Citadel Summary Thread: Post your Recess here!

[Elaine]

Everything changed.

Samheen
With her newfound freedom came the realization that the battle was far from fought. True: the Changer had been beaten and it looked like the remainder of her friends had survived. Yet many things had changed. It was ironic that the demon had simply been right: in order to live, things had to change. The world evolved constantly and the people in it either learned to adapt or actually took control of those changes.

Ulder.
How he struggled. First with the pain and disbelief from the fights where he ‘died’. Second with the strange idea of becoming Caesar, only to have that idea vanish as soon as the vote was decided. Yet it had been a close call. Some people obviously considered him a welcome and healthy addition to the organizational layers of the Citadel. And obviously Elaine agreed.

This was one of many reasons why she did not press the original idea to move West, despite the strange, mixed feelings she harboured for the capital city of the Seven Isles. There was nothing to force them into any decision right now and that freedom alone was a luxury they had longed for. It was a freedom Elaine fully realized would not last. They might have left the Citadel to hide away somewhere in a cottage and live out their lives happily, simply being together.

Yet there was that itch.

She had not named it, but it was clear in everything they did. There was a profound need to protect those around them and even though it was wonderful to be free of all duties for a while, it would become a chore in itself soon enough.

Luckily there was the wedding to plan for. It was the logical next step and still it made the blind bard skip a beat every time she thought about it. To marry the man she thought was lost...to be with him forever. There would never be loneliness again, nor the fear of standing alone in her strange experiences with music and emotions. Ulder might not share the same sensitivity for the world, he had his own ways of viewing and experiencing life and that combination would assure that neither of them went over the edge.

It was strange to try and plan a weddingdress when none of her friends remained –at least none of the female persuasion. To ask Elvin somehow did not seem right and to ask Vanir....did not fit her ideas at all. She would have to rely on Audrey Harden, even though the little tailor was slightly exorbitant in her creativity. Elaine had absolutely no idea what this was going to turn into and all she could do was to ask the tailor to keep it moderately simple, despite Audrey’s fussing over how every bride deserved to be completely unique in every single respect.

The trip to King’s Court to visit Ulder’s family was enough to uppen the nerves. What if they did not approve? What if they would not accept this blind stranger who heard things where others saw them? To add to the mess the first thing they heard upon arriving was about the death of her beloved’s two brothers. This pushed any nervousness about what the others thought away, for all that mattered now was dealing with the pain this brought to the family.

Much to her relief they stood strong together. Obviously they cared for life more than for sorrow. Obviously they cared for each other and were willing to accept the losses with the gains. It was strange to suddenly feel absorbed into a family which was so much bigger than anything she was used to. It took a while to get used to all the chatter and well meant attention. It didn’t take long at all to get used to the wonderful stories they all had to tell about the man she was about to marry. Frequently out of breath because of laughter the balance tipped from sorrow to life once again as the girls shared their lives. Songs bubbled up, not all suitable to sing out loud, but some strong enough to want to be heard. Serah’s flute fitted in wonderfully well and together they created many a melody to help the family through their dark times.

Despite all good intentions the blind Achadhiel felt strangely out of place, as if waiting for the other shoe to drop. Surely they had realized she was not fully human –or fully anything, really. Yet nothing was said on the subject, as if people were tiptoeing around it. On the other hand they were all so accepting that it was hard to even remember that it might be a subject of discussion at all.

Of both his parents it was Ulder’s father Elaine was drawn to. Perhaps it was because of the lack of her own father in her life or perhaps it was because there was a great honesty in his initial discomfort. Whatever the reason was, she enjoyed the stories and his company and when goodbyes needed to be said it made her heart sing when something somehow clicked between her beloved and his father.

Yulember
The visit to her own family in World’s Mouth was different in many respects. With her mother passed over and an absent father, Elaine could only bring Ulder to her uncle Nathan. Brother to her mother the man had taken the place of a father in many ways and now too the sturdy blacksmith made sure that his niece was making the right decision.

It started with a simple handshake, in which Ulder’s grip was tested immediately. The grin forming on the big, bearded man was confirmation enough that he had passed that test. Seeing how his niece acted and reacted around the former captain was really all Nathan needed after that and with a broad smile he consented to their marriage. Although mentioned in joke, there was a serious note to Nathan’s remark about seeing Elaine safe. There was no doubt that if anything happened to the girl, the perpetrator would have to deal with one mighty blacksmith!

Much to Elaine’s joy Jonah arrived shortly after. Not having seen her cousin in yahren while he was off scouting or doing some other odd job it was a true pleasure to meet up again and exchange stories of the wonders of the world. It did not surprise her at all that Ulder and Jonah hit it off. They both had that same spark for living, despite the constant depression that seemed to be nagging at the former captain.

With a fair bit of experience in dealing with people’s depressions, Jonah made sure to take Ulder with him on hunting trips, simply enjoying life. Of course there were stories here as well as the young man tried to tease the details of their meeting out of the former captain. In return Jonah regaled of how they had sheltered Elaine in her time of crisis. When the girl thought she was going mad it was Nathan and his son who brought her back to reality with their practical way of living and their complete down to earth treatment of what seemed to be magic going on a rampage.

Uncharacteristic for Mouthies, that was for sure. Yet soon it became clear that the Bannons were not bound to this part of the world at all. Travellers and explorers at heart both men had seen their fair share of Tazlure and now that Nathan had decided to settle down after loosing his wife to the fevers, Jonah simply picked up where his father had left off.

Some stories about Roque d’Ancourt followed, where Jonah appearantly joined a theatergroup. It was logical that the man was more than enthusiastic about Ulder teaching him more about the ways of the sword. Although his heart was in bowing, this would serve him in more than one way. The fights opened up the way for more talks and soon Jonah showed his more serious nature behind the happy-go-lucky rogue he liked to pretend to be. There were worries for Elaine, which were taken away for the greater part by simply getting to know the man Elaine was going to be with. There were worries about a different girl, Alazandra, who constantly reminded Jonah of his cousin because of the strange protective bubble she carried around herself. When the former scout actually started to ask Ulder for his opinion on that particular matter, everything else simply fell into place: Ulder was deemed good enough for Elaine.


Darkenry
Their visit back to the Citadel brought renewed depressions with it. It was not easy seeing Ulder struggle with what had happened. It was even harder to know he needed to be alone for longer periods of time. There was so little Elaine felt she could do other than simply listen and be there for him. It was logical that the man had to refind his foundation, yet it worried her that his spirit had taken such a beating.

Many a day the young woman had to spend alone and many such a day was spent in fear; fear that one day Ulder might not return, that it had been too much after all; fear that perhap she could not be strong enough for the two of them; fear of having to go into the night alone where her own nightmares awaited her.

It was during these days that Elaine sought out distractions. She needed to hear. She needed to Hear. The silence in the Changer’s presence had frightened her beyond anything. He had taken what she thought to be solid and left her with the very real realization that if anything happened to her hearing, she’d be truly blind. It left her knowing that any day she could loose another friend or worse, Ulder. This strengthened her in her conviction to make something of those days, even if flashbacks from the days of horror plagued her in those silent moments. She needed to feel useful, to at least leave something good if anything were to happen.

As such the girl returned to training her Song, even though her teacher seemed to have disappeared after the attack on his life. She found excuses and places to either sing in private or for a small audience, be it a group of children or an unexpected audience at the temple of the Mother. It was the temple where she spent most of her time trying to figure out where to go next after all. There was such a lot of work to do, but it was hard to determine the next step. Something inside her told the girl that she needed to make more people aware of the voice of the earth. People had been discouraged too much of late. It was time to rebuild, to grow and nurture hope as she had sung about in that terrible moment where the Changer had been defeated.

For that purpose Elaine worked very hard for Mother’s temple, feeling a personal attachment that superceded anything she might have felt before entering Mother’s gardens, before all Nether broke loose. With her steady presence in the temple it did not take long for people to notice her. Listening had always been her strong point. Now she could combine this with her Song, in honour of life and Mother.

She listened. To people, to the Citadel, to Mother, to her ghostly friend if he'd ever show himself again. She listened, learned and grew into a strange kind of friendship towards Mother, which was so different from the distant awe she had felt as a child.

Once the days lengthened, Ulder returned from his self imposed exile and the wedding preparations continued in all earnest. Finally things started to look up for real and a true smile returned to Elaine’s face. They were going to make it despite all the darkness.
Mother smiled.
[hr][/hr]Skill advances:
Meditation + **
Spirit link (Citadel) + *
Native craft (woodcarving) + *
Pray + **
Public speaking + **
Communicating with spirits + **

((EDIT: apologies for the mix up Had the wrong level in my mind))

[Ashari]

Samheen
Ashari had survived the attack on the Citadel via the demon, but only barely. She’d spent a few days in a ward recovering from a coma that his absorption of her had caused, never mind the several day long coma itself. After healing, at first, she didn’t want to leave. It seemed easier to just sleep through everything that was going on in her life. It’d been too much for her to handle. In fact, in her mind, the fight with the demon had just been the final straw that she just couldn’t take. She blamed that for the long unending sleep. The heroes of the battle were celebrated, but the young thief didn’t feel as though she’d done anything worth celebrating. When she heard of the likeness of herself chiseled out of ice she scoffed the very idea of it. “Why?” she asked one of the healers. “Why would they bother?” What she didn’t voice was the fact that she felt very much like the snowy sculpture. She was cold on the inside. Her brief dalliance with Ketch had warmed her somewhat, but it just wasn’t the same without Iorn. Her mental recuperation was slower than the physical. It was as if she were in Alice’s fog again.

Then, something changed. To try to pin it down to one specific thing that happened would be too difficult. At first Ashari returned to Crane’s estate where he’d offered her a room. He seemed pleased that she’d survived, though perhaps disappointed that she’d dissipated so much. The vixen avoided Ketch whenever possible, only to avoid talking to him and explaining why she was distant. However, it was a conversation with him that she blamed on the turning point. He reminded her of how she’d been, of why she was important, and of how much she had to offer. Sometimes all one needs is to hear it from someone else. Apparently, that was all that she needed as directly following she spoke to Crane and told him she would pursue the Red Rose Guild. It would profit. It would be an establishment once again, and he once again offered her the initial backing. It would be up to her to recruit the students, however.

It was the thought of such students that brought Ashari’s mind to Aeris. She hadn’t seen the swan around in some time, though they’d grown close in the short amount of time they knew each other. The last she knew she was staying with Isis, and so it was with that in mind that she went out in search for the illusive beauty who seemed to have a certain something about her that seemed to make her the perfect Rose.

However, she didn't have to do much searching to find the desert flower. Infact, it was Aeris who found her in the streets. She was exhausted and thirsty and injured. Ashari brought her to safety and allowed her to stay with her until a proper place for the school was secured.

Yulember
When winter set into it’s full breath Ashari spent her time working. She had little time for the fun she used to have as she was busily finding other backers. Crane had supported her initially, but the continual fighting in his underworld had proven to take it’s toll both on the time he could assist Ash and the fact that his joining in the venture would end up being more of a hindrance than a help, and so he stayed firmly in the background leaving her full control of the investment.

Her first meeting was with the Kislovani Knight in charge of the estates en droit to the crown. She discussed both matters of business within the reopening of the Red Rose Guild and the necessity to have a proper estate for such a place as well as the recovery of her previous house which had since been nearly destroyed after it’s numerous run-ins with demons. The morena beauty told him her story and of the fact that Iorn and she had intentions of marrying in the Citadel rather than in King’s Court and the fact that it had been that reason why they’d left. She felt she deserved the house back, and some how she managed to get him to agree. The house had been paid in full when they purchased it, and for a mere five crown he was willing to file all the proper paperwork to get it back into her hands. She took out a loan with Crane for ten crown, promising to pay it back when the Red Rose Guild got off it’s feet and her personal assets were all set. The Lord Matiro also suggested several estates.

The tours themselves went horribly. There was nothing that jumped out at her. She was beginning to lose faith in the entire project when she went out a final time with Stephen to check out two more buildings. It wasn’t the previous Rose that got her attention, however, but another estate. It wasn’t that the old Red Rose wasn’t a good building, but it brought about the wrong image, being directly next to the Temple of Pan. Her school wasn’t going to be a brothel the way the original was portrayed, but rather, a finishing school for the second sons and daughters of nobility as well as the children of the merchant class who wanted a social and accepted upbringing for their child.

The small complex of buildings she did select was much closer to the Inner Ring - near the center of the Citadel and the political power therein. It was perfect. It also wasn’t cheap, but the location made it worth while. There was a central building as well as several smaller buildings, one originally made to house servants and another which was mainly a storage facility - easily changed over to a classroom setting. She looked at the place with renewed hope. The main house had several bedrooms which could house the teachers and an elegant formal room which was perfect for small dances and celebrations. Ashari immediately shook hands with Stephen. It was the place, now was a matter of finding the rest of her funding.

Ashari spent the rest of the month searching out proper benefactors. She traded in teaching their sons and daughters for reduced cost as well as trading in future students that would be coming out of the Guild. No donation or loan was too small in her eyes. From the five crown from a merchant up to the moneys from Lords and Ladies. Ash promised results over dinners at Blackbridge and rewards in the Red Banner and whenever necessary she didn’t find it at all improper to use a dose of mental magic to persuade them properly to her side. Sometimes one just needs a nudge in the right direction.

In her personal time she began work on her own home using the left over money from the loan from Crane. She hired laborers for cheap during the war to fix the back wall where the Hound had slammed through into the house. The front door was fixed and she completely remodeled the front room where Perdita and Iorn met their end, though even with the new carpet she swore she could see the outline where his body had fallen and where she curled up next to him as he passed. The pain made it nearly unbearable to stay there, and she moved the majority of furniture over to the new Rose, but left their bedroom the way it was.

Darkenry & Chyril
The Winter was in it’s depths in the darkest month of the yahren, but still Ashari pushed onward. Her assets were in order and she began recruiting teachers for the starting of the spring semester. She sent out invitations to the Bardic College for writers, poets and musicians wishing to teach their craft. The early interviews were trying, but she managed to find a teacher to cover the writing and poetry class. He was perhaps, most nicely, described as stuffy. Not exactly young, Mr. Mandrake had the most experience on the subject and had taught as private tutor for many... many yahren. He seemed excited about the opportunity to teach in a larger classroom setting. She also found a woman by the name of Loraine Birch who was perfect for teaching the students the basics of several musical instruments she mastered, including harp, lute, pan’s pipes and the basic skills for drumming. The woman herself was a Panling, and a beauty at that. She was a full-blooded adhiel, and had the long blonde hair and fine features to prove it. A dance instructor was nearly the easiest (and most fun for Ashari) to find as she merely had them dance for her and then with her. The instructor she chose was a charmer. Ash couldn’t help the fact that she was a sucker for a handsome gentleman. In his late twenties and refined, Anthony Mancini spent some time at the previous Red Rose Guild as a student, and wished that things could have gone differently. He’d dropped out to return home before the great targeting of the establishment, but returned to the Citadel after he’d ironed out his affairs back home in World’s Mouth to find that everything had changed. For a teacher in the arts of the body, including but not limited to, beautification and massage, the brunette beauty went to the Temple of Pan to induct one of it’s members, even if only on special occasions. She succeeded in finding a candidate, Naomi, to come in and teach for a fairly small donation to the church of Pan for each class rather than being paid. The instructor was one of the few Panling priests who's survived the destruction of the Temple, but seemed able at her craft. Her final teacher to find was the most difficult. Business, maths and law. Not only was it a speciality that not many had, but it also was one that Ashari didn’t have, and so it made it difficult to find a person with the correct credentials. It wasn’t until the very end of Darkenry that she found a very stalwart woman to take the job. She was motivated and had worked in the previous Purple Guard but also had a fondness for maths and teaching. Following the disbanding she’d worked on the docks for a shipping company, guarding the silk and tea, but was searching for something more when she found the banner posted about the search for teachers. Katelyn Black came from a regular family of merchant’s in the city, but couldn’t see herself taking on such a job, never mind the fact that she didn’t plan on marrying due to her tastes not being of such a traditional fare. However, she was caring and strong and Ashari got a good feeling from her.

As Darkenry ended and Chyril began Ashari felt the first pressures of the underground. Crane was losing his battle and he forced her to cut ties with him. She was no longer welcome at dinners at his estate, which hurt her, for his family had begun to feel like a family to her. He said it was too dangerous, but he was too late. The first attempt on her life was made on the very streets of the Citadel as she was walking from the Rose to her home at night. It was unexpected and the knife cut into her side as if she were the softest butter. The assailant ran off into the darkness and Ash collapsed into a pile of her own blood as she struggled to center herself and heal. The mint scent of her magick hung around her as she pulled from the depths of near death with a scar to prove the attack to Crane, if she were to see him again. She’d promised to stay away and take care of her own affairs, and so Ashari moved onward, though she was over-wary of her surroundings, perhaps drawn to paranoia by the almost assassination. Word spread in the underworld of the attack and then of her survival. The first questions about her abilities began. She’d helped save the city from the Changer, but that news was already becoming old and in the new time where the war continued to wage everyone was suspect of all sorts of things. Dark Magick was always worried about, and Ashari was just beginning to realize the reprocussions.

The thief-turned-mage tried not to think overmuch about the ordeal as she brought in boarders who would be students in the quickly approaching term. The starting date was set for the 25th of Chyril, which was only a few days away. Half of the teachers had chosen to stay on the grounds of the newly established Rose excepting for Mr. Mandrake and the Priestess of Pan who both had their own places they preferred to live in. Ashari herself spent a good amount of time there, and planned on teaching the more arcane of the classes, including the subjects of meditation, centering and a dose of mind crafting, though those were not publicized classes and would only be offered to the students who seemed talented in such regards.

Classes would begin soon, and she was to be recieving students from all over the empire and beyond. Ashari just hoped she was ready for it all.

Skills:
Negotiation: + ****
Business Perception: + ***
Literacy [Human]: + ***

[Grey Wolf]

With Todde gone and his shop burning once before, the work at restoring the old building has been quite an undertaking. The building was however stoutly built and the walls were solid and thick, the fire merely singing them and not causing any permanent damage. Once it was finished the place looked brand new and with a freshly painted façade (they did do that didn't they?) it was a sight to behold. While not part of the posh Patrician's Ring, the establishment was in the better part of the city, close to the Temple Lane and the Citadel Market, and it attracted all sort of people, from humble sailors staying in the city for a few days, to wealthy nobles and merchants from all over the Empire.

Claire had the misfortune to be involved with William Crane and his lads when she came, and it was that simple fact that nearly cost her freedom. The shadow war between the prodigal son Michael Crane and his father Thomas was already in full swing by the time she arrived and in the times when allegiance and loyalty were expensive commodity, far more expensive than lives, someone had switched sides. Luckily for her she was smart enough to disappear from sight and to save her skin when the heat became near unbearable.

Surprisingly her old friends did not ask for much in return for their money. Just a place where they could lay low for a while and a table or two near a quieter corner when they needed some privacy. And 20% of her profits until she paid off her debt. She caught an occasional whisper or a few words or signs of their conversations, but the men and women knew of her past and knew better than to let too much slip out. All in all, it was not such a bad arrangement, since they paid for their drinks and food and even for the rooms they used when necessary.

Keros' revealed ancestry was both a blessing and a curse as it turned out in a few short days that followed. It brought even more fame to the "Simple Pleasures" than it had before, and attracted more of the working class customers who liked the tale of a son of a common whore rising from the muck he was born in and working his way up. It was the nobles and the more arrogant of the merchants that frequented the establishment less, though it was not quite the norm. Only those who imagined themselves better than commoners did so, while the rest came as they did before, but the change was noticeable to those that were observant.

OOC: Claire, check your PM, there is a little tidbit for you there. You choose what you will do with it. And I expect to see a location writeup for the Simple Pleasures in my Inbox soon. So I can post it in the sticky.

When they returned, Ulder and Elaine found the Duke Erwin gone back home to Dort, but the man had left them a parting gift that awaited their return. A short parting note was left for them that read as follows:

To Ulder and Elaine:

I have been happy to have someone like K'Mith by my side to advise me in the times of hardship and to provide reason other than my own. It is good to have someone whom you know you can trust and who will not shy away from confrontation when they think you are in the wrong. Cherish each other and be the reason of reason to your mate.

I know you have forbid me to speak of your wedding or when it would be. And I will respect that. Yet, both K'Mith and believe that you won't turn down a little gift we shall make for you. After all, we might not be able to attend the wedding when the time comes.

We have thought long what would be an appropriate gift and in the end it was my dear wife that came up with the perfect solution. There was a small house close to the Dort Embassy that has stood there for ages, and I have been able to convince the owner to sell it to me. Consider that my gift to you two along with the small amount of money to spend on restoring the house and outfitting it as you see fit.

Good luck you two and best wishes for the future

Erwin von zu Dort-Billigh

OOC: Ulder. There will be a short message waiting for you in the Imperial Mail forum soon. You already know what it will be about.

Elaine, please review the rules regarding the star allocation. You can only raise the skill up to Apprentice+****, not above. I have only been able to assign three stars for you. You still have 7 left.

Illuminatus chose his paladins with much care and while it took time for a person to become one of the Bright One's chosen, some people were gifted in such regards. Having proven himself willing to serve Illuminatus with both body and soul, Talanwei failed to see that there was one more test he needed to pass before being seen as truly worthy of being the sword of light on Tazlure. That of patience.

His father's death was not in any way linked to his tests, but it had proven to be a turning point in his advancement through Temple ranks. As Quinlan told him that eveningtide they spent in conversation: "Light exists regardless of our ability to see it. It may be dimmed or weak, but it is there and it is fighting the darkness about it with its very soul." It was not the perfection and success that made a paladin, but his refusal to give up and his willingness to do what was right despite the consequences. To conquer himself and let reason guide his heart, instead of other way around.

It was the emerging of the missing clergy that revealed to him that he had been indeed doing the Bright One's will. While the priests held back the Nether infestation and shielded the Tether from even more foul creatures, Talanwei had worked to cleanse the world of those demons that had managed to slip past the priests and their vigil. Paladin or a priest it mattered little to Illuminatus, but one thing was for certain. He was one of Bright One's own.

OOC: PM Tristam and me with the details regarding this change in Talanwei. Does he wish to become a priest or something else?

It was not only Mairi that worked for towards rebuilding the ravaged town of Hafne and the countryside around it. The Duke himself had returned home to Dort, taking the reins of government from Count Johann, thus allowing him to concentrate on the rebuilding and taking over the negotiations with the Clans. Crafty as he were, even Duke Erwin was unable to sway the Clan leaders to his views, and the talks of Islay's independence spread throughout the Empire. She still held the Council vote, though it was Duke Johann that she represented now, and not the Clans.

OOC: I shall make this longer once I hear back from Vanadius since it contains inter-location content. Feel free to start playing in Chyril in the meantime.

[Raevyn D`Altamooriana]

She had almost died. So consumed in her avid devotion to her new goddess Anasati was Raevyn that it had almost killed her. It was not the crashing bluntness of a crude orcish club, nor was it the sharp blade of a traitorous fellow Emerald Guardsmen that did her in. It was the rituals and initiations into her faith that was the cause. The sheer amounts of poison that she willingly ingested was enough to kill a normal person of her stature. Yet she was determined to not only survive the poisoning, but to become one of Anasati's most devout and powerful followers.

From her waking moments to until she retired for the evening Raevyn would continue this routine daily. It was a vicious cycle for the young adhiel. The nausea and the vomiting continually got worse each day as she increased the amount of poison she ingested before it finally and slowly began to get better. It was no easy task for Raevyn for some of the poisons were so potent that they left her bed ridden for days at a time.

Those moments that she lay unable to move were not wasted either by the young assassin. Whether it was her sometimes overactive imagination ,hallucinations, or if it was the real thing she didn't know. Raevyn did believe in her heart that it was Anasati herself that guided her path as she abandoned the Oneist's in Pan's Isle under the cover of night to what would eventually turn out to be the dark adhiel stronghold that was Fort Dusk. She had saw or felt something as she ran blindly into to the forest of the unknown land that was Pan's Isle. The poisoning only added to the illusions and visions that she had seemed to experience. If there was any doubt whatsoever in Raevyn's mind about whether or not Anasati was real, it was quickly removed during these poison induced comas that she suffered through.

It was the young adhiel's new devotion, it was the outlet for all her anger and aggression that she carried over from the war and the months leading up to it. Months that were filled with frustration and an ever growing animosity towards those that followed The One. If she had been left to her own devices she would have wished to slaughter as many of them as she could herself. Yet that was something that even she knew was something rather far fetched. There were also other enemies to take into account. One’s that were of more importance to the dark adhiel than her obsession with the followers of Dominicus.

The centaur that had served to help keep her kind underground also had to be dealt with. Something that Cannes himself had told Raevyn. There was also the Panlings that had inhabited the surface of Pan’s Isle for countless yahren. Even though she had no personal grudge against them, her superiors did. The crimes against the dark adhiel would be dealt with. They were the immediate threat that had to be dealt with first and foremost if the Ascent were to be a success. The original plan was for the dark adhiel to side with the Oneists in order to help take care of their long time foes, only to turn on the Oneists themselves afterwards. It was something that the young adhiel dreaded, and she did all that she could avoid doing such.

As for the war itself, Raevyn did take part in the actual field of battle. She was placed in charge of a moderately sized battalion by Cannes, Lord of the Ascent. Twice her unit was deployed for combat and twice she suffered humiliating defeats at the hands of the very same forces that she had wanted so wanted to destroy. Her defeats were almost as one sided as the last time she was in charge of a group of soldiers. That was in the deserts of Amun Rah, where not only were her forces depleted by the vastly superior forces of the Rafao, but Dominicus by himself. Rumors of treason had began to circulate about her and her inability to lead her troops in battle. Perhaps the only thing that saved Raevyn from being put to death for her military blunders was the information she was able to gather and relay to Cannes during those battles. Both defeats that Raevyn suffered only served to fuel the fire that had burned deep within her.

She was stripped of her position and her pride. She had went from a position of power that demanded the respect of others to being subservient once more. Something that the rowdy teen was not used to, nor was she comfortable with it. So once again Raevyn found comfort in embracing the dark goddess Anasati. Raevyn familiarized herself with some of the rituals and traditions of her faith. It was also this time that she had a revelation of sorts. A vision came to her in the form of a recurring dream of her own living nightmare.

She dreamt of great airships, and of a woman whom she had never met before. A woman, human with long curly brownish hair. The woman seemed to be about the same height as Raevyn was in her dream and roughly the same build. Even the eyes of this woman was eerily close to the shade of Raevyn’s own eyes. Had it not been for a difference in hair color and skin complexion the woman in Raevyn’s dream could’ve very well been Raevyn’s twin sister. Or maybe it was Raevyn herself. There was really no way for her to decipher what the meaning s of this mystery woman or the great airships in her dreams meant.

Raevyn played a major part in the negotiations between World's Moth and Gulanadur. This was possible thanks to her close ties to the Lord of The Ascent, Cannes who eventually introduced Raevyn to the Queen herself. Her hapless failures and misfortunes on the battlefield were made up for in the ‘War Room’ where the negotiating took place between the Mouthies and the Dark Adhiel Nation. Raevyn herself was the driving force behind the deal between her family’s house and the occupying Mouthie forces that would not only keep the Mouthie soldiers well armed for the war and occupation afterwards, but her family’s treasury well stuffed for quite some time to come.

It was a bittersweet moment for Raevyn however. She still wanted nothing more than to eradicate the Oneist’s. Their defeat and eventual loss of influence in the area was something that Raevyn would have to just learn to live with. She could not destroy a religion, she could not destroy a god. There wasn’t much of anything that Raevyn could do about that at all. It was if her life’s dream had been had been crushed. Everyone Dominican that still walked only serve to haunt her now dead desires.

All was not lost however. For Raevyn had become a prominent figure of sorts. Just not in the way she had originally envisioned it. She was no military threat, she was no slayer of gods. She had become a liaison to the Queen of Gulanadur, and she had unwittingly rose in the ranks of those who had followed Anasati. She had gained valuable contacts and allies The Citadel. She had surrounded herself with people of reputation and clout. All the better to serve her long time motivation, of personal gain.

[hr]


+5 Communicating with spirits
+2 Poison Lore
+1 Leadership
+2 negotiation
[/hr]

[Guest]

Skill Advances:
Alchemy +** = Apprentice
Engineering +* = Apprentice
Con-Artist +** = Basic +***
Read Lips +***** = New Skill at Basic

It had been a long journey for Neit. She had been conscripted into the army of Dominicus, and after a brief meeting with the commanding officer, Neit had decided that she wanted to set fire to the entire military complex. However, she had been assigned to investigate a farm house for building an outpost. The dark adhiel she had been assigned with set fire to the building, and at that point, the half-giantess decided it was time to leave the army. It was not her fight, she did not believe in the purpose, and she certainly did not know how to fight anyway.

After departing from her friend Izy, Neit began walking. It was not with any particular place in mind, but she knew she wanted to begin working on accomplishing her goals...she wanted to embrace her dark side and cause others to tremble in fear when the shadows approached. She saw many people and heard many tales. Her ears were kept sharp for the one that would tell her of her new place in the world.

Eventually these stories led Neit to the Citadel. She had heard of the great city from travelers, and decided it was large enough for her to both blend in a bit and also find the opportunity she needed. Once there, the aspiring terrorist spent several days learning of the city and what it held within. Rumors began to circulate of a brothel called the Red Banner. Even though her act indicated that Neit was just about as smart as a bent nail, Neit was far from stupid. Brothels tended to be a place of illegal activities, as the two almost always went hand in hand. Besides, she needed work, and they would likely need some help that she could give.

Neit walked confidently through the door of the brothel. She had stopped by an armorer to get some help with adjusting her plate armor so it would appear as if she knew how to handle herself adequately in a fight. Through her travels, Neit had yet to figure out how to make all the adjustments herself…instead she continued to focus on reading her books and learning more about engineering and alchemy. The armor could be learned about later along with other fighting skills.

The brothel door was too low for her great height, and the armor scraped against the door frame. This is what brought the attention of all the patrons. Without removing her helmet, and ignoring all those that now cast their eyes upon her, Neit went purposefully to the bar and asked for who was in charge of the Red Banner. A lady named Keaira was introduced to her. Even though it might have helped her to get a position within the brothel, Neit maintained her act of appearing very dumb. Fortunately, an offer of employment was given to the giantess, and she was made their bouncer and was allowed to stay in a room in the basement.

After a month of employment, Neit was asked to become a body guard for the staff of the Red Banner when they traveled outside of the building. During her course of employment so far, there had been only a few minor problems. For some reason, having a huge armored woman at the door holding a gigantic hammer seemed to calm down those that would enter with trouble in mind. As a bodyguard, it was nice to get out and see the city. Little was ever asked of her, so she had plenty of time to listen. At this time, Neit began to develop a knack in reading people’s lips. She stood for many hours at the door of the brothel watching people, and eventually she could pick up bits of conversations that were being held outside of her hearing range. She found it interesting to find out what people said when they thought they were in private.

Neit eventually became more acquainted with Keaira and Flora, though they still did not know her true identity or capabilities. She discovered that there was at least one lab in the basement of the brothel, though she had not had an opportunity to go inside. Once again, overhearing conversations allowed Neit to become slightly more proficient in her skill at alchemy. She also picked up on the thought that these two women were entirely more dark than they allowed the public to perceive. There was indeed something afoot at the Red Banner, and Neit wanted to learn more. It seemed like she had perhaps found her home that she had been in search of.

Standing at the door for long periods of time also allowed Neit time to study the structure of the building in which she worked. She attempted to figure out the weak points of the structure, and how she could go about bringing the building down upon itself. At night, she would read her books and evaluate how her plan might work. It wasn’t that she wanted to actually destroy this building, but she figured if you could knock one down, you could pretty much knock any of them down.
After many more days of employment, Neit felt as if she could begin to trust the women with whom she worked. She decided that if given the right opportunity, she would reveal her true identity. Time would tell if or when that would be…

[Guest]

The coldness came and so did it the disgust in Falco's heart. Oh how How he hated the change in weather the cold bothered him to no end always meaning more work, he missed his life on the ship traveling the coastal waters always the warmth but upon the rare day's. He missed most of all staying warm beside the fire with his wife on the days when the wind would blow. Watching the 1st flake fall he gave a soft sigh this was the 1st winter when he was not home and wondered how his house would hold out winter. Though he had a friend from back home who would check in on it from time to time.

The winter it self was Dull for Falco refusing to leave the warmth of the University when he could get around it other then his weekly trek the the alter of blood. Even giving a little aid in the repair of it a few times. Managing to only have to do a few treks out in to the town he was content to let the clock turn towards the warming air. Though ever a eye in his back, as He was responsible for killing a staff member along with a fellow student and friend Ashtallion. Even though the teacher was a Dark one it is not a sign Falco wanted over his head. Then there was the demon in the University it's self thinking back on it Falco was not really surprised where else could a person go to be around that much magic and knowledge though it always did give him pause when he though about how much damage it could have did to every one and him. Always thankful for the healers that did mend him.

Spending most of his time in books Falco enjoyed the dullness of it all talking with the odd person every now and then in the hall or the lunch chamber. He enjoyed the peace though he did greatly miss talking with Fauna. He had a lot that he was starting to wonder about the more books he got his fingers on about the dark arts the more questions he wanted answers for. Though he supposed one of this day's he is going to have to talk with professor Peckerton about getting a few more of the books they had talked about. Helping a student ever now and then Falco was content doing though the offer of the job Falco polity turned down saying he was a better student then a teacher he felt though asking if it be left open for him to reconsider in the future. Knowing to him sell though unless something really changed he would happily always keep putting the offer off how he hated titles and was quite happy at keeping student even though he did start teaching the odd class about midwinter much to a few of the professors amusement and to his after he had learn t there was a growing wager on what day he would admit he was also teaching.

Spending most of his time with Theory books Falco let his battlemage training slide a little in the aspects of the martial art's though his mind did open beyond the magical; box so to speak starting to move in to more practical aspects of some spells and talking with professors about the aspect of personal transportation and illusions even rune magic though he never got far with that always being told it was such a primitive magic would always make Falco give a small sigh and head back to his studies.

Theory of Balanced energy add 4
Theory of energy Focus add 3
Theory of sacrificial enhancement 1
Literacy {human} 2

[Guest]

Samheen came to a close, and with it, the end of Rain's life.

He'd failed, utterly. Failed Red, Crane, and himself. Failed his mother. His tracking of the Seaside Slayer had been too haphazard, lax in its details. While he was off violating corpses and sniffing after Hadvin, the guards had apparently caught his quarry. With the Slayer gone by somebody else's hand, Rain had no way to get to Crane, and no favours due. His mother, imprisoned for the murder he committed, was hanged like a common criminal.

What followed was a spectacular display of self destruction. Summer faded through Autumn towards Winter, and in the darker months that came he threw himself into the streets, caring little for his own well being, living on automatic. He paid no attention to the world outside his own particular patch of streets near the harbour, and simply did whatever minimum he could to survive. What little moral code he had possessed seemed to fall away from him like shedding skin. Knives flashed on dark streets more often than he cared to remember, and cuts and scars blossomed on his skin. It was at some point in this lost time that his left eye was taken from him, in a particularly vicious duel over a slip of a girl he didn't even care about. Months later, he still can't even recall her name.

Winter finally came, and with it the reappearance of the Slayer. Even stuck as he was in the bottom of his own personal hell, the news seeped through to him. Reached him, somehow; for the first time, he looked up, took stock of where he was, what had happened. He found it was very easy indeed to blame this new Slayer for all his ills, but was surprised to discover that the name was not the only one emblazoned across his head. He'd accepted the fact that Red and Crane had not helped him, as he had failed them. The person that had ultimately resulted in his mother being hanged, however, he could not forgive.

Ranier.

Although he knew, deep down, that Ranier himself had nothing to do with it, he felt an unreasonable twist of hatred inside him every time he even thought of the man, or the corrupted mass of the guard. Somebody had to pay; why not the man at the top of it all? The twisted logic made perfect sense. One name for the list.

He had little idea where to start as regards getting to the man himself and bringing him down, but that didn't matter. He knew there was a certain somebody that could sort things out for him. A certain somebody that had asked him to find and stop the Slayer the first time around. Hello, Red.

All he had to do was get her attention -- and what better way than to do what he had originally been tasked with?

The hunt was on anew.

Smaller Blades + *** = Apprentice
Resolve + **** = Basic ****
Throwing Weapons + *** = Apprentice

[Grey Wolf]

Mattiro was quite helpful and surprisingly did nto ask for anything in return, merely doing his duty, since his investigation showed that Ashari aws indeed entitled to the ownership of the house that belogned to Iorn. And since the connection was already there, he found a few possible locations where she could set up her business. He asked what it was for, but did not pry too much prefering to simply know what he needed in order to make the initial selection and exclude the places that were obviously unsuitable for her purpose.

With her ties with Crane severed, Ashari was left alone for a while, but not all believed she and old Tom had said their final goobye. The attack in the alley was a proof of such sentiments Those were not her only problems since word on the street was that Aeris was wanted as a runaway slave and while all the guards had to go by was her description, the young swanmaiden did not quite fit in the crowd sort to speak. While the search died somewhat after a week or so, the possible danger to the girl and her mentor was probably still there.

While she may have severed her links with Crane, one of his men did not sever his connections with Ashari. It was mid Chyril when Ketch showed up in her room, simply sitting on her bed when she came back, smiling though with a hint of sorrow. He needed a place to lay low for a while, the streets becoming too hot for him to move during daylight. He even offered to work fr her in exchange for a bed, not quite adverse to manual labor if such was required of him. A bit of investigation revealed that he was quite a talented dancer, and while he knew only a few dances, he was quick to learn and moved with quite a grace on the floor.

OOC: Ketch can stay or can leave. Your choice. PM me what you decided.

Like all the travelers coming to Citadel Neit was subjected to the screening process by Krys and her partner Stu, though to his credit Stu was not dumb enough to actually pester the half-giantess too much. The city itself had been rather alive and unlike the West quite open to all the races and clutures. Though, there was the rumor of the Seaside SLayer and his murders. Apparently most of those killed had followed Dominicus and for the rest their religious leanings were unknown.

He employment at the Banner made her one of the girls soon, the whores accepting her quite nicely, even going so far as to help her look her best without asking for approval. The dark-skinned bartender Adam seemed to enjoy it, though he was very professional, seemingly immune to the womenly charms of those that worked the Banner. Patrons kept away for the most part from the towering half-giantes,s though she noticed a few secretive glances filled with desire thrown her way. People had rather diverse tastes, and she was not quite unattractive after all.

Rain's chance came quite soon, though for a while the crime war went around the young man without him noticing it. Despite his lost state it did reach him after some time, the men whom he worked for apparently on the loosing side. The word on the street was that Crane had made one mistake too many and that his son Michael was only a puppet for the man who truly held the crime in Citadel in his hands. Grey Fox was his name and both the Crane and his son were under his hold before the old Thomas did something to cross him. The City Guard stayed away from the conflict preferring to let the thugs handle it on their own, not wanting to risk their life. All he had were rumors, but there were plenty of them. One of those was that Ranier had one enemy who was perhaps powerful enough to topple him down. Rosalie Lo Russo, Ambassador of the Free City of World's Mouth was that enemy, the word on the street going that she refused his advances and even went so far as to strike back. How much of it was true he could not tell, since it was just a rumor after all.

Falco was left pretty much alone, the fall of winter causing the entire University to fall into a sort of slumber akin to a bear. People still did their jobs, students went to classes, but the tension and urgency were greatly lessened, everything going smoothly. He still did not find it easy to access books regarding the dark magicks, barring very few that contained very few actual details and were concerned mostly with practitioners and their history. Actual practices and spells were not available for use by students, and even the Professors had to acquire a special permit to access the most dangerous tomes.

[Tilha O`Renimin]

Samheen: surprise and punishment

On Samheen 1224, Tilha was accepted as an Ensign in the Muchislie navy, and immediately affected as an assistant to the captain of their Citadel based flagship, the Muchislie Lady. She left Citadel with the bitter impression of having been used to kill someone, as the would-be slayer was quickly convicted under people pressure while the ship was preparing for its next mission.

Her sailing goal was not attained yet, as she was recorded as Tillock Tem and posing as a boy. And to her dismay, she soon found out the navy was holding justice above superstition and accepting women among the officers, so she would not have needed the trick. Proof of it, the ship’s Lieutenant, commanding the soldiers complement on board, was indeed a woman!
Tilha was at loss about what to do, as she was afraid admission of lying would get her thrown out immediately, but knew her disguise would not hold very long. Finally, once underway, she mustered enough courage to reveal the truth and seek the Lieutenant assistance.

But Andrea Lumini, as was her name, was not of assistance and went directly to the Captain. Actually, she felt sorry for Tilha and did indeed lighten her punishment, but the young girl had no way to know.
The Lieutenant and Captain agreed that no sailor, and notably no officer, had the right to lie to his superiors, and that Tilha must be taught proper respect. And that anyways, no one must be ever tempted by her example to lie again.

Actually, probably thanks to Andrea sympathy, the physical punishment was quite symbolic, though Tilha felt her beaten soles during a few days. But the young officer was stripped of her rank, and reverted to a rank and file sailor, though not expelled nor released from her engagement.

The sailor girl then found herself struggling on the deck, and as one of the least respected of the crew what’s more. She was older than the ship-boys, but she was the green horn, and the average sailor had no sympathy for a disgraced would-be officer. Luckily, as the only other woman on board, she was allowed to share the Lieutenant’s quarters despite her disgrace, and that allowed her to avoid the worst of her foredeck mates bad intends.

Actually, the average marine sailor on the flagship is not that bad, but the wandering hands, the taunting, and the dull tiring tasks given to her, moving supplies and cleaning the decks, drove Tilha close to desertion. Luckily, the Muchislie Lady did not head for Dort or back to Citadel, but went visiting several Muchislie islands.

Yulember: sea is a reckless lover

After less than a week in that mood, the sailor-girl managed to revert to her calming routines. After all, she was now at sea, and the Muchislie seas were a gorgeous sight. She gradually quenched her resentment, now saluting Andrea more readily. Heading north, as cold made deck life miserable, fellow sailors stopped eyeing her as a pretentious girl and just saw the opportunity of having another hand icing instead of theirs, so she was finally tasked to reinforce the deck crew.

Tilha soon found a night watch in late autumn as a simple jack-tar was indeed miserable. The autumn winds were strong and Tilha was often asked more than her slender frame could give in terms of strength. The snow and hail pelted the crew as the Muchislie Lady was tasked protecting trade routes to Trothgard during Yulember. Shanties were no more a pleasure but a vital part of coordinating manoeuvres against howling winds in the dark, and for forgetting the cold for some flickers.

This was also dangerous business, as was shown by the loss of two sailors overboard. But she was now resolved to pass through. She gradually learned proper postures to maximize the use of what little strength she had. And she started getting better at it, until she let a pulley trap her right hand during a botched manoeuvre on the end of the return trip.

Darkenry: training and rewards

Despite that, Darkenry brought its share of rewards on the green-eyed girl. Refurbishing at Adzerick was not that pleasant a work, but the atmosphere around the headquarters was friendly through the strict discipline and Tilha, now knowing instinctively how to behave, appreciated the safety and it gave her, and the tidiness of the city.
Her hand was healed by the Marines menders, she recovered the use of her thumb and index fingers, but nothing could be done to save the two crushed phalanx of her middle finger.

The day training of the new crew complement in front of the city was much better than groping in the dark, and she began to understand the way the ship was handled.
The sailor-girl also found herself respected by a greater part of the crew, as the story of the accident shown that her hand on the fleeing halyard was not a lapse, but a try to slow it before the botched manoeuvre degenerated in a very serious accident. Actually, her keeping her wits and shouting orders to the other deck-hands while her hand was crushed avoided the worst outcome of the failure.

Thanks to all that, Tilha rose again in the sailor hierarchy and joined the topmen working aloft. Her new crewmates bestowed upon her a new nickname of “Secure”, from her yelling the day of the accident. This job suited her much better, requiring more agility than strength, and putting her out of reach of some disgusting hands and of the stench of the first deck. Tilha began to find new hope of adjusting to the big ship life. But she also found herself doubting: was the sailing worth its price, the death or maiming of people who often did not really choose this career? If she was to have her own ship one day, it would be a small one with an all volunteer crew, she decided.

Finally, the ship set up for a new mission to Dort. It was a pleasure to see her parents. They could not agree on the sailor girl future, they had seen her hand and knew of the dangers of the sea. But Tilha now knew to explain she did not want safety at the price of a boring life. And having heard about the Red Bears killers on the loose around another Watertown inn, she could also point out that even their commoner’s life was not without risks. They finally agreed she was old enough to choose and when they parted, each was assured of the others love. And through the long discussion, Tilha finally got some information on her mother’s past.

She also was able to kiss Old Marp, and left her Yulember pay to her parents to help him. The old fisherman seemed now completely estranged from his ambitious family, his faithful grandson, Nich, being now engaged and planning to move. Tilha felt strange when she realized that for all her drive to the sea, she was now the only left of her former friends to be alone.

Chyril: the bitter part of being a soldier

For that time, Tilha had been oblivious of the Muchislie Lady missions. They had not seen combat, and surviving as a deck hand was a difficult task enough. The only news she had taken time to ponder was the choice of a new Caesar and the demise of General Stacco, her benefactor. But piracy was on the rise from the leadless Western Kingdom, and the Lady was in fact trying catching some, though her presence on the trade routes was more of a deterrent and they never did. And her new mission was to investigate for a missing merchant ship on the Dort – Kislovan route.

So while the nature-loving girl was rejoicing for soon admiring spring in Kislovan, her officers were setting up for combat. And combat they did not really find, as pirates continued to elude them. Instead, they were prey for ship wreckers off Kislovan south coast, grounding on an early morningtide while trying to investigate a fire lit where there should be no settlement and seen a vessel running lights disappear.

The ship wreckers were apparently used to deal with torn asunder merchant ships, and not prepared to see a vessel arriving cautiously enough to turn around the worst of the reef, minimize beaching damage, and disembark a group of fully armed and trained Muchislie Marines. The fight was brutal but short, as the ship wreckers survivors and their families ran away for their life. Secure, as she was now called on board, did not participate in the fight. But afterwards, she was picked by Lieutenant Lumini as a member of an investigation group. Their mission was to scout the remains of the passenger ship that had preceded the Muchislie Lady in the trap.

The wreckers had erected huts on the beach. They unsettled Tilha, as what was left inside suggested the presence of children and babies, of the wreckers living such a normal life aside their crimes. But the investigating party did not linger as the dawn light revealed more of the setting.

The passenger ship had grounded fast, during high tide, and was lightly loaded, so it had ran over the reef, letting her keel and mast on it, before sinking upright in front of the beach, its upper decks still emerging. Naked human bodies and piles of clothes were visible the beach, as the wreckers had killed and looted anyone escaping the wreck. But maybe had they not gained entry in the sinking vessel until rushing to meet the arrival of the Lady, so hope remained to save some life.

The stuff or her nightmares

The boarding of the wrecked vessel brought images that would long haunt Tilha’s nightmares. Not only did the boarders kill everyone they caught, but it was soon apparent those who boarded were wicker than the beach murderers, notably they also abused any young woman they found. The deck was slippery with mixed water and blood, and the air smelled like in a slaughterhouse. Tilha found herself locked by the pleading gaze of a dead young brunette, when a long scream of pain came from the quarterdeck.

A family of Adhiel passengers was located in the quarterdeck. They had put up some resistance with the help of their human domestics, then barricaded behind a closed door. Unfortunately, the wreckers had taken hold of their daughter, three of them were still inside the quarterdeck and were torturing her in an attempt to get the rest of the family to open the door. As the criminal foolishly tried to fight, they were quickly dispatched by the Lieutenant and her Marines.

The girl was still breathing, and she opened her eyes on Tilha while she was bringing her to the light. To the reassuring words of the sailor girl, she asked for her ring stolen by the pirates, then pressed it into the hand of Tilha, asking the almond-eyed girl to hide it from her father, then to give it to her love, and ask him to remember her. She also left Tilha her stained elven sari in exchange for the tunic the sailor girl covered her with.
During the rescue, cold-hearted jesting by fellow soldier got Secure’s temper near boiling. She had to bite her lip not to retort angrily to a Sergeant. Strangely Andrea and the rescued girl could still hear the answer while the Sergeant confirmed Tilha had said nothing.

Doubts and sadness

It soon appeared the recent events had reinforced the adhiel father in an already upheld belief that his family should be sheltered from humans. While the Muchislie Lady was salvaged and brought the survivors to the nearby Sirian, no one was allowed to approach them and Tilha could not inquire about the girl health or who was the loved one. And the loyal domestic upheld their master’s word.

The only hint she could get was that the family was actually from Citadel. They left as soon as the ship was secured at the dock, their daughter on a covered stretcher so that it was not even possible to say if she was alive. Tilha could not even know her name, and strict discipline did not allow the sailors to leave the ship during its short stay, except for a chosen few to shop for supplies and a little search for information by Andrea.
The only hint she was left with was Adhiel lines graphically copied by Andrea from the passenger ship’s manifest.

Sirianabh authorities were not helpful with the Muchislie Lady mission, apparently not pleased to have lowly humans investigate on their security shortcomings, and the vessel was soon sent back scouting the seas with no hint nor help. After some more searching around the broken isles with no clear-cut results, the commander decided to report his failure and the witnessed events and hypothesis to his hierarchy.

Back to Citadel

Haunted by what she had witnessed, the young girl felt her wish for a life at sea futile and selfish, and also wondered how the Mother could let any woman bring to life men capable of such cruelty. But some people she knew were tasked to bring safety through order and she was part of them, even if most of the lower ranks did not really care, and she was proud to be part of them.

During the return trip, Andrea informed Tilha she had been pleased by her behaviour in the last month, and gave her a letter from the captain accepting her back as a Muchislie Marine Ensign. When the Muchislie Lady landed at Citadel, Tilha was awarded a day off while the captain reported to Count De Besnie. And she knew she would have some free time during ship refurbishing now that she was part of the officers. She was expected to use it usefully, by training for instance, but she also had some personal errands to run. She also learnt that, thought she would have preferred not to be, she was right, that the slayer was still alive…


Skills update
New skill: Rope Works
Sailing + ****
Inner Calm + *

[Guest]

Samheen

She had arrived at the Citadel late in the month. Brought up in Dort, she had not experienced much excitement, but all of that would quickly change. Indeed, the first few days of the Citadel were filled with more excitement than Sarah could have possibly expected. Upon arrival, the adhiel had been restricted immediate access, due to the fact that she was in possession of a drug. The healer had only a short while with the guard that had detained her, before things got out of hand. Sarah realized she had gone way too far when a pool of blood appeared beside the guard’s newly wounded head. Thinking quickly, ‘innocent’ female had tended to Krys’ wounds, and she was on her way. Eventually, Sarah stumbled unto an inviting mansion, which she promptly entered for shelter. Healer met a man by the name of Rozz, who was apparently working for the Imperial Guard. As if that weren’t enough, a half-giant going by the name of Traverse stumbled into the two, and they formed a group when things started going horribly wrong. Traps were going off all around them, and they found themselves fighting for their lives…

After this incident, Sarah had heard some news of mighty heroes, who had vanquished an evil Changer demon. The woman decided that this may be the time to establish some contacts, and even make a friend or two. Young woman set off, and launched a simple plan to gain entry. She could only hope that the new associates would become valued companions.

Yulember

The mid autumn weather of Yulember brought a sort of peace to the air, which Sarah took in stride. The adhiel was able to retain a calm sort of peace inside of her, it felt good. Each day was lived at ease, in sort of a lazy fashion for her. Sarah did, however, see some things that weren’t all good. Crimes were inevitable in a city as big as the Citadel, but she did not want to report any of them to the guards. The incident during Samheen had placed a sort of phobia of the upholders of law. Fearing that one day these crimes might knock on her doorstep one day, Sarah set out to learn hand to hand combat. It seemed to the woman that she was clumsy with a weapon after all. In fact, some of her other characteristics complimented the style of combat she delved into. So, adhiel spent quite some time learning the basics, and before she knew it, Darkenry was swept onto her.

Darkenry

She didn’t like the cold. No, rather, she didn’t like the loneliness it brought about. Of course, Sarah found the winter season stunning, and marveled at its beauty. What she could not seem to shake was the emptiness she felt with the cold. Perhaps it was a longing to be with someone…after all, it had been awhile since Sarah had really made any significant contact with people. Female had spent most of this month deep in the books, even though she could understand a substantial portion of it. It would come together in time, though. Another interest, aside from the longing to be with someone, was the woman’s new-found interest in magick. It would be much quicker to help others, and herself, if she learned such a craft. In fact, she had heard of a sorcerer with quite a few accomplishments, a Mr. Elvin Motricé. Sarah would have to look into contacting him….once the cold had slipped away….

Skills:
Inner Calm: +****
Literacy [Adhiel]: +*
New- Martial Arts ~ Basic

[Jadmai]

Jadmai recruited mercenaries with money he would hopefully procure from Ionis. He also would continue to shadow not the First Councilor, but the Amunic looking women he was with—he seemed to collect them, so chances were good that Neus had run into him.

For now, he could see no more actions he could do, he knew he must simply wait. So, he put Rabiah in charge telling her all that Taymar had told him. He then walked the city himself trying to find the ins and outs. When satisfied he would go back to the embassy, and watch the workers toil. He figured he had time until any of the actions he put forth went into effect, so he decided to portal back to Amun Rah to visit with Ionis, and continue their discussions on the nature of men. He stayed their until Chyril, during the days he would practice different uses for his daggers—two weapon, throwing, etc.

Jadmai had enough of the desert, and now he was about to tell a King, what he would prefer to do. He wanted a different assignment, in the isles. He would ask Ionis to send him to the Citadel.

At least, that was the plan. He asked spefically if there was any business to be done in the Citadel, as he voiced that he would be going to the Citadel, he had done a lot for Ionis--he just wanted his pay and his blessing. He would even reliquish his title for a new one of say emissary, or perhaps even none at all.

skills:

Diplomacy: ****
Rote Memory: **
Two weapon fighting: **
Leadership: **

[Grey Wolf]

Service to the Dark Goddess always came at a price and for some that price was death, while others were deemed worthy enough to survive the ritual and left to serve the Goddess on the face of Tazlure. Raevyn had been one of those that survived, though it may have been the hand of the Goddess that had stayed the dark adhiel's hand and cost her the victories in the battles she fought. The herbs could poison the body, but only defeats and self-doubt could poison the mind. Anasati had no place in her heart for those who were weak in any way.

Her presence at the negotiations made Raevyn into a public figure of sorts and while she did play a rather major role in them, there was a cost for that exposure. The burning of the farmstead she was sent to reconstruct along with Izyander and Neit was not forgotten, and neither was her hatred of Oneists easily hidden. Peace was made despite her protests though truth be told it was those protests that gave the Dark Adhiel somewhat better position in the negotiations and made for better conditions in the final treaty.

Her request to move to Citadel had been accepted quite easily. Almost too easily. The Embassy was already established by the time she made her way there and while Raevyn was entitled to use its facilities as dark adhiel, she was not offered a position on its staff, not even as a simple guard. It was almost as she was gently exiled from her Gulandur, without ever learning the actual reason for such a decision.

OOC: Raevyn. According to the star rules magickal skills can not be learned through their usage, but only enganced. Thus you still have 5 more stars to distribute. PM me your choice.

Despite its own problems Muchislie was a rather unique society even in the diverse Empire of Seven Isles, despite its failed attempts at democracy that ended with Silk's short but efficient reign. Still the equality and rights have taken strong roots in the small nation, and women were treated as pretty much equal to men, and thus the case of Lieutenant Lumini was not an exception but a rather common occurrence.

Life on the ship was never easy, and Tilha found herself faced with a problem that stemmed from her deception. Despite the equal treatment of genders in the Muchislie Navy women and men were still not equal in the duties they performed, the stronger physique serving the male sailors well, while women had their own set of duties to perform, in many of which they far surpassed men. A young woman given tasks more suited for men to perform meant Tilha had to not only give it her best not to betray her secret, but also that she was stretched to the limit of her physical endurance. Her punishment changed that and despite the pain and discomfort it caused the tasks she was given afterwards were not near impossible for her to do.

Dort was pretty much as she remembered it, even though as the rumors went the war with the Clans had left the Hafne in ruins and even months later the town was still being rebuilt. The Duke was back however and while the Steward and Count who ruled in his stead while Erwin was away, were able men, the Duke's efforts were more successful than theirs the ruined and war torn economy recovering quickly. His links to the Imperial Trade Guild meant he was able to get the goods at the lower rates and faster than the others.

it was when Muchislie Lady ran aground that Tilha got the taste of the fighting and also so why the Muchislie Marines were renowned as a fighting force. They fought in small groups of about half a dozen men, each led by a Corporal, whose word was law and obeyed without hesitation. Four such squads were under command of a Sergeant who led one of them and coordinated their actions. Lieutenants were in charge of overall battle rarely engaging in actual fighting, commanding the reserve and sending out reinforcements where needed. It had been tested in numerous naval engagements and it worked remarkably well even on shore, though it was doubtful if the Marines would have been of much use in an actual battlefield where two sides met facing one another.

It was not until the ship returned back to the Citadel that they found the rumors of General Stacco's departure were true, though as it turned out he was not dead, but merely called back. That left the ship without its commanding officer and most of the crew was given leave until new orders arrived, only a small detachment of Marines left to guard the ship and make sure it was ready to sail when the time came.

It was not an easy couple of months for Sarah her tumble with Krys causing quite a bit of trouble for the young girl than she might have anticipated. Attacking and officer of the law, even though the officer was not quite the most lawful was a serious crime and while it was easy to avoid the guards, they were looking for her. Luckily for her though it was the trapped house and the help she rendered Rozz that enabled her a sort of respite from the constant pursuit.

Sergeant Summers of the Imperial Guard took her and Traverse to his office and extracted a promise that they will keep secret what transpired in the trapped mansion, offering them a small monetary compensation in return as well as a place to stay in the Imperial Guard Barracks. It was he that taught the girl the basic of hand to hand combat, allowing her to participate in regular Guard exercises and even going so far as to keep her for additional lessons after the rest of the soldiers were released.

Rumors of the sorcerer were many, but apparently the adhiel had been part of the group that vanquished the Changer and after the demon hunt was given a position at the University of Magic staff, as one of the professors. There were more stories surrounding the ancient adhiel, but these were the ones that were reputed, while the stories of his conflicts with City Guard, and creation of a magickal coven designed to protect the city were only whispered about.

Ionis was an ever generous patron, and Jadmai found that was quite true once he returned from his assignment. The Rafao was somewhat surprised when the adhiel came to him and requested to be sent to the Citadel, though he accepted the requested without much hesitation. The assignment given was a peculiar one, Jadmai's lord sending his trusted henchman to keep an eye on the Amun Rah matters there. Isis, Rafao's wife and sister represented the King's interests there and it appeared Ionis did not quite trust her not to work mostly to advance herself and forget the Amun Rah or her husband. name of Aeris Mourir was also given to Jadmai and he was asked to look for her and see why she had not reported back. The final advice given was for him to watch his back and to try and be discreet about his duties. Isis was to be contacted only in the most dire of circumstances.

OOC: Jadmai you still have two more stars to distribute. Rote Memorization is at Apprentice+**** already.

[Morg]

To say that Morgan Scrylock had had an eventful Samheen would have been an understatement. Morgan had come to the Citadel with the intention of learning magic and finding out about demons. In both fields he had received something of a crash course. Both the cleansing of the Temple of Pan and the subsequent hunt for the Changer had forced him to use his magic for the very mundane purpose of survival, and given him terrifying first hand experience of the Netheric activity he had always imagined reading about in warm libraries. By Samheen 30th, Morgan had been saturated with the knowledge he had previously sought so fervently. The Nether had left a bad taste in the back of his mouth - and so, for the time being, he resolved to pursue that line of enquiry no further. Fortunately this coincided with a turn for the better in Morgan's social life, in the form of Becca Acerbi, so it was hard to remain dispirited.

For the rest of Samheen, Yulember and Darkenry, Morgan devoted himself to his studies and his course: the pursuit of magic and its applications. He was a model student in many respects. He made no more requests to Professor Octava for encounters out of his depth, instead listening devoutly and trying to fulfil the demands the man placed upon him to the best of his ability. Questions were asked when questions were appropriate, and at other times he remained silent, absorbing what he could. He still spent lazy mornings in bed, but reading rather than sleeping.

Morgan made only two exceptions to this regime. The first came in early Yulember, when an old friend of Becca and Elvin, thought lost, had contacted them and revealed himself to be in dire need. Before Morgan was really sure what exactly was going on, he found himself in the sewers, where the combination of Becca’s illusionary magics, Morgan’s earth-weavings and Elvin’s own magics eventually brought them to the lost Mentor. Arden was guarded by a troupe of the same ratmen that Morgan and Becca had faced in the watchtower, and the conflict with the cornered creatures was fierce indeed. This time the warding student was not troubled by pity for the beasts, having seen what they could do to an unarmed opponent, and unleashed his magic without compunction. For his trouble, Morgan received a vicious bite on his left forearm which festered and took weeks to heal.

The second exception was a drive that his pride couldn't allow him to ignore. Luckily, it was one that Professor Octava readily acceded to in early Darkenry. Rather than ascending to the summoning spire, this time the pair descended to a summoning chamber deep below the University. There they summoned not a Storm Spirit, but a Lava Spirit, a being of Fire and Earth rather than Air and Water. Once again Morgan fought it in a duel, and once again it ended in a trip to the Mender's and a scene of carnage to be cleaned up. This time, however, these activities were accompanied by the sweet feeling of victory, not the sickly scent of defeat. Morgan had employed deft weaves of air and cold energy from the stone surroundings to hamstring the powerful but ponderous elemental, and had eventually forced it to yield, although not without sustaining a wide range of bruises, burns and blisters in the process.

With the exception of one, though, the other students as a body did not have a high opinion of Morgan during this time. The nature of the subject Morgan was studying meant that he spent most of his time in one-on-one lessons with Octava in the sparsely populated Spire of Daemonic Warding, only rarely descending to attend classes with other students. When he had free time, too, he preferred to spend it alone with Becca than in a group. Even when he did spend time around other students, his natural taciturnity meant that he was viewed as somewhat aloof and stand-offish, especially as his name was occasionally mentioned in the context of the Demon Hunt and the Shadowstar. While these views were not entirely unjustified, the assumption that he considered himself better than other students and too good to associate him was a false one. Morgan being the unsociable creature he was, he preferred to brood darkly on the injustice of this sentiment rather than taking active steps to resolve it.

Morgan certainly didn't neglect Becca during this time, either. On the contrary, he treated her with a reverence bordering on the obsessive. Once he learned where Becca's room in the University was, he would leave various small and pleasant items outside her door at semi-regular intervals. Fresh white shells and interestingly shaped stones from the island's beaches, leaves and flowers plucked from the garden in the Temple of the Mother, pinecones from the Citadel's few evergreen trees, occasionally even choice pastry delicacies from the University canteen and from the Simple Pleasures. These "offerings" may have made him look like an idiot in the eyes of everyone else in the University, but Morgan was convinced that they were appreciated, and he enjoyed the effort of finding them and placing them. He would sometimes go on walks on clear evenings along the base of the Citadel's outer walls, using this time to get a better idea of the warding runes built into them as well as seeking new gifts for Becca.

It was only when Chyril began that Morgan started to sense his old insatiable curiosity returning. Magic, once the province of idle dreams, had been a part of his daily life for three months... and although the dark-haired young man knew that he still had a long way to go in the sorcerous arts, he couldn't help feeling a little jaded with the whole experience. His thoughts therefore took a blacker turn once again. The turbulent events of late Samheen were by now long enough past that their horrific impact upon his mind had faded, and they no longer constituted a barrier to pursuit of darker knowledge. Once again, the twin emotions of fascination and repulsion that the Nether engendered in him proved an addictive cocktail. He took no action, and mentioned nothing to Octava, but the professor would have been able to perceive that his young apprentice was once again growing restless and unsatisfied with what he was learning. It was only a matter of time before Morgan's resolve would break and he would continue in his quest to learn of the inhabitants of the Nether.

Skills:
* - Inner Calm (to Basic+***)
** - Knowledge [Elementals] (to Basic+***)
** - Literacy [Human] (to Apprentice+**)
** - Magickal Rote [Sorcery] (to Apprentice+***)
* - Manipulation of Energy: Sorcery (to Apprentice+****)
* - Rote Memorization (to Basic+****)
* - Shielding (to Apprentice)

[Elvin Motricé]

Samheen

Faith and Sorcery Combined - Samheen 31 to Samheen 35
After the party at the Dortenese Embassy the sorcerer had a lot of things to take care of. The most important thing that was planned was the ultimate destruction of the volume of the Liber that had been taken from Pan’s Temple. He had gathered a small group of potent people to destroy it: Professor Peckerton, Professor Moore, Vanif Alfheim, Mother Abeaja and Mistress Tabeann.

It took them three days to prepare, three days of pouring over books, of meticulously tracing warding circle upon warding circle, before they were ready to destroy the book. It took a lot out of them all to force the book to surrender to their will. At times, the malicious tome almost broke their powerful hold, fighting to survive. But in the end, it wielded to the combined power of faith and sorcery…


To Search a Mage - Samheen 36 to Samheen 40
Much had occurred in the Citadel and still the Adhiel hadn’t talked to the Imperial Thaumataurgist. Determined to talk to Simon Ginneke about the letter he had sent a few days earlier and to relay the events that had transpired only a day earlier the Professor went back to the palace in search for lord Ginneke.

This time he was lucky and soon enough Elvin had found the mage. It was the first meeting of many in the following days.


Yulember

Recruiting the Righteous - Yulember 1 to Yulember 4
His vision for the Shadowstar had changed over the course of the last few weeks. No longer would they be a mere coven, determined to deal with the Nether. The fight with the Changer had proven that magical force wouldn’t be enough to destroy the Nether. Physical prowess and, most important of all, information played a role in it as well. Although their primary goal was the fight against the Nether, Elvin was determined to help out with other crimes as well.

He visited a lot of people in the next few days. Valsert and Corbin being the names on the top of the list, Ulder had already departed to World’s Mouth with Elaine. After that, he visited others, by recommendation of these two or because he had seen someone promising. What he was looking for were people dedicated to the goal, prepared to relay correct information and fight if must be.

Still he wasn’t content but he had to stop his recruitment for a while because a message was delivered that he could not ignore…


A Message in the Night – Night Yulember 4 to Yulember 5
The Professor no longer needed sleep, his mental prowess allowed him to fall into a deep meditative trance that allowed him to regain his mental and physical fitness more quickly.

Deep into this meditative state a whispered message came to the Professor. The ring that allowed him to communicate with Arden and Becca, which he still dutifully wore, had been activated. A message from Arden, the Mentor thought lost during their battle with the strange undead animals, reached Becca and Elvin through their rings.

“Sewers… Ratmen… Help…”

A Rescue – Yulember 5
After receiving the message, Elvin immediately went to Becca’s room. The girl might do something stupid yet again… As it happened, though, Becca had received the same message. The two met halfway. From that point on, enlisting Morgan's help was a choice so obvious it was hardly a choice at all.

They went down into the sewers and the combination of Becca’s illusionary magics, Morgan’s earth-weavings and Elvin’s own magics eventually brought them to Arden

The fight was not without a cost though… During their escape the Adhiel was wounded by a ratman’s blade…


Preparations – Yulember 6 to 15
Under the good care of the Menders the infected wound on Elvin’s arm slowly healed. He practiced the techniques known as Inner Sight to estimate the healing rate of his wound. During this time of healing he spent a lot of time preparing for the journey he had decided to undertake. The University was informed that he’ld be doing some Portal travelling to complete part of his research on Portals. That wasn’t the only goal of his travels however. Another motivation was the desire to make contacts in other places, recruit people for the Shadowstar.

During this time he attend a lot of staff meetings, always voicing his opinion that the University should take a more active role in the government of the Citadel. Or at least should be more informed.


To Dort – Yulember 16 to 26
The first place to travel to was Dort. The Adhiel travelled to the Abbey to inform the Brothers what had happened in the Citadel and what his goal was. He’ld leave it to them to inform the proper people. The Brothers had the reputation to be wise and the Professor couldn’t spare the time to stay longer then a tenday.

During his time in the Abbey he met Thrandil and Draydis and they started talking. Elvin told them about the Changer and the people that had fought against it. He also offered them a membership in the Shadowstar, along with a promise of help with their problems if he could. He’ld help them search for information. Information about Taquar’s princess and about demons. He told them that he’ld come to get them on Chyrill 22nd around noon.


To King’s Court – Yulember 26 to 30
The next stop for the Professor was the capital of the Western Kingdom. Disguised by normal and magical means, the Adhiel travelled through the city. Often casually dropping a hint about the Shadowstar along with the remark that “someone named Elvin of the University of Magic in the Citadel was organising it”. His visit was cut short when two Dominican priests saw through his magical cloaking. The mage barely escaped that situation and immediately left King’s Court, hoping that something good would still come out of his visit.


To World’s Mouth – Yulember 30 to 39
Again Elvin activated the Portals and travelled, by magic and foot, to World’s Mouth. This was the place where he had started his magical training. His admittance into Ghaeran College and his rank as a Professor in the University of Magic eventually allowed him access to the City. Again, the Adhiel used glamour and disguise to cloak his heritance. He didn’t want any problems.

He went straight to Ghaeran College and visited his old tutor, Mr. Tuvorin. He talked with him about all that had transpired since his journey to Brie and about the Shadowstar. He visited the few friends he had in the College, Keira the chaotic librarian and the girl who had studied with him and had been so talented in using magic.


Darkenry

To Brie – Yulember 40 to Darkenry 15
Determined to forge even more contacts the Adhiel travelled the same route he had taken only a few months before. By using his magic, the weaving that allowed him to fly, and by foot he once again reached the city of Brie.

There were still people who recognized him and it took some convincing to assure them that he wasn’t the one who had killed the mage. After all, he had been released and had left the city but now he had returned to talk to the priestess of the Mother in the City, the old halfling woman he remembered from last time. There were others as well, a few he remembered from his short stay here during the battle. To all that seemed reliable he talked about the Shadowstar, the need to gather information and about the Nether.


Kislovan: Family Reunion – Darkenry 16 to Darkenry 35
From Brie he started out for Kislovan. It was the part of his journey that he had postponed as long as possible. He dreaded to set foot on that island again. His most precious memories were forged here, but also the ones he liked to forget.

He had been born here… He had been raised by his parents and had been kicked out when he choose love above racial prejudice. Yes… His parents… He often wondered what had happened to them. He hadn’t seen them for 75 yahren… The sorcerer had in fact avoided all contact since that faithful day when his father had, quite literally, kicked him out.

Elvin procured some local clothes which he magically enhanced to shimmer and change colour. The sorcerer knew how much value the Kislovani put in bright clothes. The travel to Caliboirneabh was uneventful. The few that dared to cross paths with the mage were persuaded to part ways peacefully after a demonstration of his capabilities. Daini Saliubh was the place the Professor had called his home for a long while and the grave of his wife was located on a small clearing. The clearing where they had met. His first stop was this clearing and he started to clean the stones and inscriptions until they were readable again and imbued them with magic to ward the elements.

Caliboirne was his next stop. Elvin had grown up in the city and he still knew some people in the priesthood. He told them about the Shadowstar, about the Nether and his goal and left it up to them to decide what to do with it. He had something else on his mind…

The memories of his childhood were overwhelming. It didn’t take long before the sorcerer found himself walking towards his parental home. He hid closeby and watched and soon enough he saw his father returning from a day’s work. They seemed to be doing well… His father was still in the trading business and his mother was still sewing, judging from the visitors that came by.

But something else came as a shock to the Adhiel. He found out he had a sister… He had seen her around the house and she seemed to be around twenty yahren old. Elvin couldn’t resist the urge to meet her.

The next day he met her and presented himself as a member of her family that had been away for quite some time. During that meeting he also asked Ellysin to keep quiet to her parents for a while since they hadn’t parted on even terms.

After a tenday and many meetings with his sister, the moment he dreaded had finally arrived. Ellysin pressed him into meeting her (and his) parents. This time he couldn’t find an excuse anymore and he agreed.

The moment he entered his parental home the same event that transpired so many yahren before started again. After a few moments of stunned silence his father rose and rushed to his son, fists raised.

But this time Elvin had the situation well in hand. A deft gesture and a single word bound his father to the place he was standing at that moment. And then the whole story was told… His sister had been told that Arlúviel (for that is Elvin’s true name) was dead and his parents had banned him out of their home. The Professor told her what truly happened and also told his family what had happened in his own life up until now. His parents were quite surprised to learn that their worthless son was a Professor in one of the most prominent Universities in the Empire.

The mage made it quite clear that he would keep meeting his sister if she wanted and that his parents shouldn’t involve themselves. More meetings between brother and sister followed and a deep friendship, formed by a likeness of mind, grew out of it and it saddened Elvin that he had to leave so soon…


Chyrill

Citadel: Research & Voicing an Opinion –Darkenry 36 to Chyrill 21
Back in the Citadel the sorcerer started working on his Portal research once again, studying how to create them and trying to find a way to apply their principles to short-distance teleportation that didn’t require the use of portals. The idea was to send the mind through the Aether to the designated spot and to let the body follow by force of will.

He also started teaching and started appearing at Court to remain informed about what was happening in the higher circles. He voiced his opinions quite strongly, both in Court and in the University and probably made a few enemies by standing by his beliefs. The Professor believed that the University should participate more actively in the government of the Citadel and wasn’t afraid to voice that opinion…


Skills
Alchemy + **
Inner Sight [Generic] + ****
Knowledge [Portals] + *
Martial Arts + *
Repartee + **

[Becca Acerbi]

If anyone had asked, Becca would have had to say that she expected things to carry on the way they had in Samheen. Perhaps with fewer giant insects and demons, but she certainly predicted more time in the care of the menders whether she (and they) liked it or not.

Therefore, she was quite put out to find that she only ended up in the infirmary once.

At the beginning of Yulember, Becca was woken by Arden's voice coming from the ring she still wore. Her first thought (Well, after the obligatory panic attack at least...) had been to grab the Star of Deliverance and her wand, and go to alert Elvin. Apparently though, he had had similar ideas to her; they met half way. Previous experience having shown that neither of them could be trusted to work sensibly together, Becca insisted on bringing Morgan - which, she would later insist, was the best idea any of them had had in weeks, considering that it made their trip through the sewers much easier. Perhaps not as easier as her help did - after all, even a student illusionist can manage to hide a group of people if they're walking through the dark and carrying a wand of illusion - but once they found Arden? Definitely.

Becca didn't remember much of the battle against this particular troop of ratmen - her main focus had been to get Arden out of the place as quickly as possible. There was a certain about of blank space in her memory that seemed conveniently linked to the appearance of a handful of ratmen - but when memory resumed, there'd been an illusionary fireball and blood on her dagger, so it had been pretty easy to fill in the gaps. Either way, she ended up bruised, battered and scraped - nothing compared to the injuries the others collected.

("See?" Becca snapped, hands shaking as she wrapped a strip of her shirt around the bite mark on Morgan's arm. "This is what happens when you let the girl take the hits every time.")

She would have felt worse about the whole thing if she hadn't been more concerned with getting them to the infirmary, but she had been, so...

So that was it. That was the closest she got to being killed by something that wasn't a professor for three months.

Even Becca found that words failed her for that oddity.

However, her part in the rescue meant that she gained something of a reprieve from her professor's sharp tongue for a whole month - something most appreciated at the start of Darkenry, when Becca managed to drag herself to her lesson despite a suitably horrific post-eighteenth-birthday hangover, where Imrelinda kept her cruelty down to boiling the kettle once and muttering unkindnesses while Becca whimpered over the mug of tea.

(Of course, there was always the suspicion that her Professor's sudden burst of kindness was simply because tormenting Arden took all her attention, but. Well. Even if she was right, there was a limit to how much danger Becca was willing to risk for someone else's sake. Nearly getting herself killed by demon rats, fine. Arguing with Imrelinda was another matter entirely.)

Still, the reprieve didn't mean that Imrelinda didn't continue to coach her in illusions - and, when Becca insisted, carry on teaching her about invisibility. (The actual argument involved something about doing it one of the other ways, but it had been a half-hearted lie and an obvious one at that.) It took most of Yulember and Darkenry for her to make progress, but she finally managed to reach a level that satisfied her - perhaps not enough for Imrelinda, but Imrelinda probably wouldn't have been happy with perfection. Still - it was a skill that got regular practice, so there was hope for her yet.

There was also hope that she might yet end up being able to go for a day without annoying someone - once Elvin vanished (without telling her what he'd done with The Book, which frustrated Becca beyond words, although she was trying to keep herself consoled with the thought that he had promised she could look at it.), her usual target was gone. Under normal circumstances, that would leave her at something of a loose end; no one to annoy, frustrate, or generally tempt the wrath of (Imrelinda not withstanding – Becca liked breathing thankyouverymuch.) until he got back. Even if they did still have the rings, it just wasn't the same unless she could see him getting ready to bake the flesh off her bones.

Then again, "normal circumstances" didn't exactly allow for Morgan.

They never actually got around to talking about… Well, whatever their relationship was. Becca nearly brought it up a few times, but always stopped when she realised that a) even mentioning the subject made Morgan nervous, and b) what was she supposed to say? They were pretty much carrying on as usual. Well, they were hanging around each other much more, and Morgan was leaving her gifts - the edible ones were eaten or shared with him, and the others arranged on her windowsill. (She was touched, actually, that he brought her anything. She never said so - it was something a little too serious for someone who was supposed to be glib and teasing, but.)

And even if she was getting rusty as she complained, she was mildly horrified to find that she didn't really mind. Chattering at Morgan - and pouncing on him, something he didn't really seem to object to - more than made up for the fact that she wasn't being quite as aggravating as she should be.

Not that Morgan was the only person she spoke to; Becca ended up offering her help to Mender Abagail, partly in apology and partly to spare her work in the future. It seemed that she made the acquaintance of most of the more careless students - and got on quite well with most of them, although that could just be because she wasn't the one who was actually poking at them.

Perhaps, considering how much she had distracting her, it wasn’t so surprising that it took her till Chyril – and until she figured out how to get into Professor Peckerton’s library – to realise that Elvin had abandoned Peckerton’s Mage Hunters. Which meant, unless there were other members that no one had mentioned to her, she was the only one in that group any more.

Suddenly, Becca found helping Elvin and Shadowstar (Despite all her efforts, he would not change that name) a lot more attractive. Dealing with problems before they reached the Professors seemed like a perfect way of avoiding bringing anyone’s to that fact.

(Well – Arden knew most of what was going on, if only because he was usually talking to Imrelinda when Becca came in and started cursing Elvin and whatever scheme he had come up. If any of the Professors had to know though, she preferred it to be him for the simple reasons that she trusted him, and if it came down to it then they could always play the “We saved your life” card. Even if there was always the possibility of "Well, it was your fault in the first place!" as a reply.)

So Becca found herself as something between a secretary and a glorified messenger for Elvin - which, as she pointed out, meant that a) they actually had a record of the chaos Elvin had caused, and b) it kept him in the University and out of trouble.

Of course, that meant that Becca could get in trouble on his behalf. Nothing wrong with that though, right?

Literacy [Human] ~ Basic +**
Manipulation of Energy: Sorcery +*
Smaller Blades +*
Native Craft [Frustrate UoM staff] +*
New - Healing (Non-magical) ~ Basic

[Grant]

There were never any certainties in life. It was a fragile thing, especially when one tampered with the oblivion that was the Nether. And tamper they did, to no great end...and even gone, it could touch lives in ways that transcended anything.

For some, the recent hardships meant little more than tiny, sharp teeth in inconvenient places. That was the extent of Morgan's suffering on the night he and his friends rushed to the sewers...for while he had indeed suffered at the hands of Professor Octava's summons, he had been victorious, and such a thing made all the pain of his wounds transparent. For Becca, the same...and throughout her works with Mother Abagail (whom she found to have limitless reserves of patience), she found something not unlike routine, a period of languid, easy days marked by the birth, life, and passing of winter.

But for others, the damage was severe. Elvin's trip had been a disappointment at every end. Brie was virtually gone and replaced by new faces, new buildings, and new rulers. King's Court was scarred by conflict he hadn't even known to occur, it's nobles and the One church disorganized, uncertain, and suspicious of each other. Taquar (had he seen it) was ravaged by fire, the adhiel gone, the country occupied...and worst of all, his visit to his family had only deepened Elvin's estrangement...and possibly included his sister as well, more horrified of her brother's spell than he could have expected. Even in the Citadel, life seemed to take on a cloudy, tinted cast to it. Even his efforts at court seemed hopeless, the University relegated to an advisory seat on the Council and little else, as Imperial policy remained stymied behind seas of bureaucracy and the coronation of the new Caesar.

Thankfully, there was some gain. The name Shadowstar spread, at least throughout the Empire and, to a surprising extent, World's Mouth. As well it should, considering that fateful day in Samheen when he had failed to destroy the Libre Maleficarius.

Carefully planned and arranged, Elvin knew it to be possible...and he had arranged the ceremony carefully, attending to every detail. He gathered his group to help with his final preparations, and began the chanting that would remove from Tazlure the greatest source of darkness known to exist. In a flash of fire and a cloud of ash, he knew at once that the Libre was gone, stolen and replaced by a likeness of some skill and attention. No amount of searching...no sweep at all...could find the lost tome, as if it had disappeared into thin air.[hr]Of all the horrors I have seen, this is a greatest of all, she thought, striding into the library quickly and slamming the door shut behind her. Glancing up at the great walls of books and manuscripts...the finest source of knowledge in the Empire...Mistress Tabeann clutched a package to her chest as if it were a newborn babe. But she had no time.

The powers of the Libre were well known to her. It was a cancer upon the world...a danger to touch. Even now, the temptation to peer within it's flesh-covered binds lured her with more intensity than she had ever known, a temptation that she could only overcome through fear. Barrett's Rosestone! Oh, Dear Thinker, please be there... she prayed, rushing to the back of the Library to find the infamous stone that would silence the book's luring call. She could rebind the Libre using the Rosestone, rendering it harmless forever...but she would have to tell Barrett. After all, Barrett was a fellow Aurelian. He would understand.

Aurelians would never suffer any book to be destroyed. Ever.

Thirty more paces! she gasped, her face moist and her hands trembling even as they clutched the imperfectly-wrapped bundle. Charging ahead, she nearly broke into a run towards the make-shift study Barrett once used. Rounding a corner, she skidded to a halt, nearly crashing into...

She was not alone. "You!" She gasped, fear blanketing her face for the two flickers she remained conscious.

~Fin?[/hr]

[Guest]

Samheen

Laibach disappeared off of the public radar during Samheen, very concerned about himself and well aware that he owed a debt to both Silk (for sparing his life) and Michael Ranier (for sheltering him). Of course, the young man would leave out such facts when speaking to his new employer, Thomas Crane. After a few days of testing out the new import from Sabata, and after acquiring a healthy understanding of the proper dosage and methods of cutting the product, he was placed in charge of the distribution scheme. Although it was far from Laibach's forte, the product quickly hit the market with full force, making a tidy profit. It was unfortunate, perhaps, that some of this money was forced to go into feeding Laibach's secret addiction to the new substance.

Yulember

Laibach rose fairly steadily within Thomas Crane's organization, slowly being made privy to more details about the inner workings of the operation as a whole. The youth did his best to hide his increasingly erratic demands for the product from his employer and was largely successful, although Thomas had to be at least marginally aware, and perhaps even encouraging, of his new employee's addiction.

During this month, the war between Michael and Thomas started in full force. Laibach, who had no desire to get involved in the blood feud, really felt as though he was distinct from the organization and therefore was not at risk. Of course, after a drug deal went horribly wrong when the buyers were revealed to be Michael Crane's agents, Laibach was stabbed several times before Michael's men left him for dead.

Laibach spent the remainder of the month nursing back to health, doing significantly more managing and less direct smuggling for fear of another attempt on his life. As a result of the injuries he suffered, Laibach is not exactly prone to physical activity any longer, for his breathing will become labored very easily at any exertion.

Darkenry and Chyril

As Thomas prepared to leave the city, he put his son Christopher in charge of operations (a move which Laibach strongly disagreed with), but Laibach managed to maintain primary control of the drug trafficking operation within the Citadel. At this point, the young man sent out a letter to his old friend Michael Ranier to schedule a meeting. In exchange for a portion of the profits, Laibach proposed that the City Guard would turn a blind eye to the drug trafficking and also provide some measure of protection to what remained of Thomas Crane's smuggling operation. Of course, there would be no -overt- protection, but it didn't hurt to have friends on one's side.

Of course, this left Laibach quite indebted to Ranier, but there was little that the fearful youth could do. Very concerned about his safety and knowing that he might very well die at the hands of Michael Crane's lackies, he tried his best to keep a low profile, attending only those meetings which he had to and definitely not sitting in on the direct dealings themselves.

Of course, with Christopher's apparent death, the Crane operation seemed largely in disarray. Laibach wasn't exactly 'in' on the workings of the organization and it was toward the middle of Chyril when the young man sent out a few letters. One, addressed to Thomas Crane from himself would ask what was going on-- after all, being in charge of the drug trafficking operation without a real manager to watch him left the young man anxious. The letter simply requested answers in a very subtle way, but trusted that the City Guard would not interfere in his communications.

The second letter was sent to the Imperial Secretary, by way of the Burpin Dragon, from a 'Cicero Montague'-- the alias Laibach used when appearing in High Society-- and was in response to the rumors that were spreading about the involvement of foreign agencies in the politics of the Outer Ring. Although Silk had said he would contact Laibach when he was in need of help, the young man was left fearing for his life and also uncertain about the future of his business without a Crane to run it for him. Lord Montague requested an audience with the Secretary to be scheduled for sometime after Chyril 22.

The last was sent to Sister Katrian, the Treasurer Royal, as an apology from Lord Montague for his failure to stay in contact. The letter requested nothing, but instead seemed genuinely interested in how the woman was in health, life, and matters of office. There were few, if any, hidden motives in the letter. Laibach simply needed human contact, and the Sister had been one of the few people who had not backstabbed or attempted to kill him since his arrival in the Citadel.

((OOC: Laibach, in exchange for his position within the drug smuggling operation, has a drug addiction to white mist, has received wounds which render him unable to exert himself for long periods, and is also highly indebted to Michael Ranier. If you feel more balance is necessary, please let me know!))

---

Skills:

Bartering / Haggling ~ +*
Bribing and Embezzling ~ +***
Business Perception ~ +*
Con Artist ~ +*
Leadership ~ +*
Persuade ~ +***

[Grey Wolf]

It was not a very dificult feat to advance through the crime organization engaged in a war with others. One merely had to make sure he or she stayed alive and advancement would come naturaly as those above you were removed in the fighting. Laibach managed to do that and after a while he was steadily climbing the ladder. The smuggling operation was the major source of income for the Crane family and it was thus that Michael Crane went after it with full force. When at last William was found dead, floating in the harbor with his throat slit, it was a rather short list of candidates for his replacement that Thomas had. Not many were willing to risk themselves by accepting and in the end it was Laibach that was given that spot.

The smuggling operation was still running fairly smoothly, the Sheer Hulk still remaining relatively safe spot from which to run the business. Michael Ranier proved to be quite a negotiator, giving very little while asking for a solid cut of the profits, making it necessary for Laibach to cover a part of the expense from his own pocket. This hardly left him bannerless, but where he might have gotten rich fast in happier times, the covert war of crime took its toll on young man's purse.

Of all his letters only the one sent to Sister Katrian received a prompt reply, both the Imperial Secretary and Thomas Crane not writing back. The reply was a short one and simply offered to Laibach to seek the woman at the Temple of Pecunia and see how she fared himself. Thomas Crane did write back, but it was almost a month later that the reply came. It contained an assurance that so far the young man did well and that he was to keep his position, with the old man seeking two favors from his employee. One was for Laibach to keep an eye on Tiffany Crane and make sure she had everything she needed, should her brother be unable to provide himself. The other was to seek out whomever was responsible for William's death and make sure the man paid for it in appropriate way.

OOC: Btw, it was not Christopher, but William Crane that died. Christopher is still very much alive and kicking

[Ssinith DIllil]

During the time of him taking sanctuary after the treachery of his so-called "guide", Ssinith made peace with the surface Adhiel and the stray Panites who were talking about a counter-attack. With his tactical mind, and seeing the moral of the Oneist troops with his own eyes, he knew fear was going to be their greatest advantage. Unfortunately, he needed to get back to Fort Dusk to have the talks between the Adhiel of Pan's Isle as well as Gulanadur. Thus, he set out and returned to Ft. Dusk with a couple of Panite ambassadors.

Upon telling his story about the Dryad, however, the commanders were wary of the potential threat that the Fae might cause with the strange Dark Adhiel who lived on the surface. Weighing out the options, they could not afford to start a two front war with the fae roaming the land, and asked that several females make a bargain with the Dryad. She can keep her curious lover alive on two conditions... that she keeps him sedated in her thrall so he is no longer a threat to anyone passing by, and that she released Ssinith of her thrall. At first she refused, but after being bribed with exotic and sweet mushroom treats which were found only in Gulanadur, she accepted if she got a yearly offering. She knew how valuable her ability to port people through her tree was.

Of course, snapping the thrall caused Ssinith to go insane for several days, like pining after a lost, dead lover. His brother, Zurik, was called in to 'talk' some sense into him and ended up beating him half to death to bring him to his senses. After several days of stabilizing his energy and quelling his emotions through council and 'tough love' from his brother, he gained enough of a semblance of sanity to start serving the Queen again. Together with Zurik and his bodyguard, he was taught to fight with his fists as the Adhiel between the Gulanadur and Panite forces ironed out a plan. It would be a week later that the Merchants would strike a deal with the Gulanadur army. Between the plant life samples, and his studies, Ssinith came out with a formula potion known as "Daybreak"; a two part formula which glossed the eyes with a tint, preventing bright light to pass through the eyes. Of course, this could also be used as a sort of poison during nightfall, not allowing light to be as useful.

Being forced to rest the night before the battle, he was charged with leading a small magical unit which would be at the center of the infantry forces to attack foes from a distance. He had one long philosophical and theological talk with his brother, as well as the Panites who were sitting around the campfire. In a final act of love between brothers, they both prayed for the blessing of Molten before dawn.

Because of their surprise night attacks through this time, as well as the Gulanadurians being rendered blind without their special glasses, They would attack at the least expected hour... high noon.

Fatigue was set in on the Oneists between rotating watches from the attacks, and with the initial attack of the magical forces using their energy to cause all of the campfires to explode, the resting soldiers were attacked first and their tents put aflame. Though greatly outnumbered, the tactic pressed the advantage on the Gulanadur forces who waited for the attention to be drawn solely on them so that the Mouthie forces could catch the Oneists from behind.

Sadly, this tactic lost some effectiveness on the account that there were more Oneists at this camp than previously anticipated. Apparently, the night before, several of the smaller camps took station to the main holding and could hold their own with divided forces. A tactical retreat was suggested by Ssinith, since the sun was now setting in the west to retreat towards the sun in order to keep the light in the eyes of the enemy while merging forces with the Mouthies. This would normally be a bad idea, since it was facing the coast and their army would be surrounded, but if the Mouthies could get their boats to that part of the coast in time, their cannons would tear the Oneist armies asunder. Not to mention the fact that the mages could use the water energy there for attack.

As a disciple of Molten, however, he would not use the latter tactic out of respect for his fiery god. No, once arriving on the beach, he ordered the mages to start charging the heat energies which were surrounding the tired armies and aim them all to the sand. The infantry formed a line at the bottom of the hill, readying their weapons as the charge would come, and the mages focused the heat to turn the entire sandy hill into glass at their feet. Unfortunately, the plan did not give account the archers and the cannons on the hill. Though the majority of the footmen and cavalry were slaughtered, the ranged attackers still held ground... and the sandy hills were now too slippery to climb by foot. The two army units parted ways, the sun not giving much mercy to the ranged attackers for aim.

Then again, not much accuracy was needed for the cannons. The cannon users were getting smart and aiming at the glass to allow schrapnel flying in all directions. One blast actually landed on Zurick's unit, making him lose his arm and to become mortally wounded. Ssinith, not wanting to see his brother die here, carried him along the side while ducking down.

The latter half of Ssinith's plan actually came to fruition none too late as the ships from the Mouthies bombarded their attacks back to the ranged attackers of the Oneists. The day was won, but not without great loss. Ssinith was able to bring his brother back to Fort Dusk where he used his own energies to try and keep him alive. His prayers to Molten sealed his wounds from bloodloss, but his internal damage was too great from the glass shards from the blast. His brother's last request was to pass away in the Dryad's forest so that he might be around the beauty of the surface at nightfall.

Zurik D'Illil died in peace after defending his brother to the death.

Though no longer thralled to the Dryad, he still remained kind to her for all she had done. Alas, the price of the Imperials was to gain control of the Island after the war, and the locals were not happy. He was a disciple of Molten, though he had a respect for the Panites. Since he had to bury his brother, he would return to Gulanadur to petition the Temple of the Moonlady to find a place for them to be with Pan in peace. After all, the faithful always took care of their siblings.

With a sense of accomplishment, but at a heavy toll, he returns somberly to Gulanadur and the Great Temple of Molten for the mass funeral of the fallen. A hero he might have been, but a hero who had lost much.

The months following were spent to himself, as even his physical appearance had changed. The blast his brother saved him from left gash scars across the right side of his face and shaved several of his war braids from his head. As if his first hairstyle wasn't eccentric with his insane long hair, the left side barely reaches to his shoulder with his longer left side tied in a loose braid which wraps itself around his shoulders.

He has already petitioned the temple of the Moonlady on behalf of the Panites, but other than informing them of the situation, has not made any further measures to help them. Having it ingrained in his mind that the Dryad had used him for his own pleasures has left him slightly bitter to the sensual.

Having been made "Ssinith D'Illil-Devir" before the war, he has recognized his responsibility to the Queen and has made several speeches to raise the morale of Gulanadur... but because of his loss, has holed himself up in his room at the Acadamy in order to drown his sorrows in his studies. His final thesis to graduate was the theory of using unarmed combat as a way to stimulate one's own personal energies through health in order to become a better caster in general. Not to the point of being a true battle mage, but for that extra inch to fully engross a fighting style into one's talents in arcana since both martial arts and magical arts required mantras, meditation, and hand/foot positioning. Considering that the Gulanadur academy had little focus on Battlemages (as the Dark Knights made most of the army), this new study proved useful.

As the Firebrand, he became even more beloved to the people of Gulanadur. His mind still straying to one day meeting his beloved Queen once more. After his graduation, he was once again met by the Heart-Keeper of the Ascent with a special mission. He was chosen to represent Gulanadur in peace talks with the Empire. He loathed to take this position, hating humans with an unbridled passion. He sought Molten's opinion on the matter, and was given charge to reach out to the Dwarves in Citadel, considering the destruction of Nazarene in the War. Offering up his hatred of the humans to Molten, he was purified by getting burned through his brand so he could do his hard work without his own opinions getting in the way... and would roast him if his hatred of humans would get in the way of his mission.

He practiced his written and spoken skills for several tides, trying to curb his own searing hatred to serve the Queen. Giving one last farewell to Gulanadur and his remaining family, he made his way to the surface in order to make peace with Citadel (as a new member of the Empire). The war was still hard in his mind, and he was aware of how much of a marked man he was with his loyalty to Molten and the Crown. The question would be, who would be the first in line for the assassination attempts? Assassin's from another Noble House? Those who desired nothing but war between the Dark Adhiel? Perhaps a surface Adhiel who still had bad blood?

Despite his entourage, his plans to introduce the superiority of Gulanadur style and technique is his main goal. He would do so in a method of peace to appease his beloved Queen and her dreams. He would sooner trust a Dwarf than a human outside of Molten, but here he was to go meet the Caesar and stay on the surface for several months.

He softly caresses the scarf given to him by the Queen... she and Molten the only reasons he would suffer this duty.

(( Stuff ))

Reps (1 each)/

Ach-Lunari
D'Altamooriana
Devir
Maerret
Temple of Molten (Dwarf)
Temple of Moonlady
Mage's Guild (Mindcrafter)
Assassin's Guild (secret spy, disguised as a servant)

3 Dozen from the Army of the Ascent (who fought with him during the battle and know how he works)

1 dozen dark Adhiel servants
(two with minor alchemy skills to assist in his work)
(one interpreter to human language)
(one merchant to work with the Maerett rep in order to make small money on the side)
(rest are general staff)

Thierian (his noble bodyguard)

Unplotted land (will shape his mansion and a small shrine to Molten and the moonlady *molten's being much bigger and ornate*)

30 Crown
(4 invested into the Maerett merchant, 2 in the D'Altamooriana merchant... to let them play with things)

[Grey Wolf]

There was much confusion in that last battle. Mouthies, Oneists, dark adhiel, mercenaries sent by Duke Erwin, Dort's elite Sunfire brigade, Panlings and fae all fought and died that last day. His retreat from battle meant that Ssinith never truly knew who had aided his small unit and how in the Nether have they won in the end. They did win and Oneist forces withdrew from the Pan's Isle which was soon renamed Aveas after the Mouthie colony. Uneasy truce formed at first bt soon emissaries started forging a more permanent peace between the colony of Aveas and its Mouthie owner and the dark adhiel of Gulandur.

Ssinith has not been chosen as a mere representative, but as an Ambassador and member of the Imperial Council, sent to the Citadel to represent Gulandur and the interests of the Queen. Given pretty much free reign to conduct negotiations, the mage would still have to consult the noble houses back home before commiting his city to anything of import. His audience with the Caesar for scheduled for Chyril 24th a day before coronation, his role as Ambassador not yet official until the letter of accreditation was given over to the new Imperial ruler Neighbors watched the new Embassy emerge with awe and some fear, but no incidents were reported just yet.

OOC: You are free to post to Citadel as of now. I will add the money you are due (not the 30 Crowns listed, but a bit less) and we will work on the location description together. Do PM me the skill advances you are due as part of the recess and I will add those too. Oh, and welcome to our pit of despair.

[Guest]

Samheen
Becoming a soldier was all Rozz ever wanted to become. The thrill of wielding a blade and marching into a battle that only the brave could endure with the guidance of the Red Warrior was a dream destined for reality. It was only natural for the achadhiel to sign up with the Imperial Guard… even though his march into battle was a slightly distorted form of battle than he had anticipated.

His mission to protect a girl named Kitya proved to be an experience he would never forget, but most definitely learn from at the cost of his left index finger. It was there that he met two unexpected guests that became a valuable part of his survival in that house, Traverse and Sarah. Since he had left the house, he thought about his new friends a lot, especially about Sarah. It was not a heart wrenching love that he felt, but more of a friend he wished to see again and learn how their coincidental meeting took place. He was a military man, though, and that was the thought he tried to put before anything else.

For the rest of the Samheen month, as the leaves began to discolour, Rozz focused on relearning how to wield a blade with his left hand. It proved more of a challenge because his index finger played a vital role in his grip of the hilt, but as with anything, all he needed was a little time dedicated to this goal. The Imperial Guard would go to the training grounds as much as he could and practice on dummies, which he eventually upgraded to sparring partners with fellow guards. It took some time and changes in his fighting, but he felt that he would once again be able to duel wield like he did before. On his spare time, when he was not involved with drills or weapon training, Rozz began to take an interest in books about military tactics and train his mind. These books included various types of crowd control and maneuvers with small groups incorporating defensive and offensive positioning.

Yulember
As more leaves scattered in the courtyards and the air began to crisp one’s breath. Rozz would take every chance he got to train outside before the winter was ready to settle in. Whether he had a sparing partner, a dummy or just by himself, Rozz had a bastard sword in each hand and would continually practice his slashes, jabs, and hacks, attempting to control the flow of his blades in a manner that focused on deflecting oncoming blows with one sword, while delivering a deadly slash with the other. As soon as night would set in, if he was not doing drills or some other assignments, Rozz would stay warm in his barracks reading more military books. It was his goal to one day become a higher rank and lead a group of men, preferably into a battlefield field, fighting right along side them. All he had to do was show his superiors what he was capable of. Any drill, any assignment was to be carried out with logical thinking and swift execution. Every morningtide, the young warrior did 100 pushups and 100 sit ups to keep himself in shape and stretch out his muscles before he began his drills or training. Often off duty soldiers would invite him to the taverns for drinks, which he would sometimes accept, but for the most part Rozz stayed in his own comfort of reading and training… thinking about his first mission into the house and what he could have done different…

Darkenry
When late Yulember brought about snowfall and cold days, Rozz continued his morningtide warm-ups and would train indoors and even outdoors. He decided that war knew no limit of terrain he would have to fight in. If he didn’t condition himself to withstand fighting on a slipper surface or in deep snow, he was not much use as a soldier. Even in heavy plate armour that was supplied by the Impperial Guards, he would be outside with his two blades, hacking and slashing, dodging and rolling in the snow, but he wore good protection over his head and ears which kept him warm. Winter did not slow down his training at all, if anything it made him more determined to please the Red Warrior with his efforts. On his off time, the achadhiel made his way to a library and embraced more military literature. He lived and breathed everything that he stood for and that was being a soldier. Not just some guy who wanted to make money and move on, he wanted to command! Rozz wanted his name to be printed in the literature he was reading, and he was going to do this no matter what the cost. Every book he read, every slash or dodge he made, every drill and assignment he executed, got him one step closer to proving that he has what it takes to be a leader!


Star Distribution
Two Weapon Fighting – 4 stars
Dodge Blow – 1 star
Literacy – 1 star
Tactics – 2 stars
Crowd Control –1 star
Single Combat [resisting multiple opponents] – 1 star

[Grey Wolf]

Despite the near debacle of his first assignment and the fact that Kitya both nearly killed them all and died herself, Rozz has performed well there. New Imperial Guard was a different force than the famed Purples that have been disbanded not so long ago. Their role too was different. Where the purpose of the Purple Guard was to fight and win battle for Caesar, the Whites were meant to maintain order with subtler and gentler hand, and they did not have the sterling reputation of the old Guard. Thus, Rozz's quiet dedication to self-perfection and improvement of his martial skills, while not something generally necessary in order to perform his duties, also showed the discipline he possessed. Thus it was that near the turn of the year he received his promotion to Corporal, about the time the unit started to truly grow in size and Sergeant was promoted to Captain. Chyril saw a change in his duties. Coronation was scheduled for the 25th and it would be the greatest test for the still fledgling guard. Purples had experience in organizing such an event. Whites did not. What if someone decided to ruin it all?

[Guest]

(OOC Note: A mod has informed me of the situation in Gulanadur. I have also spoken with Ssinith about travelling with him to the surface. My post assumes such.)

He had only been on his own for a short time, but was content to learn as much as he could. Young and carefree, Maevin moved about in Gulanadur, taking in life with enthusiasm. Sometimes, the dark adhiel would feel as though the underground darkness of his home were not enough, and that there must be more. Other times, he would simply roam about, finding that each new day brought about some new challenge, question, or excitement. Maevin didn't really think about the next day, or even about the future, really. The young one seemed happy enough as he was.

One day, however, it was known that a group of dark adhiel would be travelling to the surface. The main reason would be to establish relations with the humans, and solidify their presence to the world above. For reasons unknown to him at the moment, Maevin felt a strong urge to go. Surely, he reasoned, they would need help with their expedition, and would be taking others with them. Even if it was to serve, the male felt the desire to go.

He waited a day or so, to be sure he was ready, and to build up the courage to ask. Maevin then approached the place in which Ssinith and those going were stationed. He had to speak with a number of people, and it took quite awhile of waiting. It appeared there were others attempting to make the journey. Some, the dark adhiel knew, would be Ssinith's personal guard, highly trained. Others would be wizards or those with magical powers, and others still would simply serve. When he was seen, Maevin went along with the questions and regulations. A few days later, the youth was offered a serving position, which he took. With a light heart and excitement, Maevin prepared for the world of the surface, and whatever awaited him there.