Goriad II's emigration to BT

[Gabanus family]

It was still dark when the three men finally arrived at the tavern in Avengmil. A large group of soldiers had surrounded the tavern and the small group of people in front and inside of it. Astros's small contingency of men was nothing compared to the number of men were against them. It mattered quite little to Goriad II however and we made his way through the ranks of the soldiers. He had already spotted Yxevarii and Vahanian, which angered him a bit, but it seemed that everyone's focus was towards Astros and none were guarding the rear of the encirclement and as such it was rather easy to move foward and come close to the Grand Mistress.

As moved from behind her, he brushed the fingers of his left hand through her hair untill it reached the neck where he seemed to caress her in for only a blink of a second while he moved further forward in between the two side. "Yxevarii time has done you well, I'm afraid I can't say the same about the realm. It seems I left both my proteges too early and now they stand against each other. This must be resolved!"

He then turned towards Vahanian's side: "What are you doing here?" he shouted briskly "This is a matter of the Inquisition, a Templar has no authority here!" It was all he said to Vahanian as he turned back to Yxevarii. "I came accross two of your guards who carried with them an eye witness to some of Astros' affairs. You can thank Sigmund here that they are still alive, for the fools nearly took up arms against me. They could use some discipline my dear." He paused for a moment "This man had some interesting reports to share with us, which rather complicates the matters at hand. He claims to have seem Astros kill some men, but when pressed further, he also indicated to me to fear for the life of his family. It seems the men in question were most likely cultists from the south,"

He now turned towards the man "That is your official report still?" "Yes milord, there can be no doubt. At times Harald was away for some unknown meeting and together with some others they have been slowly influencing the local government milord, further away from Obeah's grace. I dared not speak it prior as the lives of my family were threathened with torture and execution." Goriad II just nodded, "By the account of this man it seems Astros has been hunting heretics and within the Inquisition such is not called murder, but rather purging, a commendable action. The belongings of these heretics are forfitted and belong to the church. If Astros has not contributed these richess, I hope he was merely waiting to return to Rines to deposit the gold. Taking from heretics is to be approved off, but witholding it from the church is not."

He had now turned to Astros, "I am certain you did not attempt to steal from the church boy? I have taught you better have I not?" He walked closer and closer to the pair of Astros and Jessica "And this is your captain I presume?" he said "A fine choice Astros, bit slimm perhaps?" and he now stared directly into Jessica's eyes. "So, you were with Astros at the time of affairs of which he has been accused?" but no reply was given, she tried to gesture, but Goriad II drew one of his daggers "Speak, you worm," his tone grew less pleasant and when she still did not reply he placed the dagger to her throat "You would dare ignore the head of the Inquisition women?" Suddenly he felt a sharp edge on the back of his lower spine. She had moved quickly and placed it with finess. Then she opened her mouth and held out what was left of her tongue as some sort of mangled viper. Goriad II let his blade down "Hehe, I like this one Astros," he then turned to Jessica again "But threathen me again and you will live to regret it."

He now turned back to Yxevarii "My dear, what exactly has Astros been accused off beyond the killing of some peasants and what proof has been gathered so far? As head of the Inquisition I will create a case against him and judge the evidence accordingly. Now apart from that there is much else to do," he shouted now "Lawlessness, lawlessness everywhere!" he shouted as he moved closer "No single member of the government is a Herald, the one priest apart from the Oracle is accused of severe crimes. Bring me the proof on all and I will investigate and judge. "

He stopped shouting and turned to Vahanian "How hard can it be to protect a Townsland against some hordes with our full army behind it? I built these walls myself, they can withstand a lot. There should be no need for Heralds to turn to commanders at this time, unless you seek to claim Ardmore. Has Erheas' failure taught you nothing Vahanian, he tried to push too far with the resources we had and suffered for it. Avengmil can be held without the Heralds' aid and if you cannot take Ardmore without them, then perhaps you should consider that you shouldn't take Ardmore in the first place."

He now moved to the center and started shouting as he turned around "It is the faithlessness of so many here, the shortsightedness of earthly belongings and regions that has brought chaos to these lands, vivid with accusations of crime and turmoil. This will end today! The Heralds must be restored to order and the Templars must perform their own duty, as all must!"

Roleplay from Vahanian Blint   (5 days, 6 hours ago)
message to all nobles of Obia'Syela
Vahanian was a little surprised Goriad II had managed to slip past his guards, but held his ground as he watched the man claim his titles back in an instant. Vahanain couldn't help but respect the boldness.

As Goriad II claimed out and shouted back orders left and right, none of his men flinched. None of them moved a muscle, waiting command from their commander.

Vahanian responded. "It is good to see you back, Goriad the second, however I fear in your absence you are no longer the head of the inquisition, and as such no longer hold the authority to dictate investigations nor command me and my men where we might go. We are here to keep the peace, and ensure that all goes smoothly according to the desires of the Grandmistress. You yourself have been stripped of your titles and status within the church. Might I suggest seeing to your own affairs before meddling in the affairs of those of us that didn't abandon our realm under the pretense of hunting heretics in the south?"

Vahanian could see the rage boiling inside of Goriad II, he kept his hands on his throwing blade, a new target in his sight, before saying "Grandmistress, how are we to proceed?"

Roleplay from Jessica Gildre   (5 days, 6 hours ago)
message to all nobles of Obia'Syela
As the dagger was withdrawn from her throat, she complied in like by sheathing her own.

She became curious of Goriad II. He had a history, no doubt about it. He also seemed to possess skills which she... recognized. He had turned his back to her, addressing the Grand Templar and Grandmistress again. Evidently, he thought highly of those skills, to expose his back like that. However, broad daylight in front of hundreds of witnesses was hardly the setting she preferred to stab a man in the back.

Better at night, whilst in his night robe.

Jessica shifted her daggers on her belt and pondered. Goriad II continued on, blathering on about Templars and Inquisitors and Heralds. Jessica didn't bother to pay attention. She had little interest in their fractal bickering. The Daimons had been defeated, their Archprinces destroyed. Why did all these nobles care so much about a few cultists roaming the wild lands? Their paranoia was almost overbearing.

She looked at Vahanian. What was he doing here? Was he just fueling some vendetta against Astros? When she had seen him for the first time, on the field of battle, he had seemed so regal, a knight's knight. Here, however, standing next to Yxevarii, he seemed different...

She frowned at that. Perhaps souls weren't meant to be saved.

Roleplay from Vahanian Blint   (5 days, 4 hours ago)
message to all nobles of Obia'Syela
Vahanian stood there, next to Yxevarii and looked at the people assembled before him. Goriad II, Astros, Jessica, Yexevarii. All here, all for what? To arrest the monstrous idiot Astros? For murdering peasants? No doubt Goriad II would try to threaten or bribe any witnesses among the common folk to prevent their testimony from holding any weight, Vahanian knew that the man was resourceful and capable, he was every inch the commander of the Inquisition.

The truth was, Vahanian hated having to be here. He hated having to stand sentinel over these preceding's. He wished to be able to withdraw with his men, and fight an opponent on the field of battle, not in the courts of justice, or halls of politics. He didn't care about Astros, or Goriad II, he didn't know enough about Jessica to care about her either.

Yxevarii was the only one among the assembled nobles that had earned any amount of his respect or trust, he was here because it was his job to maintain the peace, and because he'd made a promise to Rania. A promise that only she and him knew about, and one that he would take to his grave. He wished more than anything for Obeah to come down and smite Goriad II and Astros, smite them from the face of the world. Remove the obstacles that were perpetually in his way. He missed the simpler times, the times when an opponent was a man with a grudge and would meet you in honorable combat, not scheme and plot to get his way. These nobles who talk of religion and faith and honor knew little of true honor, they had none. They played the game for power and power alone. They didn't play to win, or to defeat a stronger opponent. They played for personal legacy, for personal gain.

It was day's like this that Vahanian missed the simplicity of the north, of simply fighting back hordes of daimon kind, hunting down and slaughter beasts of another world. How he wished that Obeah would grant him these desires. To swipe away the petty feuds everyone seemed to have.

He wanted to step forward, scream out at the heavens and tear down the sky to ask Obeah what had the realm of her faithful done to deserve this? What have we done to warrant her apparent fury and displeasure. Had he not spent enough time in prayer? Had he not devoted enough of his life to protecting her mortal possessions. He had sacrificed a life of wealth, respect, and power in Thalmarkin to travel to a strange realm to protect the child of a woman he'd never met, from opponents he'd had no quarrel with. He moved once more to a land further away with a strange religion and faith, a gift that for all of his life he'd yet to receive until, he found solace in the council and mentorship of Rania. She helped to heal the rend in his soul from the loss of his family. She'd guided him to the warmth and light of the Veiled Goddess and since, everything he'd done had been in her name. Why has she haunted him with these nagging, pestering, petty quarrels, with nobles not worth of meeting their end on his blade. What had he done?!

All of this he contemplated, all of this raced through his mind, as he stood there, a sentinel for the Grandmistress, his face impassive, revealing nothing of his inner thoughts.

[Gabanus family]

Roleplay from Jorvik Arial   (5 days, 3 hours ago)
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jorvik approached the crowd of angry noble.
"I know this is non of my business but I am most curious about this murder. Was the victim a commoner or a noble? Under what circumstances did it take place?"

Fit of rage
Goriad II grew angry at the old man, but he managed to sort of control his temper as he replied: "In my absence perhaps not, but I am no longer absent am I? And it can only be you who attempts to smear an Inquisitor's name old man. I was not 'hunting heretics' in the south, I was performing my duties as Grand Inquisitor by the grace of Lady Rania. A great many rumours had surfaced that Jarra may in fact be alive and I was tasked with finding her, in that I'm afraid I have failed. Sure, many heretics burned in the process, but that was not my primary task. Unlike you, scheming and whispering in people's ears Vahanian, I let my Inquisitors a more free hand to see who was ready and who was not. Now that I have returned, it seems you need me more than ever!" He still had raised his voice, although it was no longer a screaming sound.

Then a smile appeared upon his face as he more softly continued "Lady Rania will soon restore my place in the church and I will resume the mantle of Herald. To wash away your sins and ensure the word of Obeah remains heard. In All your attempts and failures to secure lands and borders, it seems you have forgotten that which matters."

Roleplay from Vahanian Blint   (5 days, 3 hours ago)
message to all nobles of Obia'Syela
As Goriad II responded, claiming to be able to wash away the sins of Vahanian, Vahanian chuckled to himself.

"My sins are mine own, I have made my confessions to the Oracle herself and she has given me my penance. Are you claiming to be more holy than her? That her knowledge of Obeah and her teachings is lesser than your own? I answer to no priest by the Oracle herself. Be careful in your dealings inquisitor. The world is not what it once was."

Roleplay from Jessica Gildre   (5 days ago)
message to all nobles of Obia'Syela
Jessica started clapping enthusiastically in the wake of Goriad II's impressive speech.

She slowly stopped clapping and looked around at the silence of the street.

Back and forth continues
Goriad II shook his head: "Yes I'm sure you have fought to change the world. You failed at every corner. You beg priests to take up arms because of your failure. Your sins continue still."

Goriad II now took a step backwards so he could address them all again as he raised his voice once more: "Do you not wonder why you are plagued with chaos and loss since I moved south? You have forgotten the faith! You let this Templar lead your thoughts and prioritize lands over faith?!" He now pointed towards Vahanian.

"It is time we prioritize our faith once more! Let the Templars guard Avengmil, and let the Inquisition and Heralds restore order to our lands again."

He paused for a moment "He says that times have changed and that is exactly the cause of your problems! It is time to honor Obeah again!"

Roleplay from Vahanian Blint   (4 days, 23 hours ago)
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Vahanian stared at Goriad II, for a long time, letting the silence hang. He stared at this man, his rival, his opponent. A man worthy of being a foe.
"Yes I'm sure you have fought to change the world. You failed at every corner. You beg priests to take up arms because of your failure. Your sins continue still."

"My failures are known to me, and I freely admit them, and my sins are between me and Obeah, you have no place to judge them. However your, facts untrue and your mind is clouded by personal feelings, you have been away from this land for too long. Lady Rania issued the ask for Heralds to take up arms and join their countrymen in the fight for Obeah's lands. I would remind you once more, Goriad II, that the command of the military and the safeguarding of all Sacred lands, current and future, resides with me and me alone, as Grand Templar. Do not presume to dictate the actions of the Enlightened, you are the former commander of the Inquisition, nothing more, nothing less."

Vahanian didn't move a muscle, didn't flinch, didn't shift his weight, he let his words lay in the air for a moment before continuing.

"These lands have been plagued with chaos and loss long before you entered them, and that didn't change with your arrival or departure. You are not the force of balance in this world, much as you would have us believe. It is clear your sense of self worth has not diminished as much as your commitment to this realm. Would you have these people believe that you are the savior of the sacred realm? That you and you alone can stand against the daimon hordes, conquer cities and defeat armies? That you alone can withstand the constant onslaught of the heretics without yielding a single inch of ground? Come now Lord Goriad II, surely you can't expect us to believe you are a god walking amongst men?"

A smile admids madness?
Goriad II now smiled as he had Vahanian just where he wanted. He let him speak, but with a nasty grin on his face.

"Sure sure Vahanian, I'll trust that Rania sanctioned it when the Templar's failing jeopardized the safety of the realm. But what excuse do you have to continue this, while the lands are now safe once more? Or are you thusly incompetent that you can't protect my Mott and Baily in Avengmil without all the Heralds taking up arms?"

He smiled loudly and let his words ring with his audience: "The Grand Templar can't defend a chokepoint Townsland with walls without begging for help of the priests?"

"No old man, I do not claim to be godlike, but I will place my faith in Obeah before the expansion of lands we can't hold. It is through our devotion that the veil between our world and Obeah's weakens, ensuring her full return! Our devotion, magic and the devotion of the people."

He paused one last time: "By halting the spread of our faith due to trivial combat and land grab beyond Avengmil we forego our primary duty! Every Inquisitor he should understand this, or you are no Inquisitor to begin with!" He now yelled again as he looked around.

Roleplay from Vahanian Blint   (4 days, 5 hours ago)
message to all nobles of Obia'Syela
Vahanian looked back at Goriad, he understood the moves the man was making, trying to undermine his leadership. He didn't care, Goriad had no idea what he was talking about. He was no man of faith, he was using the pretense of the religion for personal gain.

"Claim all the falsities you want Goriad, the fact of the matter is this. All your claims are conjecture. You know nothing. Nothing. Of what transpired while you were off pretending to do the work of Obeah, or working out your daddy issues, or whatever it was you were doing. You abandoned your faith, and your precious inquisition, and then you stroll in here as if you never left. Coward."

Vahanian let that hung, he didn't care about this man, he didn't care about his posturing, or his political aspirations. He was insignificant. He knew what had to be done, and he knew how the rivalry between the two men would end up. One of them dead in a ditch. 

And more anger
A surge of intense anger arose in Goriad II. "Do you see my father here anywhere old man? I AM Goriad II lest your old age make you forget! I claim no falsities and once more since you appear to be deaf, I don't care what happened in my absence. I am talking about the here and now. There is no reason for the Heralds to continue to take up arms NOW!"

His anger became clearly visible to all who were watching.

"You are a disgrace to continue to push for lands and push to neglect our faith! And I went south to search for Jara by the grace of Lady Rania, but the rumours of her captivity proved false."

Then suddenly he took one of his curved blades and pointed it at Vahanian and his man "The Inquisition and the faith will not be silenced by those Templars who care only about more regions and wealth!"

Roleplay from Gythrul Attano   (2 days, 12 hours ago)
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Gythrul had seen and heard enough. Goriad II’s anger towards the Grand Templar had caused him to draw his blade. Gythrul knew what he was about to do was probably stupid. And dangerous, but he was committed.

He drew his own longsword. Darkened steel with a gold plated hilt, a relic from his days as Harbinger of Spearhold.

And pointed it at Goriad.

“Drop it.” The masked Wraith rasped.

Roleplay from Vahanian Blint   (2 days, 7 hours ago)
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Vahanian looked at Goriad II with an impassive face, he almost smiled as the man drew his blades and was even more shocked when the masked man stepped forward and drew his own sword.

Vahanain placed his hand on the hilt of his own sword and said "Goriad the first, or the sequel, matters little. Remember what happened the last time you crossed swords with me. This time you may not walk out alive. Sheath your blade."

[Gabanus family]

Roleplay from Jessica Gildre   (27 days, 12 hours ago)
message to all nobles of Obia'Syela
It seemed the events out front of the tavern had passed the realm of interesting, so Jessica took her leave. She strolled casually away along the narrow street, silently whistling to herself...

Roleplay from Janis MacGregor   (20 days, 23 hours ago)
message to all nobles of Obia'Syela
“ENOUGH!”

A surprisingly authoritative but still female voice echoed over the gathered troops, nobles, of all kinds and sorts, the spectacle already having evolved well beyond a debacle to a full-on amphitheater of madness.

Some, may have, at first, mistook the voice to be the Oracle, if only for a moment, with the attention she demanded, but no. This woman riding into the scene on horseback with a small entourage, wore partly ivory armour and carried the banners of her office. The Grand Inquisitor, judge, though not in this specific case head of the Inquisition.

There was no small amount of controversy over that last point, either, and mumblings had been heard 'round the realm that she had let the prisoner Usul escape so she would not have to torture him as well, fueling the idea that she was no True Grand Inquisitor. Lord Goriad II's return had all but cemented the idea.

However, on the matter of this stand-off between the realm's own nobles, nothing could be clearer. Something had to be done. It had gone now well beyond the call of unruly, and into the realm of sheer chaos. She continued.

“You have had your say, so-called Grandmistress, but this is not your job or duty, it is mine. Despite what the Oracle might have requested of you, I am the rightfully elected body of law in this realm. I intend to fulfill the duties of that office as diligently as I can so long as I am able and it is my right. I obey the tenants of Law, Order, and Faith, but this mess you have created is none of those. You have become that which you seek to tame- Chaos.”

She scanned the crowd, making note of many of the faces present. Vahanian. The beastly Astros. Some strange woman near him she did not recognize, and finally caught the eye of Lord Goriad II, as her horse shook its head nervously, with all the soldiers so close now. She nodded to him in acknowledgment. He had called for action, hopefully this would resolve things.

“You will never tame the beast by becoming one. Only through rightful Order, and Due Process, can Justice be found. A caged beast will always lash out. We must not encourage man to become beast, or he too will lash out.”

She shifted her gaze to Astros, surveying first the destruction he had already wrought before her arrival. Lady Janis was on horseback, but she was also very tall for a woman, over six feet herself, but he was taller still, the sheet metal pillar he called a sword hefted off the ground in his arms, ready still- even now- to strike.

“Take this opportunity to be a man, Knight Astros, and face your rightful trial. Not by the Hand of the Grand-Mistress, nor even the guild of Inquisitors you're sworn too, but by the Office of Grand Inquisition which oversees everything, and currently does not play favorites.”

Scorn and disdain were some of the looks she was shot then, though any peasantry still in range of the spectacle were forced to reconsider the things that they had heard of her. She carried a significant weight behind her words in those moments, even many of the nobility would take note as well.

“Apologies for my Initial Tardiness, but, reasonable evidence and verifiable action takes time to affirm, unlike wild witch hunts and lynch mobs as I see are assembled here.” She cleared her throat to resume, and unfurled a very-official looking Parchment.

“The Office of Grand Inquistion finds enough evidence to hereby begin the Trial of Knight Astros Renedin under the following charges. Misconduct Unbecoming of a Noble. Robbery and Brigantry. Disregard for Property of Fellow Nobility, and Defiance of Office of Grand-Mistress amoung others. If you will accompany me, and surrender your arms when we reach the town limits, I will take you to Rines, where court will be held, and your innocence or guilt will be Proven or Disproven. Do you acquiesce, Knight Astros?”

Her look meant that she was fully willing to leave him here if he refused, to this mob-justice, but she was also offering him an out, despite what may or may not have happened before.

Roleplay from Gythrul Attano   (20 days, 22 hours ago)
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Gythrul scoffed. “The man is within his right to take the lead from of a commoner, so long as he pays weregild.” He stares at the Grand Inquisitor, setting his shoulders back slightly.

“Would you violate his inherent right as a noble? True, he has damaged another’s property, but that is the reason for the law of weregild.” The Wraith rasped as he stood here passively, the only sign of challenge or aggression was the tone of his “sickly” voice.

In the aftermath
Goriad II sat down as did Sigmund "Milord, what will we do now?" he asked and he was met with a focused look in his master's eyes "Get me Astros here in Rines, and get me Jessica as well! First things first, I'll have a talk with Usul and Gythrul later."

He stood up, "Send him his orders, make it clear that he owes his life to my intervention in Avengmil and that defying me means more than a stern word. I'm sure his balls will remember my blade still."

Roleplay from Jessica Gildre   (21 days, 12 hours ago)
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Jessica sat in the grass in front of her estate, basking in the warm sunlight while Bryant read her letters from the realm wide communication network. An array of letters talking about giving up the peninsula, or supporting the Faith, and even talk of elections.

Elections? she thought, Has something happened to the Grandmistress? She hadn't heard anything since the incident out front of the tavern. She tried to remember the news Bryant had conveyed to her lately, but he tended to blather on about politics and she often stopped paying attention as he prattled. She idly contemplated stopping him to try and get to the bottom of the issue, but she had no idea how she would mime out "What happened to the Grandmistress", so she just shrugged and closed her eyes against the sun again.

"M'Lady..." Bryant's voice penetrated her relaxation. A dark shape blocked the sunlight's path to her face, and she frowned and opened her eyes. Before her stood several guardsmen, bearing the sigil of a noble family she cared not to learn.

"Lady Jessica," the leader said, "You are to come with us."

Bryant cleared his throat, "This is a noblewoman you address, soldier."

The man frowned at Bryant, but reformulated his demand, "Lady Jessica, Lord Goriad II strongly requests your presence. Please come with us."

Jessica heaved herself to her feet and shrugged. Bryant passed her a black cloak, which she draped over her shoulders. She touched her daggers self consciously, to assure herself of their presence, and then nodded to the guards. Bryant stepped forward, but she held up a hand to stop him. She would have more fun without someone who could competently translate her desires, and she didn't want to give Goriad II the benefit of her scribe since he was so rudely interrupting her siesta.

With an overbearing sense of solemnity, the guards lead her away.

Roleplay from Astros Renodin   (21 days, 2 hours ago)
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The City of Rhines. It had become a safe place for Astros. So many gullible fools and plenty of opportunities for him to enjoy himself. Not just that but to bring about the will of the Veiled Goddess! Hell, he'd found more "heretics" within the city than he had spending months in the countryside. The thought brought a nasty grin to the big man's face as he and his men marched through the main gates. Several worried looks being cast their way as some of the locals recognized them. ''That's right folks! We're back!'' The words full of glee but somewhere, deep down in the recesses of his mind he knew fear. He hadn't arrived at the great city on his own volition. It were the words of the former Grand Inquisitor that had compelled him. The memory of carrying crates still fresh in his memory.

Jessica Enters
Goriad II was sitting in the main halls of the palace when Sigmund entered "Ah Sigmund, perfect," he said "I want you to summon Boltgan, PanHilda and Vahanian to these halls as well. There is much to discuss." Sigmund nodded and then replied "Yes milord, also Lady Jessica has arrived already, and Astros was seen entering the city."

Just at that moment Jessica entered the halls and was greeted by a man dressed in all black. He wore the bear's hide coat which Jarra had gifted hin still, although it was obvious that it had become dirty and used often enough. The hidden pockets all inside the coat were still functional however. "You never told me you were of noble birth," he said as he stood up and approached her "Heh, my bad." A grin appeared upon his face.

He was studying her as he approached her and made a full circle around her. "Interesting, how many blades have you got hidden there?" He continued with the same grin "Skilled hunters in the shadows are rare, now what drives you? I doubt jewelry will do it for you," he said as he balded his fist showing off a strange and dark ring. "True hunters enjoy their pray, and you did target my spine after all. Not deadly, just paralyzing. Impressive, so is that it my dear, you hunt for sport or you seek something else?"

Roleplay from Jessica Gildre   (20 days, 21 hours ago)
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"Interesting, how many blades have you got hidden there?"

Jessica raised an eyebrow as Goriad II circled around her. She let her cloak dangle free from her waist and drew two identical daggers. She held them up and shrugged, and sheathed them again.

"True hunters enjoy their pray, and you did target my spine after all. Not deadly, just paralyzing. Impressive, so is that it my dear, you hunt for sport or you seek something else?" Goriad II continued.

She looked at him, shifting her weight and resting a hand on her hip. She pointed to a stag head trophy adorned on the wall and shook her head. She then looked around, and saw the hearth below the stag. She walked over and picked up a slab of wood. She pointed at the fire, then at herself. Then she pointed at the wood, and made a stabbing motion, then tossed the wood in the fire.

She paused, breathing in deeply while the piece of wood was consumed.

[Gabanus family]

Roleplay from Vahanian Blint   (20 days, 16 hours ago)
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A messenger arrived as Vahanian prepared his soldiers to return to Rines for a brief refit. "Goriad II has requested your presence in Hall of Enlightenment." The messenger said. Vahanian nodded, tossed the man a coin and bade him leave. Baldwin stood in the corner, his face written with concern and confusion.

"Relax Baldwin, if he wanted me dead, he'd make a spectacle of it. I fear I know what this meeting is about.."

Vahanian finished packing his gear and mounted his horse, he was weary and tired, he needed a bath, a hot meal, and sleep. But he had priorities. He needed to work the problem. He pulled an orange from his satchel and began peeling the fruit, slowly working his blade through the skin of the fruit. He loved oranges, and having something to do in his hands helped him think. He descended deep into his own mind as his soldiers moved out, he wandered the halls of his childhood home and recalled memories of a distant past. Unwinding his thoughts and problems, he was able to examine them layer by layer, piece by piece. He followed each strand carefully, if he ever got stuck of confused, he'd start again, working through each angle trying to determine the most likely outcomes.

He would do this the whole trip to Rines..

Roleplay from Astros Renodin   (20 days, 13 hours ago)
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After what felt like a breeze, both in speed and in temperature the huge form of Astros entered the Palace proper. Having adopted a more subdued manner his men were a bit unsure how to behave around all these pious palatial guards. Astros bowed his head almost theatrically, lest you knew the man. Soft words in reverence spoken to other members of the Cloth and small signs made at obvious holy or otherwise sacred places. ''Praise be to the Veil.'' Nod. ''May the Veil lift brother.'' Nod. ''Her Grace upon you.'' Nod. All the way until he reached the Great Hall where he was told Goriad II would be.

Roleplay from Jessica Gildre   (19 days, 21 hours ago)
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Jessica looked back at Goriad II from the fire and sighed. She walked back over to him and reaching into her cloak.

From her cloak she pulled out a tightly bound scroll. She looked at it for a split moment, then extended it to him.

Roleplay from Vahanian Blint   (19 days, 20 hours ago)
message to all nobles of Obia'Syela
Vahanian walked through the doors of the Great Hall where Goriad II and Jessica had gathered. He glanced all around him and noticed that some of Goriad's Inquisitors were present, one of them even stepped forward with his hand extended asking Vahanian to stop, in an attempt to have Vahanian surrender his weapons. Vahanian leveled him with a glare and said "Touch me and you will not get that hand back." The guard quickly retreated.

Vahanian moved further into the room and noticed Astros's massive form in the corner. An unnoticeable flicker of rage sparked through his mind and he quickly suppressed it. He nodded at Jessica and turned to face Goriad II.

"What are we doing here Goriad II?"

Roleplay from Astros Renodin   (19 days, 19 hours ago)
message to all nobles of Obia'Syela
 
Vahanian moved further into the room and noticed Astros's massive form in the corner. An unnoticeable flicker of rage sparked through his mind and he quickly suppressed it. He nodded at Jessica and turned to face Goriad II.
~Vahanian Blint


''Blessings through the Veil upon you.. Brother.'' Acidulous the words were in their delivery. Keeping them company was an unmasked grin that screamed of the enjoyment the wearer was having as eyes set high above it, beheld the Templar.

Roleplay from Jessica Gildre   (19 days, 10 hours ago)
message to all nobles of Obia'Syela
Jessica stared at Vahanian as he entered and nodded at her.

''Blessings through the Veil upon you.. Brother.''

Jessica looked over to see Astros, grinning unabashedly, spreading praise of Obeah throughout the room. His gaze remained locked with Vahanian for a moment before the Templar turned his attention to Goriad II.

"What are we doing here Goriad II?" Vahanian demanded.

Jessica pulled the tunic of a waiting Inquisitor, and made a drinking motion with her hand. The man frowned at her and responded, "M'Lady, I am not a servant..."

Jessica made the drinking motion again, and waved the man away. She then turned back to the group, and raised an eyebrow at Goriad II quizzically.

A game of sherades?
As Jessica through the wood in the fire Goriad II was unsure if she meant to be the fire that protects itself from men, or if she's the wood desperately trying to fight A large force. She didn't strike him as the type to be afraid and defending herself, so he assumed the latter.

She then handed him a scroll. For a moment he thought it to be a knife and he quickly drew his. When she handed over the scroll he used the knife to break the seal instead.

"Interesting," he said and just at that moment Astros entered, praising Obeah left and right. It almost felt like mockery to Goriad II, so when he was close enough he took the knife he still had in his hand and put it at Astros' throat. "You dared making a mockery of Yxevarii, but don't try that here boy! You will hold yourself for when the old man comes, you will hand over all the gold you have and in turn I will give you what you seek. You can take gold from the Heretics, but it belongs to the church and as head of the Inquisition I will take it and use it where needed to spread thd faith, through all means."

He then continued and threw the knife into the fire with quite some accuracy, hitting a log. He then walked towards the buckets of water standing next to it and put out the fire. "Swords work well for pray, but we require magic for the bigger hunt. There is much to be learned here, but Rania once even managed to controll daemons through Obeah's power and aid. Nothing is impossible, every fire can be extinguished." He paused and finished Everyone's fire," and he grinned.

A while later Vahanian arrived, refusing to hand over his weapon and demanding to know why he was summoned. "Relax old man, you won't die today," he said more looking at Astros than at Vahanian. "You are failing your duty, so I shall give you a new one and one last chance. You will restore our military and take Ardmore and Ruefillo and you shall get some help to do it."

"Astros, come here!" And when the big man had gotten close enough, Goriad II continued: "Meet the new Vice-Marshal of the army Vahanian. He will have exactly the same rights and duties as Boltgan. Astros, I expect orders from either you, Boltgan or even Vahanian every half a day, no matter what happens. Whip this army back into shape. Use the coming weekend to refit everyone, we will fund this one, and then strike early next week. Do not let me down!"

He then turned to Jessica, "My dear huntress, while I would prefer to go hunting with you, would you mind showing these men how to fight and hunt instead? For the next few campaigns I would be gratefull if you took up arms and joined them. And once I finish my research of this Dark ring of the Clouds it is my gift to you."

[Gabanus family]

Roleplay from Jessica Gildre   (18 days, 21 hours ago)
message to all nobles of Obia'Syela
Jessica wrinkled her nose at Goriad II. She held up her two bare hands and pointed at her unadorned neck, then shook her head.

She then turned to Astros and slapped the back of the large man's shoulder. She gave him a thumbs up.

Roleplay from Vahanian Blint   (18 days, 20 hours ago)
message to all nobles of Obia'Syela
(OOC just want to mention that we started this RP before G2 was elected..)

Vahanian looked across the room at Goriad and said "You have no authority of the Templars or the military. Order me like that again and I WILL claim your head. Astros will have no place in my army. You are a former head of the inquisition. Nothing more. Do not presume to order those of us who didn't abandon our posts on some folly mission. I failed nothing, and I owe you nothing. The Army will continue to operate as I see fit as has been the mandate since this realm's founding."

Vahanian paused and before turning to leave said. "Good luck in your elections Goriad."

Friendly talks between the Ruler to be and his General
Jessica's gestures made it quite clear that Goriad II had been mistaken. "I'm killing you?" He said, "How? The knife in the log, no, the fire? Yes the fire, of course. You enjoy it, don't you? I should have known," he now said with a smiled. "The paralization, torture, death, splendid death." And as he spoke these words a thought arose in his mind. "Tell me my dear, how did you lose your tongue and what happened to the fool that took it?"

--- Later with Vahanian ---

Goriad II did not grow angry at Vahanian's words this time, as he had been expecting the man to be difficult. And so he had prepared his responses beforehand, planning well ahead.

"Your army it is not entirely, remember Vahanian? An Inquisitor has always been vice marshal to the Enlightenment, equal to the marshal. Solomon is gone, but that doesn't change this fact. Remember why this was done? The Inquisition army operated far more effectively than the templars, but you wanted one army. One army means that all serve under its banners."

He paused for a moment in which a most vile snarky grin appeared on his face: "You may not like Astros, but at least he seeks to do what is best for the faith. Now you want him to hunt heretics in your region, or you want him fighting against monsters, helping to expand our lands for the food issue? You see old man, your stubborness will be the fault of the starvations that will follow and the deaths which go along with it. Is your pride more important than serving Obeah?

Goriad II stared at Vahanian intentively, walked away from him only to turn around again: "Oh and lest I forget, has my advise to you ever been wrong? You know I'm right, your just to proud as usual to admit it. Only a fool does what he knows is wrong! Astros will be vice Marshal and our military must be restored. I'll try to make sure you get the gold for your refits. Now, again you know I'm right or otherwise you would have run against me in these elections. You need me, and we need him to secure Ardmore. These halls will soon be mine. The questions then becomes, do you serve Obeah? If you are not interested in restoring our military than you are worthless as Grand Templar. What you want him to do it instead?" He said as he pointed towards Astros? "I know you've made plenty mistakes old man, I've always corrected you, but you try to do what's right in your own way. Stop your childlike posturing and do your job. You can choose to run against me, or accept my authority if I win. And when I win, I need men to restore these lands to faith, not cowards!

Roleplay from Vahanian Blint   (18 days, 8 hours ago)
message to all nobles of Obia'Syela
Vahanian stared back at Goriad II, the hatred he felt was palpable. Not because Goriad was necessarily right, what he said made sense, but that didn't make it the only course of action.

"An Inquisitor has served as Vice-Marshal, aye, but it has always been an Inquisitor of the Grand Templar's choosing. Not yours. You make brazen claims of my failures, you make assumptions and decisions under the guise of being a faithful follower of Obeah. You are a trickster and a heretic. You seek to use Obeah and this faith for its power. You are not deserving of serving as Regent, you may have fooled enough of this realm for them to vote you in, and you may have fooled enough of this realm for them to believe that you give a damn about this religion. But you will never fool me. You're no leader. You're a coward, and a traitor, and I will claim your head."

Vahanian left the room, brushing past Goriad as he walked by he spit, his saliva and phlegm landing on Goriad's boot. "Refuse if you're afraid. Coward." without waiting for a reply Vahanian left the room.

Some more yelling just in time
When Vahanian stormed out Goriad II could not resist to yell some parting words: "I didn't know you were a coward Vahanian! You may not like my methods but how dare you doubt my devotion. Fool, perhaps we do not share faith for the same reasons, but I can assure you my faith is genuine. Rania knows this better than any, it's why she taught me herself old man! Is that why you're so angry? I can assure you one more thing, I will work to ensure Obeah's return with all my might and those who try to stop her return will perish at the tip of my knife or at the end of my scrolls." He paused for but a brief second.

"You have a choice Grand Templar, prove yourself a follower of Obeah and work with me, brand yourself a traitor and plunge the faithful in civil war or resign as Grand Templar and prove yourself a coward and a heretic! You know damn well there is only one choice if you are truly serving Obeah. Just ask the Oracle if you so please. I hold her blessing, I always have!"

Roleplay from Vahanian Blint   (17 days, 20 hours ago)
message to all nobles of Obia'Syela
Vahanian stood on the balcony of his estate in Rines. Rage was oozing from his pores, he hadn't said a word since leaving the Grand Hall. Baldwin had seen to the guards and was now standing on the Balcony with Vahanian.

He cleared his throat and Vahanian responded with a quiet, yet sharp voice. "Speak." Baldwin stepped forward and said "The guards of the Church refused to issue the challenge to Goriad, saying something along the lines of It is against the priesthood for followers of the cloth to engage in duels." Vahanian swore.

"So I issued a challenge to Astros..." Baldwin continued. Vahanian turned to face him, his face a mask of stone. "You did what?" For the first time since Vahanian had known him, Baldwin did not wilt under his gaze, he did not falter, he stood there calm and collected, willing to accept whatever fate was about to befall him.

"You wished your enemies dead, my lord. I substituted one for another.." Vahanian turned his back to Baldwin and then with incredible speed turned and flicked a dagger from his wrist. It flew through the air and embedded itself in the wooden doorframe, mere inches from Baldwin's throat.

Vahanian turned his back once more and said "Have you ever known me to miss?" Baldwin swallowed the lump in his throat and responded with "I have not." Vahanian dismissed him and said "Don't defy me again." As Baldwin bowed his head and started to leave Vahanian turned his head and said "I didn't miss, don't retract the challenge, let Astros decide if he has any honor." 

[Gabanus family]

For this next set of RP's I want to especially thank the Gildre Family for not only putting together an amazing RP event, but also compiling all the RP's in one (http://wiki.battlemaster.org/wiki/Gildre_Family/Jessica). I'll be adding them here as well as it's part of G2's story.

A messenger approaches you and hands you a black and red envelope.

Nobles, Lords, and Ladies of the Sacred Obia'Syela,

It is my esteemed pleasure to finally introduce to you, the Lady Jessica Gildre of Rines.

You are cordially invited to a courtly evening at her Lady's estate in the Grand Temple District of Rines.

A dress code shall be in effect. Personal weapons are permitted, however, nobles are restricted to a one-man entourage. Security of the event is guaranteed by the Gildre Estate!

Lady Jessica will be most honored to reveive your attendance!

Please have your scribes direct any questions to myself.

Bryant, Master Scribe and Chief Attendant to Lady Jessica Care of, Lady Jessica Gildre

Roleplay from Alacrix Galar

Tonight was the night of the party. Alacrix was excited. The past two years have become a blur of swords, blood, death, and some fell monstrosity trying to eat him. It's been to long since he last went to party. Lately, during the quiet moments he found that he often reminisce about his former lifestyle of being a wastrel. He missed laying around and not worrying about defending people, or seeing good men being masticated by one horror or another.

With that Alacrix vigorously shook himself. Tonight was a night of celebration and being in a joyous mood. He dress in his finest. A cream colored jacket with a wine red vest and a matching large wine red hat with a even larger cream feather. Looking at himself in the mirror he had to admit that he looked stunning. With that he left for the party.

Roleplay from Jessica Gildre

Bryant stepped onto the balcony, dressed in a fine burgundy coat with a frilly white shirt poking out from underneath. His hair was slicked back and his goatee trimmed cleanly. He placed both hands on the railing and looked down at the nobles and lesser nobility which had gathered in the courtyard of Gildre Estate. The Temple of the Veiled Goddess loomed adjacent to the estate, dwarfing it in it's magnificence.

The buzz of conversation slowly died as nobles began to notice Bryant on the balcony overlooking the courtyard. As silence fell, he stood up straight, and took a deep breath.

"Nobles of the Sacred Obia'Syela," he enunciated loudly to the gathering below, "It is my personal pleasure, after several weeks, to finally introduce to the court of nobility, the renowned Lady Jessica Gildre!"

Theatrically, Bryant took a step to the side and backward, bowing with a regal flourish of his arms. From the darkness of the balcony, Jessica stepped forward and delicately rested a hand on the railing. She wore a midnight black gown which gave off the odd sparkle as light glinted it in the right way. The dress followed the shape of her body to the floor and trailed. Her neckline plunged to her waist, and sleeves reached her wrists. Her fire red hair was pinned back from her face, and shone brightly with her green eyes in the light of the wall sconces.

Silently, she raised one hand and nodded to the assembled crowd, and then withdrew back into the manor.

Buzzing talk resumed immediately from the nobles as two servants pulled the large double doors open, allowing access to Gildre Estate.

Roleplay from Jessica Gildre

You have been informed that Gildre Estate consists of the following areas:

The Dining Hall - A magnificent great hall with a massive oak table running along the length of it, down the center. Chairs have been removed for the purpose of the party, but the walls are lined with benches. The table is laden with delicacies, and servants port carafes of wine to and fro. There is much room for mingling, and a minstrel plucks at a lute in the far corner.

The Parler - A great room with a roaring fire. Plush chairs, couches, and chaises fill the room. One wall is dedicated to bookshelves, and a large tapestry depicting an ancient battle adorns the other.

The Gardens - A well manicured garden lies out the rear of the estate. Lanterns are hung throughout, and servants patrol the pathways to quickly serve thirsty guests.

The Training Room - Jessica has had the cellar converted into a training room. There are racks of blunted weapons, a padded section of floor for grappling, and various bags for hitting.

The Kitchen - Where the food is prepared. It is dirty and full of commoners. A noble would have no interest in such a room.

Roleplay from Goriad II Gabanus

Goriad II decided it would be interesting to'speak' with Jessica again. Afterall she never did answer his last question and he had become curious.

As such he called Sigmund to make his way to the manner. Even though he was regent and once more the Grand Herald of Obeah, he did not wear any fancy clothing. In stead he put on a black cloack, a thin one considering the time of year, but still concealing two of his curved sandblades and some daggers.

Some hours later he finally arrived at Jessica's manner and when the guards first saw him they almost wanted to stop the brigant untill Sigmund walked ahead of him "The Regent of Obia'Syela," and when Goriad II lowered his hood they decided to announce him with full title. Goriad II didn't bother to wait for them however and simply walked in "They know me, no need for the shouting," he said halfway through the titles, interrupting the announcers. "Now where is Jessica?"

Roleplay from Jessica Gildre

Jessica sipped from a glass of scarlet wine, listening absentmindedly as several highborn merchants prattled on about some sort of invested interest that they thought Jessica could profit greatly from. She didn't pay them any heed. She had little doubt she was already the richest woman in Obia anyways. The pompous merchants could probably learn a thing or two from her, although she assumed from their large waistlines that they could not accomplish the feats she could.

"The Regent of Obia'Syela, Lord Goriad II Gabanus!"

Jessica heard the porter call out the introduction, and looked towards the entrance. She saw Goriad II entering, wearing a simple dark cloak. Whatever her other feelings, she at least appreciated his style. It seems she shared more... traits... with Goriad II than simply a style sense.

Rudely, she turned her back on the conversation the merchants were having, and plucked another glass of wine from the tray of a passing servant. Her dress shimmered subtly in the torchlight as she strode towards the Regent. She offered the glass of wine to him as she idly pondered whether a Priest of Obeah consumed alcohol or not...

Roleplay from Goriad II Gabanus

When Jessica arrived with the whine Goriad II smiled for a moment: "I don't drink my dear, I leave that to the fat pompous nobles and the fools. I do quite like wine though, I find it often loosens the tongue and also makes for far easier targets."

He then accepted the glass and took a step closer to Jessica and softly whispered: "I've been in for but a moment and already learned that that fat merchant you were talking to over there has a rather 'playfull' wife and he doesn't know. It also seems she controls most of his spending. If need be I'm sure you could 'convince' her to pay for some of your expenses here if you provide her with some discrete entertainment."

He grinned as he made a step backwards. "Now you still owe me an answer I believe from the palace. How did you lose your tongue?"

Roleplay from Jessica

"I've been in for but a moment and already learned that that fat merchant you were talking to over there has a rather 'playfull' wife and he doesn't know. It also seems she controls most of his spending. If need be I'm sure you could 'convince' her to pay for some of your expenses here if you provide her with some discrete entertainment."

Jessica looked at the merchant Goriad II spoke of and frowned. She looked back to Goriad II and smirked and shrugged. She held up a hand and rubbed her fingers together, and then patted where her pockets would be.

"Now you still owe me an answer I believe from the palace. How did you lose your tongue?" he prodded.

Jessica's smirk faltered, and she took a long drink of wine. She placed the empty glass on a table and looked at Goriad II. She held her hands in the shape of a triangle on top of her head for a moment, then made a quick stabbing motion. She then closed her eyes and frowned, and opened her hand to let the imaginary dagger fall. She then held her wrists together in front of her. She made quick cutting motions across her body, then made a pinching motion in front of her mouth and drew her hand away from her mouth slowly, and with her other hand made a slow sawing motion in front of her mouth. She then threw her hands in the air, and swept them broadly before her.

Finishing her tale, she looked around. She had acquired a small audience. She looked back to Goriad II and raised an eyebrow.

Roleplay from Goriad II

Goriad II had also noticed a small audience gathering about them. He had put his host in a delicate situation but he didn't care much about it. Maby may belief however that he did as Goriad II responded by placing himself in a most delicate position. He gave the still full cup of wine to Sigmund and proceeded by removing his cloak. Underneath it he was wearing little on his upper body other than two shoulderplates and a strange looking breastplate shaped like a triangle with two circles on his breast with some sort of rounded sticks pointing to each other.

It was only when Goriad II took hold of both handles and pulled them that it became clear what the purpose of his armor was. He pulled out two curved blades, one with a red diamond and the other with a blue one worked at the top of the hilt which had been hidden. The could took a few steps wondering why he would draw blades at this party, but he gave one of them to Sigmund and used the other to draw attention to what was a large scar running from his bellybutton to his right chest. As the blade hit the old wound Goriad II bled slightly and smiled. "My first on this island. The Templars could not hold the line, so we had to hehe, didn't we Sigmund." His companion laughed as well "It was a good hunt milord."

Goriad II then moved the blade to his left arm which was filled with scars and other signs of old wounds. "My uncle, he raised my sister and me and was rather strict with our training. The Great Warlord King against two kids, it showed me the cowardice in 'great' man. His smile went to a grimace shortly only to return to a vile grin as he moved his sword to the back and turned around. It showed a back filled with uncountable scars. So many it became difficult to determine what caused them. "I still aim to repay him for it," he said with that same grin.

"None of these scared lambs understand true power, they think it resides simply in the sound of a title and the tip of their swords. They don't understand true strength, but you do don't you my dear?"

He now pointed his sword, still covered in his own blood at her mounth: "Strength is in what they took from us and put in its place."

Roleplay from Jessica Gildre

Jessica locked eyes with Goriad II for a staying moment. Her shoulders slumped ever so slightly, and she breathed a quiet, sad, sigh. She brushed the blade away with the back of her hand, and as she did so she painted a smile on her face and turned to face the gathered crowd. Quickly she curtsied, then bowed theatrically.

She spared one somber look back at the Regent, then allowed herself to be absorbed into the chattering throng of nobles.

Roleplay from Maura Arnickles Renodin

Unmoving shape stood before the Book of Names in the Temple of Rines. A dark statue with eyes transfixed on a particular page. However magnificently the temple has grown since her last visit, however the city has changed - it was all meaningless. The creature in the temple had a habit of focusing on one thing at a time and the thing that had her undivided attention at the moment was the line in the book: "Maura, Desert of Sillhouettes, Dwillight" with a blank place for the family name. She was pondering if she should complete the signature or strike it through entirely. Her shadow moved quarter of a circle as she remained motionless in deep thought, all the time not daring to bring her eyes one verse higher.

A couple of cautious coughs behind her back seeked her attention.

"What is it?" - she asked. "My lady, there is an invitation for a celebratory event in the manor of Lady Jessica."

As if waiting for a proper excuse Maura dropped the quill on the book, not making any decision.

Later in the evening

Managing to slip past the gates without much of an introduction and attracting any more attention than the necessary minimum, Maura went straight to one of the servants with the wine cups. She immediately downed one cup and grabbed two more. Then meeting a displeased gaze of some fat highborn merchant she took a measure of the surroundings for a brief moment and blinked with satisfaction when she decided upon her destination.

A while later she entered the kitchen and sat on a stool, sipping from one of the winecups. Startled household servants looked at eachother, when Maura said to noone in particular:

"I will sit here."

One of the kitchen wenches said with a trembling voice:

"My lady, I-I, d-don't think..."

"I will sit here." - Maura cut her off, ending the 'conversation'. The kitchen staff resumed their work, altough in this situation unwillingly they paid more attention to a noble in the room than to the job at hand, in effect working more slowly and causing many minor mishaps, like mixing up some drinks and miscooking some dishes.

Roleplay from Alacrix Galar

Alacrix was chatting with a rather sweaty merchant. The man was telling him how much he enjoyed the party. Apparently he had arrived early and proceeded to enjoy the fine wine that Was provided. The man was telling about one very fine wine that sadly was finished when he saw Regent Goriad II and Dame Jessica in a conversation. He politely excused himself and made his way over to the increasingly growing crowd.

Regent Goriad was bare chested and displaying countless scars. Alacrix was rather fascinated by them. He did not know much about the new Regent but he was shocked at the impressive sight. Then the Regent withdrew one of his daggers and proceeded to slice open an old wound. Alacrix heard several gasps and seen many looking very interested in their drinks. Alacrix though called not look away. There was a lesson here. Some sort of insight to a man he knew almost nothing.

Alacrix saw and listened to everything the man had to offer. He talked about true power and wondered if he meant Obeah or magic. As the Regent pointed his blood covered sword at Dame Jessica, he knew that he had to talk to the Regent. Alacrix had been meaning to talk to him for some months now on the nature of magic and possibly get another pamphlet from him. Alacrix still had the first that was given to him by the man when he first became a lord.

Alacrix stared at the scene and also resolved himself to talk to Dame Jessica. She is a very interesting woman and she was kind enough to invest in him for the war. He would have to thank her for that. With the downing of his cup of wine he fortified himself to meet the most unsual people he would probably ever meet.

[Gabanus family]

Roleplay from Gythrul

Gythrul made his way to the Gildre estate. He wore his battle plate, burial mask and a black cloak. He took care to disguise a few of the Daimonic symbols he hadn’t removed from his armour with his cloak.

The Gildre estate was finally reached, and Gythrul quietly cursed that he had received the invitation late. He entered and took in the dining hall. He quietly cursed again when he recognised Goriad. And again when he remembered that Goriad was Regent.

The porter opened his mouth to ask Gythrul his name. The Wraith shook his head and walked straight past.

He saw Goriad pointing a bloodied blade at woman, with a open wound on his torso.

It was interesting for the Wraith. The whole affair was. He stood just behind Goriad, silently observing.

Roleplay from Jessica Gildre

Jessica leaned against... some odd decoration that Bryant had placed in her parlor while several nobles of lesser station chatted away. She nodded with pathetically-veiled interest, not even bothering to look at them. Two of them, recognizing that they were being ignored, abruptly picked up their drinks and stalked off. A third remained, standing awkwardly next to Jessica. She looked at him and made a drinking motion with her hand, then waved him away.

As the man left, Jessica felt cool glass press into her free hand. Bryant, having appeared from nowhere, let her take the glass of wine. "Maintain your composure, m'Lady," he chastised into her ear quietly, and then continued on to supervise the servants. She made a grotesque face at him as he disappeared into the crowd again, but none the less she stopped leaning and stood up straight.

She took a welcome sip of wine and looked around. Boring people doing boring things and... She narrowed her eyes, glimpsing around a woman to see a man in a black cloak, wearing some sort of wrappings on his face. That was certainly a bizarre outfit.

Curiosity lit her eyes.

Roleplay from Alacrix Galar

Alacrix sees Dame Jessica walking away from the Regent. He was unsure who to approach. Since the Regent was right there he decided to approach him. With great respect and a little amount of fear he approached the Regent. "Regent Goriad II, I am templer Alacrix. I want to thank you for that pamphlet that you gave me a couple years ago. I was hoping you may be able to answer a few questions. If you are not to busy."

Roleplay from Goriad II Gabanus

Jessica seemed to look Somber to Goriad II's surprise. "It seems she has not yet accepted faith, Gilly would have put her lips on the blade and drank the blood" he thought to himself as a smile appeared: "Then again she is the most wicked one I know. Where would she have gone?," he continued to wonder.

Then suddenly a young nobleman who looked familiar approached him and introduced himself as Alacrix. "A Templar seeking my guidance? Interesting," he thought before he answered him. "Ofcourse, my knowledge of Obeah is yours. What questions do you have?"

In the meantime Goriad II took his cloak again and once more covered his scars.

Roleplay from Gythrul Attano

Gythrul watched the red-headed woman walk away. He now knew where he recognised her from, she was Jessica Gildre. He recalled seeing her at the Astros incident.

He went after her, trying to track her through the group of nobles. He had almost given up when he saw the sparkle of her dress.

He navigated his way through the group, seething with resentment at the pompous crowd. He would have put them to the sword had he the influence. He would have punished them for their blindness to Truth. Would have.

He was stopped by a woman. She looked forty winters old and wore finery that marked her a wealthy merchant. He murmured a curse that would have caused the Inquisition to drag him to a cell had they heard it.

The Wraith clenched an armoured fist in anger.

“My Lord, I don’t believe we’ve met. I am Alyianna, a member of the shipping guild. And you are?” The woman asked, Gythrul opened his fist and clenched it again.

“The Last Tongue of the Gods.” He rasped, quiet enough to be unintelligible, but loud enough that the woman could hear him say something.

He began to turn, annoyed.

Roleplay from Gythrul Attano

Gythrul contemplated speaking to Goriad, but decided against it. If he wanted to continue where he had left of, the Regent would have to come to Gythrul.

He made his way to the parlour, glaring at the lesser nobles and merchants trying to get his attention. They were pompous creatures, though some had the look of warriors. These nobles received a polite dismissal.

A large tapestry caught the Wraith’s eye and he moved to it, studying it intently.

Roleplay from Maura Arnickles Renodin

Sitting in the kitchen Maura downed one cup after another, getting more drunk with every passing quarter-hour. From time to time the sounds of the party and chatter of the kitchen staff found their way to her ears: laughter, music, gasps of shock, "... half naked...", "... bloody dagger...", "... magnificent dress...".

Then - on a verge of drunken stupor she heard an all too familliar voice - sitting on a kitchen stool, really Maura?

"You... I... I am perfectly fine right here." - Maura replied.

Getting drunk on wine in the kitchen?

"It's a perfectly good wine."

I could hazard a guess that it would taste much better when shared with a fellow noble.

"Fellow nob- you see? I don't belong here, I can't mingle. I would make a fool of myself."

You silly goose! Of course you won't belong anywhere just hiding in the kitchen! Now stop moping and get out there! You at least ought to introduce yourself to the hostess. Besides, I think I saw batter-dipped lychee in the dining hall, you had a face of a ten-year-old the first time you tasted it, remember?

"Our experiences of being a ten-year-old are vastly different." - Maura said with a hint of a mocking smile on her face and continued - "I'm still not convinced, I... I don't think I deserve it."

Well, now you have no choice dearie - you've been talking to yourself for the past five minutes. It will be much more embarassing for you to stay here than to go out there.

"Akkan's arse!" - she cursed in half-whisper and seeing the servants even more confused than when she arrived, she swiftly stormed out the door, bouncing off both sides of the door casing in her drunken gait.

"Pay compliments to the host..." - she thought to herself when scanning the room. It took her a little while to identify the noble most oftenly consulted by the master of ceremonies - a red haired woman in a magnificent black gown. Maura's eyebrows involuntarily rose half an inch when she compared it to the rusting, fur-padded chainmail she was wearing. The pinch of embarassment sobered her up a little bit. She took a couple of seconds to pull herself together and begun a slow but intent walk across the parlour, towards the lady in the black gown.

Roleplay from Divus Lancaster

Divus had never really been one for parties. Large crowds not all pointed in the same direction overwhelmed him some, and the thought of having to converse with his peers in the realm was a daunting thought. While he certainly had something to say about military fortifications, or the best position to set up an ambush, the thought of discussing art or music or whatever the other nobles of Obia'Syela was a bit frightening. In truth, he most likely would have skipped the party if his path didn't lead him to Rines anyway on the way to Avengmil.

While his captain Luitpold secured provisions and a few extra men, Divus decided to venture over to the Temple District in the city, invitation clutched in his hand. While he did not know the host, he surmised that most of the nobles of note in Obia'Syela were given similar invitations. Once more, a new Regent had been chosen, and he felt it would be rude to ignore the event altogether. Perhaps stay for a drink or two, he thought, as his horse trot up the cobblestone road.

Already night had fallen in the city, but there was a lively and joyous atmosphere. While on the road to Rines, Divus had wondered how those nobles who were more religious than those in his home country would party. To his surprise, the din of the party grew as he approached. The sound of minstrels and laughter floated down the lit streets, commoners idling outside their homes and shops trying to soak up the atmosphere. They parted for him quickly enough and before too long a servant was taking his horse as he stepped into the party itself.

The initial room was so bright that Divus stood there frozen, blinking quickly in an attempt to adjust. All around him were other nobles in various states as they spoke and danced. Although no one was paying him with any significant interest, Divus still felt as nervous as he did on the eve of a battle. Adrenaline coursed through him as he entered the party in earnest, nodding at those who met his eyes. He had no idea the proper social courtesies in a situation like this in Obia'Syela. On the road, and in the small towns, things were much simpler. Mercifically, a servant walked up to him holding a tray of cups.

"Wine, my lord?" The servant asked, not meeting Divus' eyes.

"Thank Obeah," he replied, before taking a cup and downing its contents in a single gulp.

Divus grabbed another cup before the servant departed, but this time elected to savor its contents, at least for a little while.

Around him were some of of the minor members of the nobility, dressed in colors he did not recognize. Every once and a while, though, he spotted someone or a group from a great houses. Their clothes a shade finer, or their entourage a few people larger. In an effort to get a closer look at what he thought were some of the high ranking Templars, a woman dancing bumped into him. The wine threatened to tumble out of his hand, but he quickly recovered before more damage could be done. The woman had fortunately not fallen, but had stopped to catch her breath. She wore a green dress, with red hair tied in a tight bun behind her head. Her cheeks were rosy, and Divus could tell she barely saw him through the fog of the drink.

"I am so sorr-" he began, before the girl was off again, rejoining the dance. Divus sighed and finished his drink before looking around for another servant.

"Obeah, help me," he thought, as the minstrels played on.

Roleplay from Maura Arnickles Renodin

Pushing forward through the hall in unnaturally straight line only a drunken man can be determined to maintain, Maura narrowly avoided bumping into an imposing knight clad in full-plate armour. 'So I'm not the only one to wear armour to a social event' - she thought to herself, regaining some of her composure. Her optimistic train of thought was cut short by disturbing gaze of the knight slowly creeping up from behind his mask, prompting her to continue on her way sparing no haste.

Finally she reached who she assumed to be the lady of the manor. "LADY JESSICA!" - she said a fair bit louder than she intended and bowed in exaggeratedly ceremonial way, nearly losing her balance. "Maura Arnickles Renodin, at your service."

[Gabanus family]

Roleplay from Jessica Gildre

"LADY JESSICA!"

The shout made several guests jump, and Jessica quickly turned in surprise. Before her stood a young warrior she had never seen before, clad in armor. Quickly, she spared a glance back at the masked man who was currently admiring the massive tapestry on the wall, then turned back to the loud woman just as she continued.

"Maura Arnickles Renodin, at your service."

Jessica broke a small smile and inclined her head towards the woman, but paused and raised an eyebrow at the warrior when she spoke her family name.

Roleplay from Maura Arnickles Renodin

Seeing her interlocutor's surprise at the name, Maura just waved her hand in the air and doing her best not to slur the words she said - "Yes, there is some relation, but forgive me, the ins and outs of our pedigree are a bit too hazy for my not entirely sober mind."

Careful not to make any blunders, Maura adopted a tactic to swiftly change subjects, not allowing for any of them to linger for more than a minute. A socialite trick she learnt from the most adapt courtly noble lady she knew. That particular trick never failed her, altough admittedly it wouldn't have much chance to fail her, since she never used it before.

After a quiet couple of seconds Maura said, noting Jessica's wordless welcome: "Person of few words, I see? I don't mind, I'm a taciturn creature myself..." - and raising a cup of wine she commented - "... takes a couple of these to get more than one sentence at a time out of me."

Proud of her social skills she changed the subject again:

"Quite a gathering of peculiar characters you have here, my lady." - she half-whispered in conspirational tone and subtly indicated the masked knight with her eyes.

Roleplay from Jessica Gildre

Jessica nodded, and also looked towards the masked man. Her brow narrowed slightly. Was he familiar to her? How could he be? He was wearing a mask. Still... there was something...

Quickly, Jessica looked back to Maura, smiled, and raised her glass towards her. Then she took a long drink of her wine.

Roleplay from Gythrul Attano

Gythrul was aware of being watched. He turned slightly and saw two women out of the corner of his eye. Lady Gildre and one he had run into earlier.

He turned on his heel and walked over to them.

“Lady Gildre.” He rasped, bowing slightly. “It is an honour to meet you under more favourable circumstances. I am Gythrul Attano.”

He turned his head to regard the stranger.

“I don’t believe I am familiar with you, My Lady. You are?”

Roleplay from Jessica Gildre

“Lady Gildre.” He rasped, bowing slightly. “It is an honour to meet you under more favourable circumstances. I am Gythrul Attano.”

Jessica's eyes widened as the masked man spoke his name. She stumbled backward away from him and spit on the ground. Frantically, she looked for a weapon, silently cursing the dress.

Desperately, she pulled a fire poker from a rack beside the hearth and spun back to point it at Gythrul. She heard Bryant let out a shout at her disturbance, and within a moment several guards charged into the parlor. They looked for an enemy, confused, and only found Jessica pointing the fire poker at Gythrul, her hand shaking visibly.

Roleplay from Maura Arnickles Renodin

"Lord Gythrul, I am pleased to meet you. My name is Maura Arnickles R..." - she got interrupted by the hostess of the evening pointing an improvised weapon at the newly met knight. She swiftly unsheathed her scimtar only to be reminded that the handle lacks a blade, making it completely useless in fight. She immediately sobered up, internally cursing the lapse of attention. Even unarmed she still instinctively stood next to Lady Jessica in defensive stance and asked: "M'Lady are we in peril? Is there an assassin behind that mask?"

Roleplay from Gythrul Attano

Gythrul chuckled as Jessica brandished the fire poker. It was an unpleasant sound, a skeleton laughing.

“Lady Gildre. My reputation appears to still be strong. I wonder if it’s Keffa or my actions in general that has provoked you.” Another chuckle. He turned to Maura.

“A pleasure to meet you Lady Maura. Fear not, I am only the Last Tongue of the Gods, Defiler of Keffa and Apostate. I served the Daimons during the ‘Invasion’.” He explained, eyeing off the guards.

“This show of force is quite unnecessary, My Lady.”

Roleplay from Jessica Gildre

Jessica looked around frantically. The guards just stood there, not moving. Other nobles were looking at her with odd expressions.

What was going on??

"Cousin!" a voice from the crowd commanded, "Settle your arm. Danger does not face you here tonight."

From between several nobles Sir Lavitz entered the room. A hush fell on the room, and Jessica stared at her cousin, mouth agape in surprise, exposing her stump of a tongue. Lavitz had not been seen for months, since before Jessica had landed on the shores of Obia. He had been locked away in his estate, deep in meditation and prayer. He had grown a long, unkempt beard and wore simple brown robes. He moved forward to stand next to Gythrul.

"There are forces at work here of which you have no knowledge, cousin," he said to her, "The Oracle and the Inquisition have their own affairs in his matter. Trust that is taken care of... even if I do agree it is troublesome to have one as Damned as he in our midst."

Jessica shook her head. She wanted to scream. Her face was red, and tears welled in her eyes. She grasped the poker with both hands, trying to stop her hands from shaking.

Roleplay from Maura Arnickles Renodin

'A daimon servant in the holy realm? Is he mocking us?' - Maura thought.

"Sir Gythrul, a splendid joke, as we both know if that were true statements you would be enjoying Grand Inquisitor's hospitality by now." - Maura said, not entirely convinced with her own words. There 'was' something disturbing about this man but she couldn't really put finger on it.

She said: "Good jesting knight, why don't you take off your mask, so we can all feel more comfortable?"

Roleplay from Goriad II Gabanus

After finishing his conversation with Alacrix (Ooc, hope we can finish it. Long live time warp) Goriad II was drawn to a scene elsewhere in the room. Guards were rushing in and there was talk of a fight.

He arrived just after Lavitz did, in time to see Jessica's shaking hands pointing the rod at a man in armour and a mask. He was about to interfere untill he saw Maura's large posture. It was unmistakable as there were few women of her size. "You!" He said as he gazed right into Maura's eyes "I searched the whole south for the two of you, where is she?"

He did not pay heed to the man Jessica was pointing a weapon at and as such was even unaware of who he was. With all the guards he figured the man could be no real threat.

Roleplay from Maura Arnickles Renodin

Shifting her gaze from Gythrul to Jessica and back again a couple of times Maura was oblivious to the gathering around them and whom it was composed of, until a certain voice shifted her attention entirely. A voice that also shifted her posture from battle-ready to completely defeated. "You!" - a shout sounded, shortly followed by the sharp sound of the bladeless handle of her sword hitting the stone floor. Maura knew to whom the voice belonged and whose stare will her eyes meet. "Grand Inquisitor" - she whispered looking straight at him.

"I searched the whole south for the two of you, where is she?" - said Goriad II.

Maura failed to hold his gaze as her eyes fell on the floor and she said in complete surrender: "she's with the Veiled Goddess now."

Roleplay from Goriad II Gabanus

Maura did not meet his gaze and said: "she's with the Veiled Goddess now."

Goriad II shook his head "Impossible, none of us can reach Obeah's world, not untill we weaken the veil between our worlds."

He paused a moment to let his words sink in and then continued: "What happened to her?"

Roleplay from Jessica Gildre

Jessica looked disbelievingly between Lavitz and Goriad II. She then turned her glare back to Gythrul, threw the fire poker on the ground, and stormed from the room.

Roleplay from Maura Arnickles Renodin

"Impossible, none of us can reach Obeah's world, not untill we weaken the veil between our worlds,” said Goriad II. A moment later he asked: "What happened to her?"

To the theological remark Maura replied - "That may be so..." - and shook her head, whith her eyes still motionlessly transfixed at the useless clunker of a weapon dropped to the floor, and continued - "... after all she was the one to read all about our faith, not me."

She calmed her voice before answering the question - "On our way between Bolkenia and Cagamir... Jarra died." - the name of her friend was heavier than the cornerstone of the building in Maura's mouth and her vocal chords were heaving it with equal amounts of shame and pride.

[Gabanus family]

Roleplay from Goriad II Gabanus

Goroad II heard some noise beyond Maura but did not pay attention to the other conversation being held.

"On our way between Bolkenia and Cagamir... Jarra died." She had said. "She died?" he said, "She died how?" He continued and before Maura could reply he went even further "She died and you survived?"

He moved further towards the tall women and lifted her chin with his hand. It was a strange site as the women was taller and bigger built than he was. "Look at me," he finally said "HOW?"

Roleplay from Maura Arnickles Renodin

"She died?", "She died how?", "She died and you survived?" - Regent's questions were increasing in intensity. To the last one Maura only thought 'I'd prefer I didn't' but chose against saying it.

She reached back into tormenting memories from over a year ago and winced from non-physical pain as she started telling the story:

"We were scouting south, en route from Bolkenia to Cagamir. We were just passing by the ruin of a bridge to sunken Eno when we got into an ambush. It was only a group of bandits hoping to get easy profit, they likely mistaken us for trade caravan. When they realised their mistake we've already dispatched two thirds of them and caused the rest to retreat. The fight wasn't challanging, but it was enough to distract us, enough to realize a minute too late that a greater foe scented us out. A pack of beasts not unlike wolves, just bigger and fiercer charged us. We barely had time to form a phalanx. We were holding our own but unlike us the beasts weren't tired and their feral stamina could have them going all day. Jarra looked at me, I shouted an order to pull back to the ruin of the bridge. With twenty feet of fall to the water surface behind our back we wouldn't get surrounded. It was a good plan for that situation. The fight took much longer but we had the numbers and the formation, we were set for victory. The leader of the pack was the biggest and toughest of them all, it moved on two legs. I squared off against it, the fight took all the wind out of me but ultimately I sliced off it's paws and saw it bleed out. Before the battle ended the day became a night. Seeing that we prevailed, exhausted I fell to the ground, darkness intensified further in my eyes and I felt every vein in my body pulsating. I thought we were safe. But with the night came the darkness and with the darkness came the undead. I was slipping out of consciousness in terror, trying to will my limbs to move and my body to stand... then I heard her..."

Maura clenched her teeth and took a deep breath before continuing:

"The sweetest voice of our Jarra. She said - "Don't you worry Maura, you protected me since I was just a kid, now it's my turn. We faced worse odds before and prevailed." But I knew how bad our situation was. Our ranks were thinned out and our warriors exhausted with two previous fights. And the bridge... the bridge was the worst place possible to defend against undead. The raised dead, they just push forward mindlessly, not minding our spears and swords. When I heard Jarra shout to form wedge, a spark of hope was the last thing I felt before blacking out."

She took another couple of seconds to calm her voice and said:

"A spark extinguished so violently... rays of first sun and masticating sounds awoke me. The first thing I saw was a blue glove streched out towards my face, the second thing was her beautiful pale face, calm and half-smiling to me, then I saw her dead, motionless eyes and locate the source of the sounds - a ghastly, animated corpse chewing on her ribs, her body was... she was not all there.

The undead were few by then - I killed them all. Burned all the corpses - our men, the beasts, the undead; except for her. I burried what remained of Jarra right by that bridge. I embedded a blue gauntlet on the headstone, it's unmistakable."

She held Goriad's gaze, as if deciding something, but the look she had was not fear, it was surrender. She finished her story saying:

"I know I failed her. I failed to defend her..." - she squeezed a scar where her left thumb used to be - "... I was supposed to be a shield. But I failed her more than that. She underestimated every threat she ever faced, because I let her underestimate them. Because I was always there to save her. But when I finally wasn't there, she wasn't ready for it... The fault is mine..." - she looked at the man before her and intently looking him in the eyes added - "... and mine alone."

Roleplay from Goriad II Gabanus

The fault is mine... and mine alone."

He looked at her for a moment, his eyes piercing hers. His silence spoke a thousamd words, although any and all would interpret them differently.

As she told her story, Goriad II had taken one of his knives in his right hand and slowly started tapping its tip in his left hand. When she finished he lifted up the knife and pointed it into her direction amd waggled it up and down. "She had great potential Maura and you lost her. You allowed them to take her," he said in a strangely calm voice. He shook his head "a shame Maura, she wasn't ready yet. Maybe one day you will be." As he spoke a small grin appeared on his face at the end and suddenly he made a small cut into his hand." After he had finished speaking he took his bloodied palm and placed it on Maura's right cheek as he padded it a few times.

He then turned around only to see Jessica had left and only Lavitz and Gyrthrul remained. "What in Obeah's name happened here?"

Roleplay from Gythrul Attano

“No joke, Lady Maura. Truth be told, I am surprised Lady Jessica has reacted this well.” He glanced around, that fire poker wouldn’t do too much against his armour, but the guards could give him some trouble. “If I took off my mask... my current condition would not make anyone more comfortable.”

He turned his head to the voice. Gythrul did not recognise the man, but he was apparently Jessica’s cousin. He listened to what he said.

“Why do you defend me?” He asked the newcomer, he was wary.

He cursed, loud enough for the man standing beside him to hear as Goriad approached. It was a curse born of annoyance.

His glare towards the Regent was interrupted by the loud clang of metal against stone. He turned his attention just in time to see Jessica storm off. He considered going after her, but decided against it. He slowly picked up the fire poker, and handed it to a guard.

Roleplay from Jessica Gildre

Lavitz turned to look at Gythrul, "I don't defend you, Daimon Lord. I defend the decision of the Prophetess Rania. If it was up to me, I would skewer you atop a lofty post to decorate the ramparts. Fortunately, that is not the responsibility of the Templars, and I have no authority in the matter. As long as you have the favor of the Prophetess and the Inquisition, you will see no harm from me."

He turned slightly, noticing the Regent as well. Momentarily, he shared the feeling of dislike with Gythrul. The feeling of sharing anything with that souless wraith made his stomach turn.

Roleplay from Gythrul Attano

Gythrul had hold back laughter at the irony of the situation. He and Jessica’s cousin, both men of faith, both with a hatred of each other’s theologies, sharing dislike toward the same man.

“I have no doubt you would.” He whispered in a raspy voice. “But I doubt there is much left of my body to skewer.” He chuckled lightly at this.

He cocked his head to the side, curious about the Regent’s actions. What was his interest in this woman?

“See to your cousin. Family is important. I will occupy Goriad.”

Roleplay from Jessica Gildre

"What in Obeah's name happened here?"

Lavitz gazed in the direction his cousin had departed, then turned to Goriad II, "Been a long time, Goriad. Or should I say 'Regent'?" he said unappreciatively, "I don't think Jessica is ready to forgive those who aided the Daimon Princes. Seeing as Akkan tortured her and cast her from the continent to the Colonies, I can understand her hostility. I do not know what horrors she faced on that continent, but I do know she left here with her tongue..." He sighed, "Undoubtedly, it only compounded her hatred of him," Lavitz cocked his head towards Gythrul.

"What is your scheme here anyways Gythrul?" Lavitz asked the wraith.

Roleplay from Goriad II Gabanus

Lavitz looked at him as he replied: "I don't think Jessica is ready to forgive those who aided the Daimon Princes..."

Goriad II was confused as he was uncertain of what this Templar spoke of. He knew little of Jessica he realized, but slowly he learned more and more.

"Who aided the Daimon Princes?" He asked after which he looked to Gyrthrul "You were once a servant of the daemons?"

Roleplay from Gythrul Attano

“Scheme? Speak to the Oracle, discuss a few things then consider the future.” Gythrul rasped, before turning his attention back to Goriad.

He considered being a smartass about the Regent’s question, though it would probably not end well for him. “I.... was. I served as the Harbinger of Spearhold, the Last Tongue of the Gods and I defiled your temple at Keffa.”

Roleplay from Maura Arnickles Renodin

Maura touched her bloody face. She wasn't surprised with being covered in blood at the end of this conversation, she was surprised that it wasn't her own blood.

Dumbstruck she thought - "I guess I was misinterpreting their relationship all that time", as she retreated to one of the benches beside the wall, from where she continued to observe the developments regarding the masked daimon-worshipper. She made a mental note to talk to the charming devil-spawn later on.

Roleplay from Goriad II Gabanus

“I.... was. I served as the Harbinger of Spearhold, the Last Tongue of the Gods and I defiled your temple at Keffa.” the masked man said.

Goriad II smiled for a moment "Good," he said as he nodded "I have been meaning to speak with one, let alone one with such a title. The last tongue huh? Then you must know all they spoke off, good."

Unknowingly Goriad II continued to tap with the dagger as he spoke as he had never returned it into his cloack.

"Now last Tongue, you will no doubt be dying to tell me what you learned," a vile grin appeared on his face as he quickly looked at the surrounding guards. "Let's start simple. The daemon Overlords demanded human worship as it gave them strength. Did they have the power to steer the energies of willing human souls to weaken the veil between our world and the Netherworld or did they use it to strengthen the magical flows of the world? To clarify, the human worship power, did it effect and help control the magical flows or did it effect the veil directly?"

Roleplay from Gythrul Attano

Gythrul put his hands behind his back and stared the Regent in the eye.

“I am not dying to tell you anything, My Lord Regent. Threaten me all you will, I will discuss what I deem acceptable with the Oracle.” How Gythrul wanted to strike that grin from Goriad’s face. He clenched his fists. He was slightly regretting not bringing his sword.

Worst case scenario, he was killed again, best case was he made a powerful enemy. “What do you plan to do now? Kill or arrest me?”

Roleplay from Maura Arnickles Renodin

Hearing Gythrul's response Maura knew what was to follow. Not feeling in a mood for beholding a slaughter she decided to make her leave. She sought out Master of Ceremony, Bryant was his name, and asked him to bid her farewell to Lady Jessica, after which she departed, hurling her broken weapon into the bushes outside Gildre Manor, so she would remember getting a new one.

Roleplay from Goriad II Gabanus

Gythrul finished his tensed words: “What do you plan to do now? Kill or arrest me?”

Goriad II just grinned and shook his head: "If I threathen you, you'll know it," and he chuckled briefly "Since you seem to claim continously you have a deal with the Oracle and will tell her what we need to know, we'll take a short trip to go see her." He then made a short gesture towards Sigmund "Sigmund, tell Jessica that both Gythrul and I have to leave, but that I look forward to seeing her again."

He then turned back to Gythrul: "Now you can join me to the Oracle by choice, or I will have them take you into custody by force and will have them cut off your feet so they can more easily drag you along," he then turned his back to the man and moved away from the crowd. He turned around for a brief second and said: "Now that was a threat my dear friend."

Roleplay from Gythrul Attano

Gythrul clenched his fists harder. He wasn’t surprised that the Regent has decided to bring that up. “Yes we shall, our meeting has been long overdue.” He rasped, taking a step forward.

The Wraith hissed lightly at Goriad. “I am no friend of yours, My Lord Regent.” He put an angered emphasis on the title as he followed Goriad, cursing.

Roleplay from Jessica Gildre

Lavitz followed the Regent and the Wraith. He was heading back to the Basilica anyways to resume his meditations.

As the men left, Bryant cleared his throat.

"My fair nobles," he called, "Her Lady Jessica is humbled at your presence, and thanks you for making the time to attend. Should you need a carriage, please do not hesitate to request one from the porters. Please have a wonderful evening."

Slowly, party goers began to take their leave from the estate.