Roleplay from Yxevarii Auru'in
"...ASTROS RENODIN!"
They say a peal of thunder rang out as the traitor's name echoed in unison. A light rain had begun to fall as anxious warriors gathered before the coming storm. The sunset blaze dimmed with swift intent as lightning cleaved the landscape in two; shadow silhouettes dancing across the crowded avenue as if the Goddess had drawn her Veil to blanket Astros in darkness.
One hundred and thirty rangers of the Divine Retribution stood at the ready, arrows nocked and bows drawn taught. Agents of the Inquisition skulked in the shadows while curious nobles stood and gawked behind their armored Templar brothers. Intoxicated and wholly unprepared, Astros stood powerless to defy a righteous lot cast of divine fury and overwhelming odds. Even the greatest of unholy beasts could but scratch the surface of a living wall whose veteran shields would lock and fall into place at the slightest motion - tested against a thousand hordes that had come and gone in vain.
All manner of experts had infiltrated their surroundings with an arsenal of curious weapons; from armor-piercing crossbows and entangling bolas to javelins and range-defying halberds. Agents poised above the maelstrom grasped firmly at metal-reinforced nets, while death's kiss smiled through blowguns packed with fast-acting toxins. There would be no clever words nor crooked smile to strong-arm his way out of justice yet due. His men were down for the count and one man stood alone against the tides of Obeah's fury. The Veiled Goddess had spoken through Her Prophet, and Grandmistress Yxevarii had answered the call.
"Do not make this difficult, Astros. You once spoke of heretics and traitors - of seeing justice dealt by virtue of Obeah's word and want. Do your words justice and come peacefully. Drop your weapons - all of them - and live to fight another day. Submit and you shall earn a fair trial by Obean law beneath Her Eye..."
The skies grew darker with every word; a sole avenue of light cast from the roost of Grand Templar Vahanian and Grandmistress Yxevarii on high, waning gradually as it breached the closing shield-wall and all but died upon the back of Astros Renodin. One could scarcely see beyond the shattered doorframe; as if the frothing mass of warriors and their prey had been transported to a realm beyond the ken of mortal Man. The charged air grew tangible as stormy daggers rained from the heavens and the wind begat a howl of inhuman timbre. While the Templar wall stood impervious in their focus upon common enemy, the more exposed rangers began to shiver by the might of sudden storm through the shrieking banshee's wail.
"There's still a chance for you, Astros! The Goddess has a plan for you... By order of the Inquisition, the Prophet of the Veiled Goddess, and all that is holy, lay down your arms and surrender!"
Not for a moment did a single man loosen his bowstring nor grow lax in nocked grip - for shivering fingers and storm-soaked eyes are wont to miss one's target. For those in the furthest and highest reaches, where the firmament cried with the fury of a living Goddess, it became a show of faith beyond any hope of application. Nonetheless, enough eyes could see and arrows might fly that the end result would stand to reckon: one man, and one alone, stood poised to die upon this day. If such a fate he chose... The Enlightened would thus oblige.
"...Refuse and you will die a thousand deaths before another breath is drawn!"
A new moon cast no light as the final rays of sunset waned. Darkness fell upon the land as a thousand men held their breath as one.
Roleplay from Yxevarii Auru'in
Shenanigans of the Faithful : Earlier that day
When Priestess Kiki arrived in front of Grand Templar Vahanian's post, she and her servants were denied access - as she had no scheduled meeting planned nor viable reason to interrupt him. She seemed furious in being reminded that she was not a member of the military chain of command and thus subject to the same rules as other nobles. She refused to speak to the guards of her own volition, and instead whispered to her servant a series of ill-thought commands. The servant thus stepped foward and spoke:
"Who are you to question the plans of great and beautiful lady of Melegra! For daring to speak to her without kneeling before her is a sin. She is the Lady Herald of Obeah. Loyal servant of Oracle and person with great magical gift. Unless you want all personnel in this camp excommuni..."
Kiki snapped at young servant before she is able to finish her last sentance. The servant kneeled and begged for forgiveness before retreating behind Kiki. Through cold eyes she glared at the nearest guard and spoke to him in a mock-gentle voice:
"It is not wise to send priesthood away, now go tell your commander that I am waiting to meet with him at first chance. Even I have my patience and it would be a shame if Oracle heard how odd Grand Templar is acting, holding normal tavern besieged, not letting even nobles enter it."
The guard was clearly unphased by her demands. It didn't help that she spoke like a negligent mother attempting to lecture an unsightly child she had failed to properly raise. The cloaked guard began to draw her sword to prove a point, but was assaulted by the ear-rending bitching of the lady's servant.
"You would dare to draw sword against Obeah's priestess and against the sister of a ruler? Even your commander can't save you and your family if you do that!"
Kiki's voice changed from the patronizing timbre of a wayward mother to one even more authoritarian:
"Now move pig, even someone as beautiful and graceful as I do not have whole day to wait until you move your little dirty legs!"
Her voice and eyes were now in sync. They truly showed that she cared nothing more than about herself.
---
Grandmistress Yxevarii was not impressed. She had heard rumors of the Priestess' narcissism but witnessing it was a whole 'nother beast. With arms crossed and black-hooded cloak obscuring her features, she was indistinguishable from any other guard; exactly as she preferred. She could walk right into the tavern and sit beside Astros with none the wiser - or dawdle about the war-camp and eavesdrop on snippets of intrigue from those whose tongues wagged longer than their sense of reason. All the better to know what goes on in one's realm. Yxevarii was not one for gilded thrones and blaring trumpets: she would rule with an open palm and iron fist, leading from the frontlines and working the camps like any other. No fancy badge of office would keep her from digging trenches and tending the wounded beside her countrymen: though a ruler has much excuse to delegate, it is in a nation's interest for said ruler to walk among the masses and know the true face of its people. Unfortunately, one such face was that of Priestess Kiki Raven - and with the draw of a single blade her placid mask had crumbled to pieces before the Grandmistresses' very eyes.
"You might want to consult with Prophet Rania about these claims of yours... And as your Grandmistress, I WOULD DAMN-WELL DARE! You speak of pigs yet your palace bears no mirror yet unbroken. You dare dishonor the name of Obeah for the sake of ego yet you let slip the mask of humility at the slightest prod... You have no right nor power over the military chain-of-command, Priestess Raven, especially not through a pitiful servant you've brainwashed into parroting your fanciful self-worship. Should I order the Inquisition investigate all prior excommunications you have authorized, or are your threats as vacant as your stare? The only thing graceful about you is in how swiftly you sully the sanctity of the Heralds. You are an embarrassment to the holy vestments you so casually dishonor. The next time you DARE address such vile words toward men and women of the faith who are doing their jobs - something you should consider trying, mind you - there will be HELL TO PAY. Now collect what's left of your mask of righteousness and go make yourself useful elsewhere. The Grand Templar has better things to do than suffer the likes of you."
