefully. It was a perfect set up for any ambush and indeed, with the Dragongap, they had entered the truly dangerous part of Meadows, where lawless bandit barons ruled in any way they wanted to. For once, Korobar seemed actually concerned and Edmond shared the feeling. They were riding at a dangerous speed. Just one wrong step would result in a fall even the necromancer shouldn't shrug off again. But they had to hurry at the same time if they wanted any benefit at all from the danger they put themselves in. As such, Edmond forced his horse forward. Only a dim light illuminated the path, from a small lantern Korobar had tied to his saddle. And yet, what little it showed was almost too much, as Edmond feared that any moment now, it would reveal a makeshift barricade, when it was too late to slow down. But they had to hurry. By now, Plainsbridge was likely in Aelderwood already. Edmond was positive the agent would not risk crossing the Dragongap at night, but then again, the one time Liscom erred was when he underestimated the man. In this moment, Korobar's horse screamed up, followed by a brief, involuntary grunt from the man himself, as the animal toppled over. The lantern fell to the ground and Edmond's eyes widened. “Jump!”, he yelled, yanking the reins upwards. He was not an experienced rider, but thankfully, his horse was a good breed and it followed his command, even if he was pretty certain he was doing this wrong. It jumped up, right over Korobar and his horse, instead of riding through them. Slowing down the horse, Edmond turned around. What remained of the lantern's light was proof enough that neither necromancer, nor horse, fell down the ravine. Korobar groaned, as he crawled away from the panicked and injured animal. The horse, meanwhile, was panting in agony, as Edmond moved closer. “Korobar”, he hissed and the necromancer slowly rose from the ground. “I'm alright”, he growled. “Nothing's killing me that quickly” “Your horse though...”, he mumbled and Korobar shook his head, as he knelt down next to it. Without missing a beat, he grabbed one of the animal's front legs and immediately, the screams grew louder, as the downed horse tried to kick at him. “The leg is broken”, he spoke. Edmond sighed, as he descended from his horse. “I might be able to heal it”, he replied. “Hasn't been one of my specialties at the academy, but give me a moment and I might be able to save it” In the pale light of the moon, he was able to see Korobar's displeasure. “That won't entirely fix it, though”, he growled and reluctantly, Edmond had to nod. “We'd have to slow down while the leg still heals”, he spoke, trying not to sound too relieved over that. Korobar merely shook his head. “We can't afford that”, he spoke. As soon as he had said this, he pulled a knife from his belt. “Step aside”, he ordered. “What are you going to do?”, Edmond demanded to know, as the necromancer approached him. Impatiently, Korobar shoved him aside and with the same movement, he embedded the blade deeply in the throat of Edmond's horse. The animal collapsed, yet instead of pained neighing, it only managed to gasp. Immediately, Edmond grabbed the necromancer by the collar of his robe, pushing him back, almost off the cliff. “What are you doing!”, he barked, his voice drowning out even the sounds of pain Korobar's horse made. The other man could have easily held the blade to his throat, but instead, he kept it away from him. “What I should have done before we entered the gap”, he snarled. “Now let go of me and I will explain” Taking a deep breath, Edmond pulled Korobar closer, away from the edge, before he let go of him. The necromancer shot him a brief glare. “And never do that again”, he spoke, as he knelt down next to his own horse. Swiftly, he cut the animal's throat. “You killed my horse”, Edmond spoke and Korobar nodded nonchalantly. “And now I am going to raise it again”, he replied, almost calmly. Only a hint of anger in his voice showed how displeased he was at Edmond's outbreak. “It means we don't have to slow down. The horse will obey and it will do this better than ever before. It will never tire. We don't have to fear obstacles such as...”, Korobar explained, as he glanced past the dead animal. A large stone was located there, in the middle of the road. Alarmed by this discovery, Edmond looked up the cliff, but no one was there to ambush them. “Bandits are getting sloppy”, he mumbled and Korobar nodded. “The process of necromancy can... disturb lesser spirits”, he explained. “Your horse would have panicked during the ritual and in the presence of my new steed, once it returned” He paused. “That would have been unacceptable” With this, he reached into the pouch on his belt and removed several objects. A sharp smell reached Edmond's nose, but it was not the first time that he had witnessed a summoning. Of course, at Punin it had mostly been elementals, but he didn't have to be a necromancer to recognize the strange paste Korobar was smearing over the horse, or the runes he drew onto the ground. “You are summoning a demon”, he said and Korobar nodded. “True necromancy would take too long”, he said. “Tell me, little guild mage, do you know what a Morcan is?” Edmond didn't even have to think. The nasal voice of Spectability Prishya came to mind, as the old woman had told him about demons and their abilities. “A type of lesser demon in service of Targunitoth”, he spoke. “Shapeless when summoned, they appear as shadows in our sphere. When possessing the living, they cause severe nightmares or insanity. When possessing the dead, they...” He paused, as his eyes widened. “I... understand”, he merely confirmed and Korobar nodded. “Good”, he growled. “Necromancy is not always just raising the dead. A demon is less effective and has a mind of its own, but they will obey me” “How... how long will it take?”, Edmond asked. He had never seen an actual necromantic ritual in motion. At Punin, they taught the students the theories. Practical use was rarely a focus. As such, he watched Korobar's work not just with disgust, but with a strange fascination. The necromancer smeared the horse's blood, mixed with the strange paste, around the runes and then, in two lines, right on his face. “Not long”, the man replied. Followed by this, the blade dug into the flesh of his palm, just a little bit, letting his own blood drip down onto the horse's wound. “ Invocatio”, he mumbled. “ Invocatio! Advocare daemonium! Invocatio Morcan!” He repeated this, again and again and though he did not agree with his methods, Edmond understood why Korobar killed his horse. Even he felt a strange uneasiness, as the demons came closer to this sphere. It was a natural reaction, the fear of the Seventh Sphere and its hellish inhabitants. Finally, after several minutes of quiet chanting, the necromancer paused. His eyes closed and taking a deep breath, he pointed at the dead horse. Above it, in the centre of the runes he had painted all around the dead animal, two small dots had formed. Tiny at first, they rapidly grew, spinning around each other, orbs of sheer blackness, a void from beyond this world. The Morcans had appeared. Though faceless and voiceless, Edmond felt watched by them, their gaze full of malice. Korobar took a deep breath. He nodded, as the two clouds stopped spinning. Their full attention was on him now. The necromancer tensed up and Edmond clenched his staff, as he saw his companion doing the same. Summoning a demon was never without a risk, as even a lesser of their kind was a terrible threat. A horned demon, meanwhile, the most powerful servants of the Nether Hells, that was something only a true master could accomplish. It was all about asserting dominance and the more powerful, the more malicious and wild a demon was, the harder it would be. “Possess the horses”, Korobar growled, as if a voiceless agreement had been made between him and the two demons. “Carry us to where we demand, until I let you free” A moment passed, as the two clouds slowly came closer. They fluctuated in size, sometimes not larger than a dog, then towering over the already tall Korobar. Though the Morcans were completely silent, there was something shrill about their mere presence. It was exactly this silence, he realized. They made no sound, not even the hint of it, as they moved around. They had no smell, not even a clearly defined shape. Everything about them was not of this world and it resulted in their mere presence feeling just wrong. A second passed, then another, before the demons obeyed. The first Morcan moved down towards Korobar's horse. For a moment, the shadow engulfed the dead animal entirely, then, it seemed as if it entered it not through a single orifice, but through every single inch of the body. The second one swiftly dashed past Edmond, who just barely managed to jump aside, as it did to his horse as the other demon did to Korobar's. And finally, the dead horses started to move. It would be wrong to say that life came back to them, as they were still very much dead. They opened their eyes, but the demon inside them did not require them to see. They did not breathe and still, blood was running from their fresh wounds. Korobar's horse did not react to its own, twisted leg, as it effortlessly rose from the ground. “Now they are truly mine”, the necromancer spoke calmly. He reached out for Edmond. “Give me your hand for a moment”, he ordered and Edmond narrowed his eyes. “What for?”, he growled, to which Korobar impatiently just grabbed his forearm. “Because you want your horse to obey you at all times”, he hissed. “I might not have the chance to order it around. Now hold still...” Before Edmond could react, he briefly frowned, as Korobar's dagger sliced into the tip of his finger. The necromancer let go of him and approached the horse, with a few fresh drops of blood at its tip. Without him having to say anything, the undead creature turned towards the man and Edmond watched in slight disgust as it moved the head closer to the blade. Its tongue briefly moved over it, licking off the blood, before turning away from Korobar. “Now it will follow your orders”, he spoke. “It will feel what you want and it will obey every single command” Edmond raised an eyebrow, though he managed to give his companion a nod. “Thank you... I think”, he spoke and Korobar shrugged. “Spare me your judgement”, he hissed. “It is simple, effective and foolproof. This will help us winning some time and by the Twelve, we have lost more than enough of that” Edmond could only agree with that sentiment. More than ever, he yearned to reach the end of their journey, to meet Hamid ben Seychaban and to see how Liscom's dream would become reality. But he also yearned to get rid of this necromancer. While Korobar had the freedom to practice his craft, Edmond took the liberty to feel disgusted by it. He was a grey mage and even though he was one of Borbarad's disciples, it did not mean that he approved of every single type of magic, no matter how low or vile. Wordlessly, the two riders continued their journey. Riding on an undead being, it was an experience Edmond would have preferred to never make. Though some warmth was left in it, the body quickly became cold, as they continued to ride through the nightly Dragongap. It did not breathe, made no sounds, aside from its hooves dashing across the ground. In these regards, though, it was remarkable. Edmond realized quickly, he didn't have to pay attention. The demon inside the dead horse did a tremendous job with doing it for him, jumping over obstacles just naturally, avoiding them entirely. It wasn't comfortable, but a surprisingly effortless ride. A bit later than he hoped, Edmond spotted the end of the Dragongap in the distance. The very first rays of sunlight were visible, illuminating the jagged ravine they had travelled to, as well as the village of Broonsgorge at its very end. They had reached Easterley, one of the last few baronies before they would reach the actually lawless region of the Black Sickle. Unlike many villages in Meadows, especially in this part, Broonsgorge was actually of note. It was not built on even ground, yet instead into the cliff itself. On both sides of the ravine, connected by a small bridge, as well as all the way down to the river itself, houses were built into the rock itself. They were the typical half-timber houses he knew from Meadows, almost exclusively two stories or higher. It was almost a small city, likely home to hundreds of people. Most of them were outlaws, in one way or the other, supporters or at least sympathizers of their bandit lords, it was an open secret. However, Edmond was nothing if not understanding for people taking care of their own fate. The town was quite open in support to their true master. Edmond was no expert on the politics of this part of Meadows, but he recognized the name that was painted on the shield that greeted them as they entered Broonsgorge. “Hail Baron Terkol of Beechmire”, stood there, surprisingly written without a single error. Terkol of Beechmire, however, was no baron, not even noble by blood. He was a common outlaw, who had recognized the chance that was offered to him when the last Baron of Easterley died in a fire, without having arranged for an heir. Terkol Beechmire the bandit became Terkol of Beechmire, Baron of Easterley. That happened almost two decades ago, of course, and Terkol was still roaming the land, adored by his people and hated by the Duke of Meadows, who, however, had never managed to capture the man. As a child, Edmond had played games with the other kids in his village, pretending to be Terkol, Raidri Conchobair or Leomar the Dragonheart, heroes and villains, fighting each other with sticks and mud. Twenty years had passed and Terkol remained every bit as powerful as ever in this region. “We'll travel just beyond the village”, Korobar decided. “This is too big for an ambush, but look there” He pointed down the road, where the street led down to the river itself. Nominally an imperial road, one of the massive structures the Middenrealm kept building with countless amounts of tax coin, it was clear that this road was not yet finished. Perhaps it was just one of the newer projects, or perhaps the people in charge had realized that a road all the way through the Black Sickle was a foolish idea. There, in the distances, perhaps a half a mile out of the city, was a small mill, located right between street and water, the wheel gently moving with the stream. “Just far enough for nobody to come to their aid”, Korobar explained and Edmond nodded. “This could work”, he agreed. “Let's check it out” This early in the morning, nobody was out. The sun was rising early, even before the first people got out of their beds. And if anyone would, by chance, see the two dark figures, riding through town on clearly undead horses, nobody would dare to stop them. Edmond liked it that way. Here, the people still knew what was good for them. They knew what they cared for and how to keep it. Down in Baliho, they were blinded by what those above them promised. They clung to the law, to the thought that there was some higher truth, some higher order they had to follow and it led them to do foolish things. They threw their lives away, not because they had anything from it, but to please their gods, beings who didn't even care about their existence. The Borbaradians knew better. At the end of the day, the emperor was still a man and the gods, they did not matter. Only the mortals mattered and what they could be. The mill was in remarkable condition. Likely built or at least renovated just recently, it was a pretty sight as it lay there, peacefully, at the edge of the town, where Broonsgorge ended and the wilderness of the Black Sickle foothils began. A few villages would follow, but Broonsgorge was, by any means, the last place that could be called civilized. He knew, the easy part of their journey was over. What followed was not just following a barely finished road into a dangerous area, where bandits, goblins and even the occasional ork dwelled. No, before that, there would be a final confrontation with Delian of Plainsbridge. “Not bad...”, Korobar mumbled, as they noticed the small shack next to the building. “We can hide the horses and set up an ambush. You will rain fire down upon them, while I take down Plainsbridge with a well-aimed spell. Once their leader goes down, they will hopefully scatter, if they know what's good for them” Edmond frowned. “You are going to kill Plainsbridge?”, he asked and Korobar nodded. “That is the plan, yes”, he confirmed, before a cold smile formed beneath his bearded face. “Be assured, I have no intention of letting him go this easily. My spell will knock him out, but he will not die. No, he will meet his end in Drakesfield and you will get plenty of opportunity for your revenge” This sounded better already and Edmond smirked thinly. “I look forward for it”, he spoke, as he glanced up at the mill. “I will go up there”, he said. “However, what you want me to do will cost me a lot of power. Your plan better works by the first try, because I can't throw fire at them all day” Korobar nodded. “I am aware of your limits, yes”, he growled bluntly. “Do not worry, my plan will work. Plainsbridge is an arrogant fool. He won't see it coming” That being said, Edmond remained silent about something there. Perhaps Plainsbridge was arrogant. He didn't know him, to be honest, never met the man. But he was able to outsmart Liscom. Perhaps trusting in him to make a mistake was the true foolishness here, but he knew, Korobar wouldn't want to hear this. It was in this moment that the door to the mill got opened. Both mages spun towards it, as a man stepped out onto the street. A bit older, he had grey, curly hair and a thin moustache. His build was sturdy, bordering on being fat and he was a good head shorter than Edmond. He yawned and stretched himself, before he blinked, apparently just now noticing the riders. “Well, good morning, travellers!”, he spoke. “Can I help you with...” His eyes widened, as he noticed the deep wounds on both horses, the intimidating appearance of the riders and the staffs they were carrying. Smarter than most of his kind, he jumped back, towards the door, his mouth opened to scream. Korobar, however, was faster. “ Paralysis!”, he snarled and the man stopped, dead in his tracks, unable to talk or even just scream. The panic in his eyes remained and Edmond knew, he was fully conscious, able to see and hear. “The miller, I suppose”, Korobar spoke, as he descended from his horse. Edmond did the same and Korobar grabbed the reins. “Take care of him”, he ordered. “I hide the horses” Edmond glanced at the man, who had an expression of naked fear on his face. He sighed. “Do I have to kill him?”, he asked, already expecting the answer. He was no cold-blooded murderer, by any means. Sure, he had no problem surrounding himself with those people. Sulman, Urdo and Korobar, they had killed, the latter two regularly and with pride. But Edmond? The people he killed, that had been in self defence. This would be different. This would be cold. And unlike Plainsbridge, whom he looked forward to kill, this man hadn't done a thing to him. He merely had the misfortune to leave his bed at the wrong time. To his surprise, Korobar shrugged. “I don't care”, he spoke. “Killing him would be the easiest way. Cut his throat, dump his body into the river, he'll be gone by the time those peasants leave their homes” He narrowed his eyes. “Or spare him if you want to, I couldn't care less. Knock him out, let him sleep with a spell and lock him up somewhere in the mill”, he offered. “As long as he is out of the picture, I don't care. I take care of the horses, but that man, he's your duty now” With this, he turned around, leading the horses away and leaving Edmond alone, with an innocent man he had at his mercy. [Kill the man] [Knock him out]
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Post by InGenNateKenny on Feb 6, 2019 3:27:05 GMT
[Kill the man] No witnesses!
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Post by diversegnu on Feb 6, 2019 11:40:24 GMT
[Kill the man]
Fuck, I really feel bad for the horses. As for the man, it would be too much effort to keep him alive, and we need both of them at their 100% to take down Plainsbridge.
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Post by WildlingKing on Feb 6, 2019 15:29:18 GMT
[Knock him out] I'm fine with either option tbh, but I think it might be more interesting to keep some morality with Edmond's choices instead of going full on ruthless villain, at least for now. Regardless, I do think Korobar is indeed underestimating Plainsbridge here, and it'll be interesting to see how this impending confrontation between them will pan out. Oh, and I should say I still continue to like Korobar, his trick with the horses was perhaps cruel but also kind of ingenious
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Post by supersagig on Feb 6, 2019 18:02:07 GMT
[Knock him out] He could be a character that could be introduced!
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Post by GMS Freeman on Feb 7, 2019 16:12:55 GMT
[Knock Him out]
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Post by TheAPlegends on Feb 8, 2019 11:02:54 GMT
[Knock him out]
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Post by Tales93 on Feb 8, 2019 18:19:05 GMT
[Knock him out]
RIP Edmond and Korrobar's horses.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Feb 11, 2019 15:55:31 GMT
[Knock him out] I'm fine with either option tbh, but I think it might be more interesting to keep some morality with Edmond's choices instead of going full on ruthless villain, at least for now. Regardless, I do think Korobar is indeed underestimating Plainsbridge here, and it'll be interesting to see how this impending confrontation between them will pan out. Oh, and I should say I still continue to like Korobar, his trick with the horses was perhaps cruel but also kind of ingenious Hehe, I am really glad that Korobar is actually a well-received character. When I played the RPG, my group hated the guy, so it is great to hear that people actually like him in the story. I mean, sure, he is cruel and ruthless, but what I want to show is, there is reason behind his actions and from a certain perspective, it all makes sense, such as the thing with the horses. He is a pragmatist, who doesn't let morals get in the way of what he considers to be necessary. Of course, it also shows what type of people the Borbaradians have to surround themselves with since Liscom's death, as quite a number of new recruits to the cult are closer to Korobar in terms of character than they are to idealists such as Edmond.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Feb 11, 2019 15:56:45 GMT
[Knock him out] He could be a character that could be introduced! Indeed, he could be. I cannot confirm this, of course, but the one thing I can tell you is, if he dies here, he obviously will not be a character to be introduced. I'm not going to kill anyone's character off before they actually have a chance to be introduced ^^
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Feb 11, 2019 16:04:41 GMT
The Voting is closed! Edmond is going to knock the man out This was definitely an important choice for Edmond himself. See, the Borbaradians have never been above morally more than questionable things to further their goals (such as Liscom using slaves and Sulman entering a demon pact), but Edmond is actually one of those who want them to be better. If he starts to cross lines, it might influence him in a certain way, it might influence those around him. So, if you don't want this to happen, it should be carefully considered which lines he should cross and where he should show mercy and restraint. Not all of these will be obvious, but this right here will be far from the last. The next part is hopefully going to be out today. It will bring us back to Iiro, who has started his own journey to Drakesfield, alongside Vittorio, Yveshin, Thea and Mother Linai. The priestess of Travia had a vision, where he friend, Sister Laniare, was burnt alive in the remote village of Drakesfield. Determined to investigate, she managed to gain the help of our group, even if Vittorio has the ulterior motive of catching up to Korobar and Hamid ben Seychaban for his own gain. Leaving Baliho in a carriage, they got as far as Anderath, just a few miles to the north, a village which was reinforced by an unusually large delegation of the Church of Praios, led by an inquisitor, who is part of the governing body of the church. One of the inquisitor's assistants stopped them and ordered them to come with her, to meet the inquisitor. Knowing of the negative view the Church of Praios has on mages, especially those who are not part of one of the guilds (such as elves), Yveshin was tempted to hide one of his daggers, as they were ordered to hand over all of their weapons, but he ultimately decided to give up on it. The next part will therefore show this meeting with the inquisitor.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Feb 12, 2019 16:27:58 GMT
Iiro Iiro watched on as Yveshin reluctantly pulled out a second dagger from behind his back, a gesture which caused the Banray fighter who took them to narrow his eyes with displeasure. He himself had given up his sword without even thinking twice. The blade had been his father's, so seeing it in someone else's hands was nothing he appreciated, but he knew better than to refuse a Praiot's order. If things would go bad in their camp, the weapons wouldn't get them far either way. On top of that, their word could be trusted. As soon as they had all given up on their weapons, which included Vittorio's staff and a seemingly harmless knife Thea handed over, the young priestess of Praios took charge. Flanked by her guards, two of which were members of the Banray, the other two, the more heavily armoured, apparently Sun Legionaries, she led them towards the camp, more precisely towards the walled temple. The camp itself was impeccably guarded. Even here, in the heart of Meadows, so close to an imperial city and surrounded by each other, none of the Praiots let down their guard. Though a few of them sat together in more casual clothes, the usual activities he expected in a war camp were missing. These people were soldiers, yes, but there was no laughing, no gambling, a remarkable lack of camp followers. None of them paid any attention to the group, considering that they were clearly expected, but their discipline was nonetheless downright threatening. As they came closer, Iiro noticed that the palisade surrounding the temple of Praios was brand new and in pristine condition. The same could not be said about the temple. Part of the roof was currently rebuilt by a handful of workes, while the front wall was partially blackened, as if someone had set fire to the building. Iiro had never been to Anderath before, but he could guess the cause of this. After all, if there was one thing he knew, it was orkish handiwork. The gate within the palisade was opened for them, allowing a look into the inner courtyard of this makeshift fort. The tents here were larger, adorned with sigils and banners, not just of Inquisition, Banray and Sun Legion, but with what he suspected to be more personal examples, aimed at specific leaders of the respective groups. “I'll be damned”, Vittorio mumbled and he instantly gulped under the stern, quiet gaze of a Sun Legionaire. He himself looked at one of the temple walls, where two horses had been tied to. They were beautiful animals, a light grey mare and a brown stallion, the latter of which currently got his hooves cleaned by a stableboy. What caught Iiro's attention were the blankets that were placed over them. He did not recognize the two sigils, but they were unlike any of the others that were present. “Those belong to the white guild”, Vittorio stated. “I was not aware that there are more mages present and...” He paused, as the short-haired woman raised an eyebrow. “And you are surprised that the Church of Praios has two of your colleagues as visitors”, she finished his sentence, to which Vittorio nodded. “I wouldn't go as far as to call a white mage a colleague...”, he began, though he paused. “What I mean is... they are from Rommilys and... Perricum? Why do you, of all people, need the help of anti-mages?” The priestess smirked thinly and without any joy. “I leave it to the inquisitor to talk about the details, if he so wishes”, she spoke, as they walked across the courtyard and towards the temple. “But let's just say that the reason for our presence here is arcane in nature. Inquisitor da Vanya has decided that this calls for, well, experts in arcane matters” Two Sun Legionaries opened the gate in front of them, while the two Banray fighters who accompanied the group split off now, heading towards one of the tents on the far end of the courtyard, a particularly large one, adorned by the Banray banners. Vittorio clenched his fists the closer they came to the building and though he was no mage, Iiro could feel the cause of his concern. Entering hallowed ground was always remarkable. The air felt heavy and solemn, still resonating with the karmic energy that had been used to build this place. That was one thing the orks couldn't burn to the ground and Iiro took a grim satisfaction in this. The entrance room was small, allowing to go into a larger hall, likely where the sermons were being held, as well as into a smaller room to their left, which was closed off by a heavy door. In general, the temple was unadorned, which was a rarity for a temple of Praios and truth be told, even in the remote Valley of Svelt, Iiro had been in larger ones. But it wasn't the building itself that was so intimidating. Instead, it was the deep knowledge that this was a hallowed place, where Praios was closer to Aventuria than usual, that caused his heart to beat faster. That, and the fact that they were unarmed and surrounded by a hundred of Praiots. The priestess walked up to the smaller door, knocking onto it once, before opening. She gave the group a nod to follow, as she fully pushed it open, revealing a long room. Most of it was occupied by a massive table, the kind that wouldn't look out of place in a much larger room. It was covered in paper, written notes and drawn maps, as well as two wide candlesticks, who illuminated the room where the high, colourful windows did not allow for enough light to fall in. There were five people in the room. Two of them were guards, members of the Sun Legion, in full plate armour, holding halberds and standing straight. Then there were two mages in white robes, a thin, hard-faced woman in her thirties and a bearded man, only mildly older, with a seemingly constant look of concern on his round face. They stood to the left of another man, the only one sitting. He was older, perhaps in his sixties, or seventies even. Despite his white hair and the fine wrinkles, there was something lively about the way his blue eyes mustered the group. He was clad in a fine robe, mostly white, with a red and golden tabard on top, displaying the sigil of the Holy Inquisition. On his head, he wore a high, round hat, the kind Iiro knew from higher priests of Praios, coloured in white, with a red line surrounding a golden sun. From beneath this hat, his white hair fell down to his shoulders in soft curls and one hand carefully moved through his short beard. He raised an eyebrow as they entered, which made the maze of wrinkles on his face more prominent. “Honoured guests, you stand in the presence of His Excellency, Amando Laconda da Vanya, Inquisitor of Praios!”, the woman introduced him, as Mother Linai stepped forwards. “And I am Linai Arvensgate, High Mother of Baliho's temple of Travia”, she spoke in return. “And these are my companions. We have been told you wish to speak to us” The man folded his hands beneath his chin and said nothing for a moment, as he mustered this strange group. “Mother Linai, welcome in Anderath”, he finally welcomed her. His voice was warmer than what Iiro was used to from priests of Praios, but it came with the same strength and dignity, as well as a gentle Almadani timbre, the very same Iiro could spot in Vittorio. Though sitting, it was clear that he had the physique of a warrior, despite his age and it made him tower over the two mages by his side. “The same applies to your companions, even if I did not expect to see a mage among them”, Inquisitor da Vanya added. Vittorio gulped, as he forced himself to a slight bow. Iiro did the same, just a bit deeper, as the mage began to speak. “Uh... it is an honour, your excellency”, he spoke and for once, he didn't fool anyone. “My name is Vittorio Crawford. I've been trained at Grangor” “A grey mage”, the female mage hissed, with notable displeasure, and the inquisitor nodded. “As I am well aware, Magistra Moriani”, he spoke. “An illusionist, to be precise. Hardly the most troublesome type of magic, wouldn't you agree?” His input was sharp, but without harshness and the mage merely nodded in silent agreement. “And an Almadani, judging by your accent and wardrobe” Vittorio seemed surprised by the inquisitor's precise remark, but he managed a nod. “Why, indeed. I was born and raised there”, he replied. “It is always a pleasure to meet a landsman here in the North”, the inquisitor spoke and Iiro knew, he was being honest. His kind never said anything they did not mean, for the better or the worse. “Please, Mother Linai, explain to me how you come to travel with such unusual companions and where you intend to go” He smiled slightly and surprisingly, it did not make him look any softer. Instead, affable as he was, he still oozed confidence, control and strength. Mother Linai opened her mouth to speak, but before she could do so, the door got pushed open again, heavily this time. Iiro spun around, seeing the two Banray fighters who had left them earlier. This time, however, they were not alone. Between them walked a tall man, as old as Inquisitor da Vanya, with a slightly longer beard and notably less hair, coloured in light grey. His eyes had the same grey in them and his face was sharply cut, with a prominent nose and jawline. He wore a high-collared robe, white and golden, with a finely crafted sword by his side. “You hold a meeting without me, da Vanya?”, the man growled and Iiro noticed how the inquisitor's smile grew slightly smaller for a second. “Ah, High Illuminated, it is a pleasure you were able to make it”, he spoke, to which the man shook his head. “I don't think I have to mention that the communication between us leaves much to desire”, he replied. “My men told me about new signs. Do these people have anything to report?” Da Vanya nodded. “We were getting there, but yes, I presume they do”, he replied. “Mother Linai, this is Ucurian Jago, High Illuminated of the Order of the Holy Banray” Mother Linai's mouth formed a thin, straight line. “A pleasure”, she managed to press through clenched teeth and Iiro could understand why. This broad-shouldered, ageing man was none other than the highest member of the Banray, the most proficient witch hunter in Aventuria. His people were necessary, especially in times like these, but it was only natural to be wary of a fanatic. “As I said before, my name is Linai Arvensgate, High Mother of Baliho's temple of Travia”, the priestess repeated and Jago raised an eyebrow. “You're not in Baliho, Mother”, he snarled. “This is irregular. And in days like these, irregular is rarely welcome” He leant forwards, his arms crossed behind his back, which made him seem like a hawk eyeing its prey. Da Vanya merely raised an eyebrow, though the inquisitor watched them carefully. “Me and my companions are on our way to Drakesfield”, Linai explained and Iiro noticed a change in everyone's behaviour. Da Vanya remained calm, but leant forwards, his eyes showing visible interest. The female mage gasped, while her male companion gulped. Jago, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes. “And what do you want in Drakesfield?”, he asked. His Banray companions placed their hands on their belts, just close enough to their swords to send a message. Mother Linai took a deep breath and Iiro noticed Vittorio subtly shaking his head. “A dear friend of mine was burned alive there”, she spoke, to which the white mages averted their eyes. “Her name was Laniare Armand and she was Drakesfield's priestess of Tsa” This caused da Vanya to sigh, while Jago and his companions exchanged an alarmed glare. “I remember the name”, the young priestess who had led them here spoke up. “Inquisitor, on your orders I took care of a request she made, just a few months ago. Something about a Tulamid who wanted to acquire an old tower near the village” Da Vanya nodded. “I think I can recall”, he agreed. “My condolences for your loss, Mother Linai” He glanced at the mages, who nodded. “My condolences”, the male mage mumbled. “What did your friend do to deserve the fire?”, Jago spoke up, causing da Vanya to raise a hand. “Ucurian, please”, he said calmly, while Mother Linai briefly closed her eyes. “Am I right to assume that you have no idea what she could have done?”, he asked. To this, the priestess nodded with determination. “Inquisitor, Sister Laniare was a kind woman. Young enough to be my daughter, but with wisdom far beyond her years. She was soft-hearted and generous and she always wanted nothing but the best for everyone. She was burned by a raging mob, but why for, I cannot say” Jago rolled his eyes. “Well, Mother, perhaps you do not know your friend as well as you think you do”, he said, which earned him a surprisingly vicious glare from the old priestess. “And what are you implying with that, High Illuminated?”, she growled. Had her anger been directed at him, Iiro would have backed off. Ucurian Jago, however, remained right where he was, replying her glare with one of his own. “He means the reason for our unusual meeting”, Inquisitor da Vanya intervened. “First of all, I must inform you that Drakesfield lies within a region that is currently under our investigation” With a feather, he pointed at the map in front of him. Iiro knew little about maps of this particular region, though since it included Drakesfield, he assumed it had to show the Red and the Black Sickle, the two mountain ranges that separated Meadows from its eastern neighbours, Tobria and the Bornland. “Every traveller to and from these regions will be questioned”, da Vanya continued. “And your involvement with the Church of Tsa is particularly intriguing” Mother Linai took a deep breath and calmed down after Jago's rude words, even managing a slight smile towards the inquisitor. “And why is that, Inquisitor da Vanya?”, she asked. Jago glanced at the inquisitor, who did not even look at him, either ignoring or genuinely not seeing how the leader of the Banray shook his head. “Because the church of Tsa was so clearly involved in a vision our Lord Praios has granted me, not long ago”, he revealed. “I dreamt of a lizard, hatching from a griffin's egg, atop a high mountain, shaped like an arrow's head. Quickly, it turned into a black snake, that turned first on its parents, devouring them and then the world” His voice shivered slightly and from the way his fists were briefly clenched, Iiro could tell that the inquisitor was shaken by what he had seen, just as shaken as Linai had been after her vision the night before. “Usually, I would investigate discreetly and in private”, the man continued. “But thankfully, I decided to mention it in my monthly correspondence with leaders of the white guild” He noticed Vittorio's surprise and gave him a thin smile. “Because yes, Master Crawford, there is correspondence between us. The white guild and the Church of Praios have similar goals, after all, so there are voices, influential voices, who call for a closer alliance between us” Jago, clearly not in favour of such an alliance, made a sour face, something the white mages silently commented on with mild smirks. “The lizard imagery clearly hints at the Church of Tsa being involved and thanks to the School of Exorcism at Perricum, a similar hint was uncovered” He pointed at the female mage. “Magistra Selara Moriani of Perricum”, she introduced herself. “In the vaults beneath our academy, we keep people whose minds have been affected by vile magic. Some, we manage to cure, with others, the focus lies on giving them as much care as possible” She straightened her back. “One of our guests is a mage, who has permanently lost his mind after a visit to Selem, earlier this year”, she continued. “Just what he saw there, we cannot say, but he keeps repeating a story, a... warning, if you want to say so” She looked at the inquisitor, only speaking up again after she got a nod of agreement. “This man claims that in the coming Nameless Days, just a few weeks from now, a mage of immeasurable power will be born beneath a rainbow. He will strike down his foes with a black and a red sickle” “The lizard, the rainbow... all this hints at the Young Goddess”, da Vanya explained kindly. “The high mountain I saw is, as I believe, the Naira Kubuch, the highest peak of the Red Sickle, which fits with the vague description Magistra Moriani's source has provided. As such, I immediately requested a meeting with her and a delegation of the Information Institute, hoping that Rommilys had further intel on this worrying occurrence” A brief, arrogant grin formed on Ucurian Jago's face. “Amando thought he could keep it a secret”, he spoke. “But he should have known that a man of his position cannot just travel across the entire Middenrealm without it being known” He placed a hand on his heart. “Fortunately, the Banray arrived here before the followers of the pretender heard of it” Immediately after he said this, he cut himself off, his eyes widening subtly. The elves likely didn't pick up on this and Vittorio was understandably terrified of this man, but after the way he had been speaking to Mother Linai, Iiro wouldn't let him get off this easily. “The pretender?”, he asked, half out of honest interest and half to annoy the High Illuminated. “None of your business!”, Jago barked harshly, using the opportunity to straighten the belt that held the scabbard of his sword. “This is handled internally” Da Vanya raised an eyebrow. “And yet, I would say that spreading the truth can only help”, he spoke up. “Wouldn't you agree, Ucurian?” He and Jago exchanged a look and while Iiro initially considered them equals in rank, it was clear that da Vanya was more influential by far and all it took to assert his dominance was a single, stern expression. Jago sighed. “Of course, Inquisitor”, he mumbled, as da Vanya looked at the group. “I want to tell you this, because I want you to know the full truth”, he told them. “The Church of Praios stands divided, for the first time in our long history” He let this sink in for a moment. As expected, the elves clearly didn't understand, though Thea seemed to pick up on the concern in the old man's voice. Concern would not be enough, though. The Church of Praios was not just regulating worldly power, watching over the laws and holding lawbreakers of all kinds accountable. They were the symbol of order and unity. Authority was the highest virtue their priests followed. To see them, of all churches, divided, it was hardly even believable and yet, the only thing less believable than that would be that the inquisitor was lying or jesting. “Usually, I would consider it common knowledge, but you have a common sellsword and two elves with you”, da Vanya spoke, surprisingly without actual prejudice speaking through his words. “As such, I will tell you that a decade ago, the Lord Praios named his servant Jariel Praiotin the Envoy of the Light, the head of our church and his highest servant in Aventuria” He sighed. “Jariel is the rightful man for this position, yet unfortunately, a fellow inquisitor has a different opinion on this”, he continued. “Hilberian Praiofold, High Priest of the influential temple at Elenvina, recently declared that he received a vision, in which the Lord Praios named him the true Envoy of the Light” “Of course he did”, Jago spoke, with a mocking tone Iiro had never heard in a priest of Praios. “Leave it to the Banray to deal with the traitor. It won't be long until Jariel gives me permission to seize Hilberian” Da Vanya shook his head. “It would end in bloodshed”, he stated. “I know Hilberian and he has never been hungry for power, which means I doubt he acts out of malice. Instead, even a man like him can be mistaken. Regardless, several prominent figures within the church have stepped forward and declared their loyalty to him, over Jariel” “Do we have to be worried about a war within the church?”, Linai asked, to which da Vanya shook his head. “Not at all, Mother”, he assured her. “I am certain all parties will see reason before it comes to that. Yet now you might know why I have come with so many guards and why I am quite grateful for the additional security the Banray provides. My word holds a lot of influence within the church and I stand staunchly with the rightful envoy, Jariel. Hilberian is a man of honour, but the same cannot be said about some of the opportunists who follow him” His words were unusually harsh and Iiro could see that the man was angry by this development. “But back to the reason for our talk here”, da Vanya continued. “I receive a vision that involves a lizard within the Red Sickle, a mad mage talks about a rainbow within the Sickle mountains and you wish to investigate the death of your friend, a priestess of Tsa, within the Black Sickle” He shook his head. “No matter how much I try to see a different picture, the Young Goddess and her servants seem involved” “Our course of action should be clear then”, Jago growled. “We should search every temple of Tsa, every academy of magic, every known druid circle and witch coven for heretic activities, as soon as possible, then snuff them out if we find anything” His suggestion was in line with what Iiro expected of the Banray, yet he knew, the true power here was Inquisitor da Vanya. For a moment, everyone was silent, with Vittorio and Mother Linai clearly shocked by the bold approach. Then, the bearded mage, the man from Rommilys, cleared his throat. “There are no academies of magic in Meadows, High Illuminated”, he remarked dryly. While Jago shot him a glare, Iiro caught da Vanya while he tried to hide an amused smirk. Ucurian Jago clenched his fists. “Still, there are mages here. Witches and druids have been allowed to practice their dark arts for too long and who knows what the Church of Tsa is truly up to”, he argued. “How can someone be trusted, when they reject the very order our god bestowed upon the world?” He shook his head. “I say we act now, we act harshly and swiftly. The vision has been clear, a terrible threat is coming. We cannot afford to waste any time” “While I would never dare to defend witch covens and druid circles”, Magistra Moriani spoke up. “Nothing in either vision hints at them being involved. In fact, few among them are known to be powerful mages, on the same level as a trained guild mage, so I doubt we should focus on them” Jago glared at her. “Of course”, he hissed. “Leave it to a mage to defend a mage. I expected nothing better of you” Finally, da Vanya spoke up. “Jago, I don't think our first course of action should be that rash”, he disagreed. “No, nothing points at Meadows at large and Magistra Moriani is right, an involvement of the covens and circles of the region is pure speculation at the time. The region between the Sickle Mountains is affected, so we should focus on that. Even before Mother Linai's worrying account, we have received dark rumours from there. Middenrealm Intelligence is in the area, hunting for a dangerous necromancer, the so-called Tobimora Shadow” Iiro remember the term from the day before. Apparently, Delian of Plainsbridge and his entourage had taken the same route. “Instead, I would suggest a more reasonable approach. It is clear, something happens in Drakesfield, yet my vision clearly showed me the Naira Kubuch. Neither is a lead we can ignore” “What do you suggest then?”, Mother Linai asked and this time, Inquisitor da Vanya gave her an open smile. “Mother Linai, I suggest we split our efforts”, he stated. “Ucurian Jago will lead the Banray to the Naira Kubuch, where he will investigate my vision. You, meanwhile, will continue your way to Drakesfield, where you will uncover the truth behind Sister Laniare's death” Before either of the two could say anything, he raised a finger, giving both a stern look. “You will leave today and I grant you exactly three weeks until we will have another meeting”, he clarified. “On the fifteenth day of Rahja's month, I will make a decision, regarding Meadows and the Church of Tsa. I will take any new revelation you can provide me with into account” Three weeks... considering he needed almost five days from Trallop to Baliho, on one of the best roads the Middenrealm had to offer, that was not much time. Of course, it was still more than the Church of Praios usually granted and both, Mother Linai and Ucurian Jago were surprised by the gesture. The leader of the Banray was the first to regain his composure. “We will leave at once, inquisitor”, he spoke. “And what happens if we fail to bring you any evidence?”, Mother Linai asked. “If Drakesfield is not connected to your visions?” Da Vanya sighed and Jago raised an eyebrow. “In that case, we must continue to investigate”, he spoke. “We won't have a choice but to be hard there. If Drakesfield is a dead end, then this means that the threat I dreamt of is still at large. In that case, I will call for reinforcements and we will follow Ucurian Jago's approach. One by one, every coven, circle and temple of Tsa will be investigated” “If you do that, there will be death”, Iiro spoke up and da Vanya nodded regretfully, while Jago shot him a glare. “And who are you to speak up like that to an inquisitor, cur?”, he barked. “If Amando trusts in my approach, then it will be done. If the witches and druids and Tsa's snakes refuse to cooperate, we can consider it a sign of guilt. The innocent have nothing to hide” “I know that people will die in this approach”, the inquisitor agreed. “Unfortunately, Jago is right with one thing. Time is running out, we have to act quickly. And while I would usually not condone such a rash course of action, I don't think we can afford to wait for too long. The three weeks are all I can grant you. If we want to have any chance at stopping this, we cannot wait longer than that. Maybe you will bring evidence that prevents the need for harsher actions, or maybe Jago has more success” “Naturally”, Jago interjected, as he saluted in front of Inquisitor da Vanya “If there's nothing more, I will prepare my men. We will leave as soon as possible” He turned around, as he and his men left the room. The two white mages visibly relaxed the moment he was gone and da Vanya leant back in his chair. “I was hoping to have this discussion without the High Illuminated”, he assured them. “Yet at least he made it clear where the Banray stands in this matter” He looked up, at Mother Linai. “You know what is at stake then”, he told her. “We have a duty to act and if you cannot give me a better lead, I won't have a choice but to unleash Jago” Mother Linai nodded. “We won't disappoint”, she mumbled, to which the inquisitor smiled. “My apologies for putting more stress on you in an already stressful time”, he spoke. “My men won't stop you from continuing your journey right away. Your weapons will be given back to you once you leave the fort and to make up for any trouble this investigation has caused, a few of our supplies will leave with you” Vittorio stepped forward. “One moment, inquisitor”, he said and in the presence of merely da Vanya, he was notably less tensed up. Iiro himself could sense it, this inquisitor was different from others of his kind. It was refreshing to have one of them see actual reason. Vittorio leant over the map. “Just as I feared”, he spoke, as he pointed at it. “There is the Naira Kubuch” His hand moved a bit to the south. “And Drakesfield is right there” “You fear that you and Jago have to share the road for a bit?”, da Vanya asked. “Indeed, the fastest way to the Naira Kubuch leads across the imperial road, before splitting up behind Salthel, which is the road you have to take as well. The only one your carriage can take, I am afraid” Vittorio nodded. “Inquisitor, this man hates me for being a mage and he hates my companions for being elves”, he explained. “It should be clear that I have no desire to travel with him, even just for part of the way” Da Vanya raised an eyebrow. “While time is essential, you are free to remain here for as long as you wish. Once the Banray leaves, there should be a lot of space for you and it might give us the time to further discuss our respective findings”, he offered. “Knowing Ucurian Jago, his men will be ready to leave very soon. These are not your ordinary Banray volunteers, but elite soldiers in service of our god. Give him half an hour and he will be ready to march” “We need less”, Yveshin argued. “The carriage is ready. But I am not sure if I want to travel with an army of these Banray humans only shortly behind us. I'd feel hunted and after all I heard, this might even be true. We'd constantly have to hurry or else they catch up. Letting them leave first would free us of that, but I understand that we don't have much time as it is” Mother Linai raised an eyebrow. “That won't be my decision”, she said. “Jago could use some better manners, but I do not fear the Banray” She shrugged. “So, I leave it to you” She glanced at Iiro, then at Thea, both of whom had remained silent in this part of the discussion. “What would you suggest?” [Leave before the Banray] [Leave after the Banray]
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Post by diversegnu on Feb 12, 2019 18:01:03 GMT
[Leave after the Banray] Jago is too bloodthirsty and unpredictable, no telling what he'd do to us on the road when he's not kept in check by de Vanya.
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Post by WildlingKing on Feb 12, 2019 21:56:02 GMT
I expected the inquisitor to be zealous asshole, so it was a pleasant surprise that he seems like a decent guy. That said, Jago more than fills the role of the zealous asshole, so there's that XD
[Leave after the Banray] I am a bit worried that this may come to bite us back at a later time, but I'd still say it is better to make sure we avoid any conflict with the Banray. Clearly Jago just needs an excuse to go against Vittorio and the elves, and without de Vanya to keep him in line I'm sure he'll find that excuse. So, better safe than sorry.
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