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Post by Sorrum on Apr 12, 2021 15:30:56 GMT -5
Aqua and the Dawnbringers rushed back to Nyharllothor Manor after collecting themselves. Sentinels were arriving on scene after their battle had concluded, and not seeking to get held up with the authorities, they chose a back alley approach to the manor, avoiding most bystanders. It was not long before they were in front of the gate leading to the manor, where a familiar beastman stood waiting.
"Good day to you, Captain Aqua." Sam grunted. He had a stern look on his face as he opened the gate himself, then waved the elf and her entourage through. "We've got much to discuss." Aqua exchanged a nervous glance with the others, but shrugged and followed Sam.
Inside the walls of the manor, in his study, Itham ran his fingers through his hair as he stared at the mess. The study had been pieced back together, but he could still see where the sentinels had torn through his files. What didn't help was how disorganized things were, surely a task that would have to be done before he could do anything else in here again. Behind him, a heavy knocking was heard on the door, followed by a gruff voice. "Lord Itham, it's Sam. We're coming in." The door swung open, bringing with it Sam and The Dawnbringers.
Itham leaned on his desk, changed from his official outfit into something slightly more casual- a brown tunic and white pants stuffed into leather boots. He folded his arms and sighed. "Welcome home, Frida."
Aqua felt a twinge inside her. Despite the recent chaos, her father's return did count as a victory. She sighed as well, because their was still trouble ahead. "Thank you.." She replied.
"So.." Itham started. "The man who imprisoned me lost his gamble.. then was assassinated following the ruling. Tension between the two races are at their highest, there's a serial kidnapping case, and we have a blight mage out there. I'd like to hear from you now, Dawnbringers. What discoveries have you made?"
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Post by Swim on Apr 18, 2021 14:15:01 GMT -5
Before following Frida and the others back to Nyharllothor Manor Terra cast one last look around the street that had quickly turned into a battlefield. The road had been torn up, buildings bore the blackened scars of Vile's lightning and everything seemed to be covered in a thin layer of dust. She noticed frightened civilians peering out their windows now that the fighting had ended, and she wanted to say something to reassure them that it was going to be alright. But she had no official standing here, it was better to leave the job of restoring order to Sam and his Sentinels. For now the best thing she could do was go ensure that Itham had made it home safely and that he wouldn't suffer a similar fate as Barr had.
Fortunately those fears were unfounded. When they returned to Nyharllothor Manor Itham was waiting for them in his study. He seemed more comfortable now in his own home, but as she looked between the father and daughter Terra couldn't say either was at ease. Despite their distain for one another Barr's death had clearly shaken Itham. Terra found the assassination of Barr entirely perplexing, and she'd spent the better part of her walk back wondering why he'd been killed. Was it retribution for his failure to keep Itham locked up? Or was it to silence the man before he revealed some secret information?
Then Itham asked the Dawnbringers what they'd found and Terra hesitated a moment before answering. It didn't feel to her like they'd uncovered all that much, and as Frida had remarked earlier, some of it was contradictory. There was a lot going on and doubtless they were meant to waste energy chasing false leads. "Arne and I got accepted into the Laphaessir Academy hoping to question some students about the missing children but we didn't really have time. I plan to go back there tomorrow for my first lessons, I'll see if I can learn anything then." Terra spoke apologetically, feeling like she hadn't contributed as much as the other Dawnbringers. "I think the others had a bit more success though. Saito here captured that nature mage, Greta, and Sam confirmed that she was working for the blight mage to ensnare unsuspecting people. And it sounds as though the blight mage can use portals for quick transportation but his main base seems to be Mt. Remorse, we've heard that there's some sort of barrier protecting something of importance, maybe another artifact like the staff he carries. Hopefully Orca team can stop him before he accomplishes that goal. And then Vile gave us a cryptic warning that something was going to happen during the eclipse, but I'm not sure how much credence we should give to anything he says."
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Post by Vic Alriikerson on Apr 18, 2021 16:25:41 GMT -5
As Aqua took the fault for the situation, Alriik would relax a bit. 'She's young, she's learning. She'll be better. She'll be the leader she needs to be. Let her make mistakes. Let her learn.' His thoughts went from her, back to the situation at hand. The others would talk, and speed back to Nyhorllothor Mansion. Alriik would sigh, and hold up a hand. "So, uh... Again, optics. I'll catch up, I just... don't wanna cause another riot, and with how powder keg-gy this all feels, I'll meet you all up there." He'd look to Rion, and the sword at his side. "And until you feel better, Shirosame's yours. Keep her close. If you drop her, I'll feel it." He'd blink as he said this, and a small bit of a grin would cross his face. "Yeah... I'll feel it. So, uh... If you need me, just drop it for a sec and pick it up. It'll let me know if you need me. Just... Pick it up after. You don't need me freaking out."
He'd give the group a wave, and within moments, his back was to them and he was on his way to the alleys. He'd dip and dive through the madness in the streets, doing his best to keep his head covered and his path quick. Unless they looked too close at him, his half-human side wouldn't betray his elven features, and pallid skin wouldn't be too odd in low town. He'd quickly make his way back toward the post office, and would attempt to dip in as quietly as possible. He'd attempt to rewrite the note he wrote before, but... Everything in him would simply pour out into the page.
"To the Com To Zakky
I need help. Meribia is in chaos. The leader of the House of Men has been assassinated shortly after the trial of Itham Nyhorllothor. Itham's trial? Suspicion of being a Blight Mage or assisting a blight mage. Allowing the death of a prince. Prehaps more. And I know this is sacrilege. I know this is wrong. But I honestly do suspect him. He is in the perfect position to hold them back. I need a Hunter's Mark. I need your blessing to interrogate him, and if needed.. More. I don't want be this guy. You know how much the Hunters and the Nyhorllothor's mean to me. I still stand by his daughter to this day, at her side, attempting to teach her, protect her. She is the daughter of the Liberator. You know me. Use your best judgement. You've always had a great head on your shoulders, just like your dad. I know you'll point me in the right direction. Send Pound with the reply, I know he can still sniff out Shirosame no matter where I'm at. I love you.
-Uncle Al"
He'd fold the letter, put it in the evelope, and write the address before paying for postage and handing it off. He'd quickly dart back into the alleyway, where he'd sigh, and begin his trek back to the Mansion. A few streets needed to be crossed, but he should be alright. He'd begin to take a few steps through it, when he felt the press of hard metal against the back of his head. "You're getting slow, Riik." Seconds later, a gunshot would ring through the streets of Meribia.
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Post by Vic Alriikerson on Apr 20, 2021 23:45:47 GMT -5
As Axala sat alone on Aloran's bed, her clothes still a mess, she scanned the man's living quarters. He had been offered less modest living, but he was determed to stay upon the ground. At any time, he would be ready for action, springing from this modest tanned canvas tent, the only thing separating him from the ground a straw mat. There was a sturdy desk, upon it various papers, being held down by a variety of silver paperweights. A glance revealed requisition forms and orders for various reconnaisance and assassination missions being executed. There was a case for his armor, with a small cabinet at the bottom in which he held the entirety of the rest of his wardrobe. And in the corner... There was an odd pole.
It, unlike the rest of this temporary structure, seemed imbedded deep into the ground and was made of an odd, silver-like metal. On it was a variety of weapons, forged of the same material, all wrapped in chains made of an odd ebony-like substance. There were about 12, some lances, swords and daggars, and all of them shivered against their bindings. But at the base of the pole, wrapped with three chains by itself, was a revolver, that desperately shook and wrestled against it's bindings. She would slowly rise from the bed, and approach it, looking at it closely... Before it lashed out, pulling the chains with it. She would let out a yelp, and fall back, as the chains tightened around the pistol and pulled it back into place.
At this moment, Aloran would rush into the room, holding the promised robes. "M'lady!" He would be at her side in a moment, tossing the still-folded robes lightly into his bedding as he rushed to help Axala to her feet. She'd smile, and would sigh. "I'm fine. I was just observing the new method of educating. I see the chains are working quite well." Aloran would nod, sternly looking to the pole. "Sadly, not all fall in line. I have ways of fixing it. They'll want to return to active duty soon. Seeing your weapon after two weeks has a way of making you grateful, even if they're the one who took it away. You tought me that." Axala would sigh. "Please, Aloran, we are both too old to be worrying about scars so long healed. You are my favored. I have given you all that you have asked for and you refuse no more. But..." She would kneel by the struggling revolver again, at a safer distance. "... It seems the scars are still fresh for this one."
"Alvic continues to have delusions. It's more common in younger knights, but they're from an older batch. You'd think they'd have a better grasp on how the world truly is by now." Aloran would reply, motioning to the robes, and turning to his papers. Axala would sigh, turning her back and loosing her robes. "You speak as if you have it so badly... No, my child. You, and Alvic, and the rest of my knights... When this is all over, you will be as gods, more powerful than any man or elf who stands in your way." This comment would freeze Aloran in his tracks. He'd refuse to turn to her, afraid of showing the look on his face. "... Then why is the process so painful? Why do you let your mages use and abuse us at their leisure? Why are we-"
In that moment, Axala would step in front of Aloran, fully clothed in her new robes. "Just wait. They need to think they have power. It's easier to prove to them that they don't. I promise you, it will take time, but I have remembered my goals for all these years, and every action I make towards them is a victory. And I haven't lost. But..." In that moment, she would press her finger against Aloran's chest. "... I also feel the need to remind you that I have given you everything you have asked for. Don't bite the hand that feeds." Aloran's face would shift from anger to horror as he stepped back, holding his chest. His eyes would widen, sweat pouring from every pore in his body as he fell to his kness, his fingers scraping against his ribcage, his veins glowing a faint fuschia. He would simply gasp for air as Axala opened the flap. "You have 30 minutes before my speech, Aloran. You better be on your feet and on that stage by then."
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Post by Vic Alriikerson on Apr 21, 2021 11:56:37 GMT -5
As Alriik ducked down, he felt a tug on his neck as his hood was pierced by the magnum's slug. He felt it dart through his hair, and strike a nearby building, shattering the brick it struck. “Fast enough to dodge that!” Within seconds, Alriik would have drawn one of his dragon fangs and brought it toward his attacker, but as he did the blade was struck out of his hand, and he found himself looking down a cold steel barrel. “Please, Riik… We could never kill you. But we could hurt you if you try to fight back.”
The gun being held to his face was a large revolver, made out of the same metal as Axala's Rose. Thick barreled, with some noticeable imperfections, it seemed to hold quite a bit of stopping power. Holding it was a fun house mirror reflection of Alriik: thinner and shorter, but having the same skin, hair and eyes. The elf wore tightly fitted leather armor, seemingly crafted from an odd variety of animals as the color of the leather shifted from brown to red to blue. “Now that we have your attention… Your mother sent us. She-"
With the mention of his mother, Alriik suddenly seemed to stop caring that there was a pistol held to his forehead. He'd strike the hand holding the gun, and would quickly go to draw his other dragon tooth. However, as he pulled it from it's sheath and began to swing, the elf would kick the blade from his hand, before delivering a knee to his chest, causing him to stumble back. By the time he had gathered his footing, all he could see was the elf holding up his dear Ein, and placing their revolver to it.
“Riik, I know how much this means to you.” The elf would pull back on the hammer, a bright yellow glow forming around the chamber. “And you know I can blow a hole right through it. Stop.” And with that… Alriik froze. He'd take a moment, his face showing pure fear… Before shifting into a snarl. “If you think that's enough to get me to come back, you're out of your mind. I will never be a slave to that woman again…” Alvic's expression would finally shift from a disdainful look of concern to one of pure rage. “Riik, are you delusional? You really think, after everything, she wants YOU back? No. She sent me here to collect the Rose and give you a message. That's it, and you get your fang back.”
“THIS DOESN’T BELONG TO HER, I FORGED IT OUT OF -MY- BLOOD. IT'S MINE!” “DON'T YOU THINK WE UNDERSTAND!? WE ARE THE MESSENGER, NOTHING MORE.” “IF SHE WANTS IT, SHE CAN TAKE IT FROM MY CHARRED CORPSE. IF YOU WANT TO GIVE IT TO HER SO BAD, JUST AIM AND SHOOT.” “DO YOU THINK WE WANT TO DO THIS!? THAT WE WANT TO BE HERE!? THAT WE WANT TO HURT YOU!?” “I MEAN, YOU'RE STILL WEARING THEIR COLORS INSTEAD OF STANDING BY MY SIDE. WHAT SHOULD I THINK!?” “AND WHY SHOULD WE STAND BY YOU!?!? YOU. LEFT. US.” “BECAUSE YOU WOULDN’T FOLLOW. I TRIED. I TRIED FOR ALL OF YOU. BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THE INFERTILITY HIT ME A LITTLE LESS HARD BECAUSE -I'M THE ONLY ONE LEFT WITH THE BALLS TO LEAVE-.”
It would be silent between them for minutes, the chaos around them raging but their little alley being the eye of the storm. Perhaps the gunshot kept them away. Perhaps it was only one of many. After what seemed like an eternity, Alvic would loosen their grip on the trigger and would holster the pistol. They'd lightly toss the blade to Alriik's feet, before turning their back to the half elf. “So, you bested us. We weren’t able to get the sword. But you will hear the message. You mother says the time is coming. She’s offering safety as long you don’t fight against her and give her back her sword. It's… Not good. She's pushing hard for something, what, we do not know, but…” Alvic would sigh. “Altima's talking to us now. In our dreams. Asking for you to come back. To save her. She's in pain, Riik.”
Alriik would grunt, picking up his blades and returning them to their sheaths. “Then maybe she shouldn’t have hurt us all so bad. I got your message, I got places to be. Later, Vic.” And with that, Alriik would turn, and walk into the wild crowd, vanishing inside of it. Alvic would sigh, looking at where their bullet struck. “Alriik, she has…” Alvic would raise their gaze, looking where their old friend once stood. “… She has your dragon…”
About an hour would pass, and Alriik would step into Nyhorllothor manor, stone silent. He'd find a good corner to fit into, and would stay there. Stuck in his thoughts.
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Post by Bloodbane on Apr 24, 2021 15:17:21 GMT -5
Rion remained rather quiet as the party made their way through the city and back to the manor. What more did he have to say? What more could he contribute in this condition? He continued to remain silent, his thoughts dwelling on his current state until finally he heard Alriik speak up about optics. Figuring it was in regards to his appearance, he simply nodded with a smile as the elf lent him the light-attuned blade. "I'll take good care of it, you do what you've got to do and we'll see you later." Out of the people he knew so far, he did feel he was perhaps most similar in circumstances to Alriik; forced into a position where simply because of who they were they were likely to be at odds with major threats no matter who they associated with. Of course, the elf had lived a much longer time than he had, time enough to better deal with his losses as best he could, and if nothing else Rion could understand that anyone dealing with such loss would have their own ways to cope; Alriik seemed more assertive about needing to deal with things on his own, but he seemed to be coming around at least somewhat to the idea that when it came to the Dawnbringers, he was here to stay.
With Alriik gone, and Shirosame still in his hand, Rion followed the others inside, where Sam and Itham were waiting. Terra responded first, with Rion silently nodding as she spoke, though with what she mentioned about the blight mage likely being in Mt. Remorse, it left some gaps he felt a need to address based on what Luke and Ember explained. "Yes... the mage who attacked myself and Silver did indeed use some sort of artifact, or at least it seemed to be part of one... but I'm not so sure that whatever's inside Mt. Remorse is tied to that particular artifact." he then placed a hand to his chin afterward. "That being said, the detail about the area of our fight being devoid of mana may be a concern; if he finds a way to drain that space of mana then the barrier might fall. However, there may still be a chance to stop him..." He frowned slightly, looking around the room before unbuttoning and rolling up his left sleeve, revealing the layer of crystal that encased his forearm. With the crystal revealed, the others would see that not only did the crystal appear to glow with a faint light, but that light seemed to resonate with Alriik's katana, which had been shimmering with a faint light of its own while it was in his possession.
"The ones who helped myself and Silver escape that battle seem convinced that whatever is in there may be linked to my... 'condition' somehow. I've learned this much from them; there are others like myself, with magical power similarly bound to a crystal form like this, though that gunman seemed to have a better sense of his abilities than I do..." he stated, referring to the fact that, at least from what the group had seen, Luke's crystallization seemed to be more contained to the area of his hand. "So if they think that I may be a key of sorts to whatever's in that mountain, then one way or another I'll need to make my way up there, even if it's only so we can get to whatever the barrier is protecting before the blight mage can."
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Post by Sorrum on May 8, 2021 20:35:23 GMT -5
Itham listened intently. There was no sliver of information he wanted to overlook.
"The Academy.. yes. Archmage Sillenai sees many promising mages through his halls every season. I trust him and his daughter, but with you among the students Terra, I believe you may be in the position to learn something only they whisper about. But, I have some unfortunate news about your friend Arne.."
With this, Itham handed a letter over to Aqua, who looked at it with question but began to read aloud.
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Post by Sorrum on May 8, 2021 21:18:39 GMT -5
Hien perched on the night stand next to Arnes bed, where the fighter lay asleep. He had been cut severely on his leg, which made it difficult to stand or even walk. The man's eyes flickered open and shut as the wyvern watched carefully.
Arnes mouth opened and from it a puff of blue smoke escaped, which caused the man to break free suddenly from his episode and cause him to whisper.
"The oracle.. she calls me.."
Arne forced himself up and looked around, looking for his things before catching Hien staring at him. "It's time, my little friend." Hien tilted his head. Arne gingerly equipped himself in his armor, supporting himself with his spear as he walked into the center of the room.
Hien flapped and landed on Arnes shoulder as he pulled from his satchel a bottle of vibrant fuschia liquid, which he poured on the ground around him in a circle. Arne knelt low, and shocked the circle of fluid with magic, causing it to ignite all at once. But flames did not erupt from the circle, rather an invisible wall of shifting pictures and images from an unknown reality.
Arne and Hien disappeared in the haze, as the odd portal disappeared. Behind, a letter flapped in the circle, addressed to Aqua.
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Post by Sorrum on May 8, 2021 22:02:59 GMT -5
"Aqua,
I'm sorry to say that for the time being, I will be unable to assist you and The Dawnbringers in bringing justice to The Frontier. A seer from my past has called upon me to undertake a great service, one of which I must fulfill as it is my destiny to do so. I will return to you when my service has finished. Until then, stay safe. Arne."
Aqua stared at the paper with sadness. She had grown fond of the man and his pet wyvern, they would surely be missed. "Arne.." She whispered, before folding the paper and handing it back to her father. His expression was the same as hers. One less person they could trust that could have made all the difference.
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Post by Sorrum on May 8, 2021 22:03:18 GMT -5
Itham sniffed. "Moving on. Sam, if you would."
"The nature mage Greta.. who we had been investigating before Saito's vigilantism, actually evadedcapture. We aren't sure of her whereabouts. Though criminals who are so organized as her tend to ally, I wouldn't put it past this blight mage to enlist her services. If he were unfamiliar with this region, a connection like her would be valuable."
Itham nodded. "I see. Orca Team hasn't yet returned.. I'm assuming the worst if your bet is that that's the base of the blight mage. He must have a hideout in town somewhere, somewhere where Greta Burch could operate from undetected. But along with that, there are mysteries about that place; we'd need to confirm what this barrier is guarding before we can just assume it's another Savior's Staff."
Itham tapped at his temple as he leaned back to think about the eclipse. "Oh.. there's so many different legends. Some say ancient magic is awakened during it, for those able to harness it. Others say it turns a werewolf human if they stare at it. What I do know is that the navy docks it's ships during that time as the seas are difficult to navigate without it's usual prominence.. what would Vile Rai know though?"
While he thought of possibilities, he listened to Rion explain events. "So the man and woman who intervened on your behalf are somehow linked to you? Where are they now? Perhaps they could explain it to me, so I have a grasp on what they are planning. It would be wise to gather all the information we could before adventuring to the mountain, otherwise I fear the worst could happen."
Itham looked over to the elf who sequestered himself in the corner. The last time they met, he seemed so forward and gallant, but now he was reclusive. "Alriik of Altiim, was it not? Does something bother you?"
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Post by Sorrum on May 8, 2021 22:14:15 GMT -5
Aqua gathered her thoughts. "Father, today's trial has ended but the following assassination has me confused." Itham nodded in agreement. "The leader of the house of man was slain in the street following your exoneration. This cannot be overlooked."
"I know, I lead us to a likely dead end in my erroneous judgment, but something had to be done in the face of something so dramatic!" Aqua declared. Itham nodded as well, but considered her words.
"I think it's been in our faces all this time. I think it's the mage's strategy. He wants to divide the country by causing discord between the races." Itham said. Aqua, whom had yet to put it into words, felt the same.
"But why would he do that?" Aqua questioned. "As far as I've seen, these mages simply lay waste to the lands they conquer. The Frontier could be a graveyard by now if the mage was serious."
"..He must have some other angle." Sam piped up. "Maybe he really is after that artifact in the mines and is doing all this so we don't come around sniffing. Or he's just a crazy bastard who revels in the chaos. Either way, it's a lot of work for whatever pay off he's looking for."
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Post by Vic Alriikerson on May 18, 2021 18:17:29 GMT -5
“It's a bothersome time, Ser Itham.” He would answer quietly, with a somewhat nervous chuckle. “I just… There's just so much I'm not grasping on the situation. There's the situation with Ser Barr, the timing of it all, the killing, it's just…” Aqua would begin to speak, and they spoke of strategy, of the actions of the blight made and how it was all his fault. Oh, if it were so easy. They spoke of the blight mage's actions, as if they were the experts on it. The questions Barr rose rung again in his head. He'd sigh. “Alright, so… First off, don’t generalize blight. It’s another whole element, and you know how creative people can be with magic. A sudden onset of undeath. A slow corruption silently taking over town over town, building silent armies ready to strike. It can kill and raise from the dead, corrupt the living, twist living tissue into something twisted and abhorrent. I've even seen the Blighteaters from the Far East who used their innate connection to the blight to nullify other users and the Luciferis clan's usage of it's more restorative properties to act as healers.”
“The thing about Blight that makes it different from every other element is that it is ultimately degenerative. Even the Blighteaters go mad and need to be consumed by the pack to contain them. Every Luciferis man I've met was either killed young or became a monster in time. By -healing- others. It corrupts the mind and the body. These are people. Not all of them are good, but oh so many start as decent, normal people until the corruption takes hold. And it's sad. And terrifying. So sad, and so terrifying, Ser Itham, that your wife foresaw the troubles it could cause her rising frontier, and had the Blight Hunters Guild formed by the greatest experts she could find in fighting the darkness. And she knew the Blight Hunters would need a lot of freedom in handling this darkness, as long as they policed themselves. Like the Right to Interrogate, as stated in Article 9 of the Blight Hunters Accord, as signed by Lady Alya. I… uh… Hope you see where this is going.”
He'd take a deep breath, and close his eyes, his sad look being replaced by his game face. “Ser Itham, I don’t want to make this uncomfortable, but… I'm in my jurisdiction here and I just need to hear you answer a few questions to my mind at ease.” He'd sigh and groan. “I'm sorry.” He'd cross his arms, game face back on, the swords on his back trembling for him, yet he stood still as stone. “Question One. Why did you refuse to co-ordinate with Raymond Barr and the House of Men during the kidnappings? Question Two. Did you have a knowing hand, either active or passive, in the kidnapping of Prince Frederick? Question Three. Do you have any information on the assassination of Ser Raymond Barr? And Question Four…” He'd look down, and sigh. He'd look up, somewhat sadly and inquisitively, as if his entire worldview hinged on how this man answered.
“… What do you know about the disappearance of General Alya “Aqua" Nyhorrlothor?”
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Post by Swim on May 18, 2021 23:48:26 GMT -5
Terra listened quietly as Frida read aloud Arne's letter, and she felt a pang of sadness and disappointment. She'd grown fond of Arne and Hein, they'd shared quite a bit in a short time and she felt a sort of kinship with him regarding the sort of life he'd led prior to joining the Dawnbringers. He'd shown unflinching courage in the face of the horrors they'd witnessed, and his companion Hein never failed to make her laugh. The pair would certainly be missed.
Then Itham and Sam discussed the mountain, Greta, the barrier and when the eclipse was addressed Terra spoke up again. "How long has it been since the last eclipse of this type? I'm surprised to hear that it's only spoken about in myth and legend, are there no living elves we could talk to who were around to witness the last one?"
The conversation shifted toward the possible motivation of the Blight Mage still at large. Terra considered. They'd not met two Blight Mages, and they did share some similarities. On the night they'd met Alriik and fought with Silver's mutated mother that mage had also enjoyed toying with them, had been so certain he'd win that he'd decided to have fun sewing chaos and making them struggle, rather than simply dropping the Blight Crystal immediately. "It's not out of character for them to cause wanton chaos for chaos' sake. But if I had to bet destroying the Frontier is only part of his objective, it sounds to me like he's after something in the mountain. What if he can't unlock it himself, what if there were some seal that couldn't be opened with Blight magic? Maybe by making Mt. Remorse his lair he hopes to draw in someone strong enough to do it for him?"
After this line of questioning Alriik began questioning Itham. Terra was shocked, and it didn't look like Alriik himself was completely comfortable asking these questions. Something about the hunter's right to interrogate, citing accords which were unknown to Terra but hopefully Itham would understand the reference. Apparently the trial was not over, Terra looked over to Itham to see how the elder elf would react. It seemed preposterous to Terra that Itham would have anything to do with what had happened to Barr, Prince Frederick, and most of all his own wife.
After giving Itham time to respond she had one follow up question of her own. "I understand this might be a difficult request in light of the tension between races but is there any way that we can look into Barr's schedule prior to his death? Is there any public record at least of who he'd met with? I'm trying to figure out who all benefits from his death and the idea I keep coming back to is that Barr knew something he shouldn't, and he was killed so that the secret could die with him."
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Post by Bloodbane on May 29, 2021 23:26:30 GMT -5
Rion put a hand to his chin for a moment when Itham asked where the gunman and his dragon companion could be. "Well, as much as they seem to be looking to help me, it seems the political matters of the Frontier aren't their concern, at least not currently. I didn't see them anywhere when we went to the courthouse..." he then looked to Aqua after a second. "They were here when we talked about heading to the library after the trial, however, so perhaps they're waiting for us there?" It was pretty clear at this point that leaving the manor was likely not a great idea, but if Itham felt it best to fetch the two then it was likely easy enough to have an escort sent to the library for them.
He nodded in agreement with Itham after a few seconds. "If the ORCA team hasn't reported back, that would at least be evidence that the mountain is where this mage is hiding out. It seems we don't have enough information to know for sure if he is after what's behind the barrier, or even if he knows about it; for all we know he could be cooking up something equally problematic." What Alriik added to the conversation, however, was news to Rion. Perhaps it was because those he traveled with had little reason to go to the Frontier, but this was the first he had heard of another special force enlisted to hunting the Blight, and most notably ones who themselves had an affinity for the dark energy. What the elf mentioned afterward was also troubling to Rion, however, causing him to briefly glance at his crystal-encased hand. For now, the effects of his actions against the blight had been at most a drain on his mana, but would there be further consequences if the crystal continued to spread?
The questions Alriik posed afterward, however, caused Rion to blink a couple of times in surprise. It was clear this was not something he was familiar with, but it seemed bold of Alriik, rights or not, to question Itham in such a way. He found it hard to believe that Itham had anything to do with the events Alriik was describing, but it also seemed that perhaps he was using this as a means to gauge whether Aqua's father could truly be trusted. At least Terra's question afterward seemed more in line with information they may need to seek...
"That's... quite a lot of questions." He said, putting a hand to the back of his neck while looking over at Aqua. All he could really do was hope she would be understanding of the further interrogation.
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Post by Sorrum on Jun 11, 2021 17:39:01 GMT -5
Itham nodded thoughtfully as Alriik spoke. While he was never directly involved with the Blighthunters guild, he'd read monthly reports on their activities while his wife dealt with administrative and sponsorship concerns. He slowly raised an eyebrow as Alriik mentioned interrogation, but on hearing his questions knew the man was serious.
"I see. Well, to answer your first question.. not all matters of state need the attention of both Houses. While the houses act in unison, they may also act individually. The town guard launched an investigation into the kidnappings after the first reported incident, and was later picked up by myself as details came to my interest. Involving Barr could have made this incident bigger than it may ever have grown to be, as larger attention to domestic terror can distract from other foes, such as pirates or invading countries. I don't think Barr would have been disruptive or an obstacle, but not all of our resources need respond to organized crime. A blight mage, however, perhaps. But we did not know that at the start of all this."
"I did not. Prince Frederick's kidnapping was a tragic incident for everyone in The Frontier and Berseria. The young man was a good friend of ours, and like an older brother to Frida. We wasted no resources assaulting Calico's base, but his heavy fortifications and proximity to The Great Storm forced us into an unfavorable position. When breached, the enemy forces unleashed hideous monstrosities that pushed us back, leading to a dramatic defeat, with nothing to show for it. What's more, the prince was never ransomed. While we've sent spies into Calico's ranks, it is still unclear what his fate was, whether he still lives or not. It's as if he disappeared."
"I know about as much as you do at this time. Barr's carriage was attacked shortly after leaving the court house, leaving a high profile trial. There were many in attendance, and dozens of mages capable of the feat. As of now, I would believe the only ones who can be ruled out are Vile Rai, though he seems suspicious. I'd like to have a talk with him when Sam apprehends him. As for your last question.."
Itham took a seat behind his desk and folded his hands in front of him. "Not a day goes by that I don't think about that day.."
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