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 Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2014 4:35 pm
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Tessa stiffened, catching her blade in her palm at the "shing" of a blade sliding from its sheath. The Chancellor held his sword up, his thumb extended along the few inches of gleaming metal. He spoke, his voice calm and sarcastic. "I understand you're all a little confused, agitated, and perhaps angry, but I'd like to ask you all to calm down. I may be a politician, but I got this position because I killed people, and I was very good at it." Tessa could feel the edge of it sliding across her skin without actually cutting.
He circled the table, chastising the old man for jumping at the creature before them. The creature stood considerately still. Tessa stared at it, her eyes narrowed, until she felt the prickle of aknowledgement from one of the gathered. She locked eyes with the other woman and felt reproof in her glare. No one was jumping to the gun, besides the crotchety old man perhaps. Tessa sighed and slid her knife delicately back up her sleeve, as if folding and putting away a fan. The chancellor tossed a collection of documents down on his desk for everyone.
"Alright, so the general consensus is that no one here has heard of, believes in, or knows much about Vampyres, am I right?" The Chancellor looked around the room.
Sweat radiated from one of the men in chains. He was marvelous at keeping his face composed, though he had a sallow undertone to Tessa's sharp eyes. He cleared his throat and mentioned what he know, his voice plain but uncertain. He said his piece about vampires. Tessa knew about them. She knew to avoid running into one. She'd dissected the truth from common folktales, as she had after turning into a werewolf had changed her perspective. But "vampyres" were new to her. She frowned at the story. It did sound like a sailor's tale, and she was ready to file it away for later until the Chancellor smiled approvingly and corrected that it was true.
"Right now, something is gaining control in the underworld, and it isn't man, nor Vampyre, nor demon. It is far, far worse. But, this is a talk for another day," the chancellor said. Tessa's eye twitched in annoyance. She'd rather have the full story to begin with. "You all however are here because of demons, Vampyres, and some men, all of which are very evil."
The Chancellor quieted, watching them, giving them a moment to process everything. Tessa glanced at the demon in the room. A hundred questions flickered like sparks in her head. But how could she ask all of them. She opened her mouth, but closed it a moment afterwards.
"So what's the reason you called us here? I mean it's not just to talk about demons and other such creatures, you have some form of task for us right?" The speaker was a young woman, at first glance, but Tessa kept her eyes on her, discovering a discrepancy after a moment. The voice was too low, and the structure of the face off, and several other indiscernible oddities to the average eye and judgement
pointed to the young lady being a young man, as well as his smell. Tessa cocked her head in interest. This was a strange variety.
"I believe the Chancellor has called us because he needs work done. And given the mention of certain creatures, it isn't work his soldiers would do," the other woman said.
Tessa rolled her eyes at the criminal as he stammered about his fate. Tearing limb from limb wasn't her part of the business. If that's what the Chancellor wanted, it wouldn't be worth the stains on her dress. But she doubted that's what he wanted. Honestly, why would he need a Lishundan, a demon, two werewolves, to soldiers, a witch hunter, and a nutty old man to de-limb one man in irons.
Tessa picked five questions she'd been mulling over before the Chancellor moved on. "Then what makes our value for this mystery task higher than the Royal Guard, or the Temple? Who are these people you've called besides myself?" She lowered her eyelids a fraction at the chancellor. "And how did you this letter delivered to me in such a short amount of time? My timing shouldn't be that obvious that it would leak up the chain of command. Unless you personally interested." She made it an accusation.
"Furthermore, I like to be informed about my decisions. What do these vampyres---with a y--- do, for example, and what's seizing power in the...underworld." She tried not to grimace. If demons were real, that added a whole new unexplored dimension to her profession. By The One, I'm not a theologian. How was I supposed to know they were more than just fairytales and myths of the church. |
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Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2014 6:52 pm
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Pendleton Moore, Ex-executioner of the Wicked
Pendleton hardly managed to wrap his manacles around the demon/man's neck before the thing changed shape, breaking it's chains and bucking him like a bull into the two soldiers, the Captain Morris catching him and holding him back as he struggled against his grip.
"Oye oye oye! Stop kickin' yah blighter! Calm down, you'll get yer chance, no need to make such a fuss eh, the bloke's fairly non-hostile it seems to me."
Captain Morris's words had an effect on Pendleton, as he stopped struggling as the rest of the room went on, Lieutenant Colonel Lowsley additionally loosening his sword from it's sheath slightly with his off hand. However as the demon finished his speech, and tossed the Demon Hunter tags to Pendleton, his jaw locked with rage. A bit more restraining on Captain Morris' part was needed, but eventually he went still after James ordered calm. He stood there, mulling over the tags angrily, eyes shooting daggers in the demon's direction. He tuned out the conversation about the Demon being friendly, the Chancellor was wrong. He tuned out the bit about Vampyres, that much he knew. His mind was mostly occupied about retribution at this point, and why the infernal depths did the Chancellor think he would ever work with such a damned being.
"Let me guess... I'm here because you figured you'd get your use out of me before sending me to the gallows."
Lieutenant Colonel Lowsley and his aide, Captain Morris
As Captain Morris restrained the aged Demon Hunter, Lowsley, hand still on his blade, listened intently to the conversation, mildly impressed with the demon's form. If only being like him were more easily made tame and loyal, war would be a mere spectator sport for mankind. As more people made their arrival, including the Warrior-woman who seemed displeased with him and Captain Morris somehow, Lowsley took them into account. So far, the Chancellor had assembled a hodgepodge.... Whatever this was. When the Chancellor asked if anyone else would like to know why they were here, Lowsley raised his hand slightly.
"Yes, as Ms...... Whatever her name is over there stated, this isn't work soldiers normally do. So why exactly was I invited, instead of being put back to more 'solider-esque' tasks, might I ask?" |
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Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 12:30 pm
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Jack
Jack chimed in for a moment again after hearing the comments of the others. "Beggin your pardon Excellency, but they all ask a pretty good question. Why would you want a gangster here to deal with demons? I'm not sayin I'm a whelp or anything, but if this isn't something your soldiers can do, what makes you think I can?" Jack looked around at the others slightly, still a little nervous of them all.James
James smirked at the one comment that came up a bit, about this being 'too much' for his soldiers. "I wonder.... I wonder how many of you enjoy history? I only ask because I wonder how many of you know what happened nearly 200 years ago." James walked back to the table and focused his eyes on the documents about Crimson for a moment. He then turned back to talk to everyone again.
"200 years ago there was a massive war in Dalcaria, unlike anything ever seen before. Our enemies were, at that time, massive hordes of demons. Her majesty, Queen Jessamine Clarion, mustered up massive armies to fight these demons. And they did well actually.... But they weren't enough." James leaned back a bit and crossed his arms before continuing, giving everyone a short moment to take in what he was saying.
"I had an ancestor at that time, someone who had served the temple to fight demons. He had been personally called to the palace by her majesty, and he was given a special task by her. This was when the Royal Guards were first created, a sort of 'Royal Task Force' to do jobs like the temple did, but doing them for the royal family specifically. But, even a force that well put together wasn't enough. At this time though, my ancestor also gathered together many strong men and women from all across the empire to join him in the greatest crusade against any enemy ever seen. He and his forces were unofficially considered by both the Temple and the Monarchy to be Inquisitors, the last Inquisitors the Empire has seen." James smiled slyly as things started to come together.
"But let's not dive too deeply into that yet... Let's get some other things out of the way." James turned his attention to Tessa now. "You want to know what's taking power in the under world? Well, let's get that out of the way first." James stood straight and pulled his sword from it's sheath, turning it over a few times in his hand.
"The thing that makes hell itself quake in fear goes by many names, but he has always called himself, to me and my family, Lord Sithious. He is not human, he is not demon, and he is not normal. There are supposed to be demon princes in the underworld, note I say 'supposed to be'. He has beaten, banished, and even killed many of the demon princes, taking some secret throne for himself. But, he has very little physical power on this planet right now, he is more of a spiritual entity for the moment." James looked up at everyone again.
"That's because I killed him during the Civil War." James said coldly as he tilted his sword towards them, indicating the tool he used. "However, he will be back, at some point or another. But that is my fight, not yours." James slid his sword away and cleared his throat a bit.
"Now that you know one of the deep dark secrets of this world, let's move onto the other ones. Firstly, my soldiers are capable of doing many things. However, I don't need an army to fight this war, I need much more, but I'll get to this in a minute. How did I find most of you? Easy enough. I have spies in almost ever corner of the Empire. In fact, I found lots of more people like those of you in this room, I even invited a few of them, but there were many that just didn't fit my.... criteria. How did I find you Ms. Lozi? Well, once upon many times, the information you brokered was being brokered to me. I kept tabs on you, like I do most people, but when I started to dig into your history, certain things started to catch my attention. I had someone working for me send the letter directly to you as well, which was easy enough. Don't worry though, you have kept yourself hidden away very well, my men just happen to be some of the best when it comes to finding hidden things. I also may have a bit of a knack for that, but that's a long time ago for me now." James smiled slightly as he looked to the others now.
"Mr. Lowsley and Mr. Morris, you were easy enough to find as well. I heard about you during the Civil War, heard you were with House Black. I was actually thinking about killing both of you, House Black was as well. But I noticed in the reports that there were no mentions of attempted genocide of the native population, no death camps set up, nothing that indicated to to me that you were following the racist agenda of the old state. So, I figured that maybe, just maybe you gentlemen were a little like me, and maybe just maybe you wanted revenge on House Black. Well, now is your chance. Mr. Moore, I have no intentions of executing you. In fact, during the Civil War, I was supposed to have my men execute you. But every time I sent them after you, they just 'happened' to be four days behind you. In other words, I saw some potential in you, some greater purpose. I don't want to use you like a weapon, I want to give you the chance to take your holy fight to the truly evil creatures of this world. Crimson here is not one of course, but perhaps you will learn that in due time."
James turned to see the others in the room. "Dante Kullorin, your reputation precedes you. I keep tabs on a lot of the members of the Temple, and the ones who seem particularly gifted at their job catch my attention far more quickly. The old government had a little interest in killing you, but they never got around to doing it. Unfortunately they were too busy trying to kill defenseless innocents, and they rarely had the guts to go after real men. Regardless, I found that your skills would probably prove useful. Vashani, you're an interesting case actually as it wasn't my spies that picked you up. In fact, I was supposed to be doing business here in the palace with a nobleman, but he insisted we have tea, and as we enjoyed it he continued to tell me nonstop about these stories of a great Lishundan warrior who fought for a noble family in duels, the Capulet family to exact. Anyways, I decided to do some research on you and found out you weren't just a great warrior, but you managed to take melee combat and make it into an almost unstoppable force, even against guns some people said. I also found out you were found in Northern Lishunda, strange since most of your people are only found in Southern Lishunda, unless they immigrate. I'm very proud to have you here one way or another." He smiled almost genuinely as he finished. He turned now to the next part of the room.
"Crimson, you are a very, very, very lucky demon. As it so happens, I found out about you because some traveler had seen you in the village you were in. When they were in the next town, they wanted to speak to the Temple and report you, but I had a spy working there that day to keep tabs on the Temple. He was also supposed to be leaving that same day. But he was told about you, kept it quiet from the others at the Temple and told only me. I had him keep tabs on you for the next few years, and we were actually going to invite you here, but you just started heading here on your own. We thought it was strange, but we let you continue on your way, and here you are now. Forgive me if I sound presumptuous, but one might almost say you were being looked after by a higher power, as I had nothing to do with bringing you here, I can promise you that."
James smiled as he turned now to 'Kimi'. "Kimi, I'm flattered that you dressed up for me, but there's no need for formality. I found you after a bit of tough searching. You'd think an assassin from the Takaguran Empire would be easy to find, but no, not you. Still, my spies followed the trail of dead bodies and eventually managed to figure out who you were. Inviting you here was easy. However, there are still a few shady points about your past I haven't quite figured out yet, like why you came to Dalcaria. I have some rumors, but not much more than that. Either way, an assassin couldn't be a bad choice for this group. And since most of the people you killed here have been people I wanted dead anyways, I find it fairly easy to trust you." James cocked a slightly sly smile as his gaze moved to the last few people.
"Miss McKay, giving advice to the Head of the Guards in a major city does not go unnoticed. Of course, finding you was still something of a stroke of luck. I only found out about you because one of the nobles from Hammershavn told me about you and the good job you did for the city. He wanted me to put you on the Guard force, but I figured that wasn't your style. Plus, I think you'll be of more use here. Tracking you down was slightly harder however, so I had to get some spies who were actually natives to Whitehaven to find you, and they still had a nearly impossible time. Funny too since you're house wasn't nearly as hidden as I would have thought, but perhaps the snow added to it."
Finally, James turned his gaze to 'Black Jack'. "And you Black Jack. Really, I hope you're not surprised I found you. We're practically neighbors, living in the same city and all. I just sent out a few spies, paid off a few informants, and bing bang boom, the guards were at your front door. If I wanted you dead though, you would be. Same as your gang. But you are alive, and your gang is in the exact same shape, only they aren't under arrest. Well, I guess that covers everyone now doesn't it?" The sarcastic smile was back on James' face. Jack was starting to feel weight pressing down on him, weight from the job he and the others seemed to be bound to undertake. He too cleared his throat and made a quick question. "That's all fine and dandy your excellency, but pardon me for being so forward. I too would like to know why I'm actually here now, if it's not too much trouble." He said this somewhat meekly, trying his best to sound polite. Not good to anger the person who easily held your life in their hands.James nodded in acknowledgment. "Right you are Jack, so to business then. Well my friends, it's really quite simple. I could have chosen a hundred other people or more to do this job, but you all did something that a hundred other people didn't do. You gave me a feeling in my gut, a force telling me you were the ones I should trust. Well, I sincerely hope I wasn't wrong, because I'm not asking you to simply kill demons. I'm asking you to be the first Inquisitors in Dalcaria in over 200 years. Unfortunately, this has made me very unpopular with the Temple, as I have essentially gone over their heads with this one. Typically it is only the Temple that can call for an Inquisition, which is mostly why they are not happy with me." James was silent again as he waited for their responses.
(OOC: Sorry this was super long folks! Hope you don't have trouble reading it! Also, I'm not totally sure if I'm happy with this post or not, so if you have any complaints, please let me know. I'd rather edit this and make it more to everyone's liking than have you sit there and just accept it as is. I only mention this because I am not totally happy with it, I have to air on the side of caution that you guys might not be. So please give me some feed back if you have any.) |
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Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 2:49 pm
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Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 3:46 pm
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James
James nodded in acknowledgment at Kimi over the comment about keeping his shady points shady. He understood this fellow had his secrets, had his reasons to keep private. James didn't want to push him, the last thing he needed was an assassin after him. Of course, James was fairly certain he could hold up a decent fight against Kimi one on one, but could he fight Kimi in his sleep? Likely not. Still, he likely scared a few people with his large network of spies. In truth though, James had done much of his own spying too. It had never really been his forte until the Civil War started and he was given the position of leading the Imperial Intelligence Agency, that was when he really got into it. Still, there wasn't much he could do in the way of ground work these days, politics was keeping him busy, especially with parliament trying to butt heads with him. Jack
Black Jack nearly died after he heard James' words. "You've.... gotta be kidding, right?" Jack looked around at the rest of the people, then back at James. "No offense sir, but just look at me! I cannot possibly fathom how you think I could ever be a member of the Temple, never mind an Inquisitor! And I'm sure some of these folks have blood on their hands, but come on, I'm pretty much an unrepentant criminal! The blood on my hands is still fresh, where as they've probably tried to wash it off theirs!"James turned to Jack and smiled sarcastically, though it contained some slight genuineness to it, but Jack wouldn't have caught it. "Well then Jack, consider this your chance to redeem yourself." James looked to the rest of the room and cleared his throat slightly. "Also, there may be payment for this job. I'd rather you did this for the betterment of humanity, but I certainly won't hesitate to ensure you are compensated, if that's what you need."Jack was silent now. Money? This man could just put guns to their heads and force them to do it, and he's offering them money? This had to be a big deal then, bigger than Black Jack wanted to be involved in. But there was still a certain lure to this whole thing, and it wasn't the money. Jack would play the 'greed' card for as long as he needed it, just to save face. He was a criminal after all, curiosity didn't exactly fit someone like him very well. Neither did heroics. |
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Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 4:30 pm
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The Wolf Of Whitehaven
Aydan simply raised an eyebrow at Tessa's questions, silently admitting they were valid as she turned her attention to the Colonel.A flare of amusement showing in her eyes when he floundered for her name "Aydan McKay." She turned her gaze to Moore, knowing he'd reconize her title, given they were from the same home Provence "Though some know me as The Wolf of Whitehaven." She wasn't gloating, only making it easier for some to make the connection.
Many believed Aydan to be a man, simply because of her name or title.It was rather funny when they realized their assumptions were incorrect.She also knew many wondered at the reason behind her title, guessing that she had some power over the wild wolves that roamed the territory, nothing more, and at the moment, that's the way she preferred it.
She turned her attention back to the man in chains, this Black Jack character, and the Chancellor, her face a passive mask at the questions and new influx of information into the man's own ancestry.She knew of the Inquisitors.Anyone who studied at the Temple were told of them.They were the hero's of old, paving a path for the future the group now knew.
Her brows rose in surprise though at his ingenious work with the locals of Whitehaven, already guessing at a few who had passed over her information.She let out a snort when he mentioned guard duty.She gave not outter emotion on his comment on her home however.
Aydan's jaw nearly dropped in total shock at this new slap to the face about becoming the Temple's new Inquisitors before letting out a full on laugh, unable to stop the looks of outrage she'd imagined on her old instructors faces at the news "Ach, lad!You'd best hope The Guardian is at your back in this." It was rather clear she found this entire thing humorous and she was intrigued to see how it would turn out.She gave what could only be described as a wolfish grin and another little chuckle "You have my blade, though I'll not be stopping the old teachers if they come at you, and I'll take no money.I've enough as it is." She never once asked for pay when taking care of a demon problem and she was going to start.She'd gained enough wealth as a blade for hire to live out the rest of her days in peace if she wished. |
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Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 4:51 pm
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He silently watched all of them noticing how they reacted, the way they moved their body language. He understood what James was trying to say even if the others did not, he waited and watched folding his arms occasionally licking his lips with a large snake like tongue the magic in the air from each of them was delicious. He nodded towards James when he talked to him,
"I know you didn’t tell me to come here, I was told to come here by the god you call 'the one'" he looked over at the man who had flung himself at him before, "there is no grey area with you, why would your god tell you to kill me after it saved me? Perhaps you have strayed from the path and should return to it"
He basically just told him what he was doing wasn’t what the one wished but he had more important things to do and to explain. His gaze moved to the man in chains referred to as Black Jack he recognized his face from some wanted posters in the city, then to the wolf of whitehaven nodding towards her, he already liked her courage enough to just laugh at james's proposal wondering how she fared in battle, he caught himself staring at her for too long and continued with what he was doing,
"I’m not going to lie to any of you or beat around the bush, none of us can make you do what is asked of you" his gaze shifted to each one of them, his smaller eyes focused on those he moved his gaze to as well, "you will face nightmares from my world and the corruption they bring with them, we will face dangers most of you have never seen so we cannot force you to do this, you need to have the will to keep going, fear is a motivator but it is not the best, and jack" his gaze shifted to him, "you have resources you all do and skills that we all need, and whether you like it or not we all have to go thru this together" he looked back at James, "at one time in my life I fought in what you call the demon wars 200 years ago, our life span doubles with each evolution we go thru I can feel that soon I will evolve again as well what will come of it I do not know, but I swear to you that I accept I will go with your group that you call the Inquisitors, I do not have that much to lose but if we do succeed and I survive I would like a mountain for myself so I can live out my days in peace and solitude, there is a few skills I need to teach those who accept as well so you can hide yourselves from demons like me" he looked back to the others and stepped back to lean against the wall so he could listen to the others responses. |
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Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 5:07 pm
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Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 5:09 pm
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Pendleton Moore, Ex-executioner of the Wicked
Pendleton looked across the room at the woman known as the Wolf of Whitehaven, and grinned a bit. He certainty did know her reputation, though the woman bit threw him slightly for a loop, adding that detail into all the stories about her. That made three supporters of the Temple in this group. As the conversation continued, the rationale being explained for each members involvement, he figured at least this was going somewhere other than the gallows, and in his particular skill set, though the thought of working with the foul demon soured the mood a bit. Especially as he had the NERVE to question his devotion tot he path.
"The One works in mysterious ways, Hell-beast. While he might have 'saved' you previously, your usefulness to him might have ended. In all my years fighting your kind, I've encountered not single on of you who didn't deserve the fullest extent of the One's damnation, and I'm sure not going to find one in the course of my life."
As the explanation pittered out, and the Chancellor gave the ultimate motive for gathering the group, Pendleton gave a hearty laugh.
"About TIME somebody rekindled the fires of the Crusades! Temple or not, this country's been needin' a strong force for good, 'specially if this Lord Sithious figure of yours is as dark as you say. Count me in, though...."
He took a moment to rattle his manacles slightly.
"I'm going to need my guns back."
Lieutenant Colonel Lowsley and his aide, Captain Morris
Lowsley ran the woman's name through his mind a few times, trying to remember if he'd heard it before. Nothing really stood out in particular, but he vaguely remembered something about the name. As the Chancellor went on with his explanation for the group being there, Lowsley slid his sword the centimeter or two back firmly into it's sheath. The Chancellor's revelation that he had put the two of them up for execution wasn't that unexpected, though he now knew for sure it had paid off to take action against the more racially-motivated members of his force. Looking back at Captain Morris, the Kragdarrochian seemed interested int he proceedings, and had loosening his grip on the Demon Hunter. Lowsley definitely did want to see House Black wiped from existence, though he failed to see how they fit in here. As the Chancellor finished his speech, asking them to be Inquisitors, Lowsley sighed. He wasn't one for these over-glorified missions of good, but if the Chancellor had reason to need one to pit against this dark force, so be it.
"As a solider of the Dalcarian Military, I look forward taking part in this new military excursion of yours Chancellor. It certainly sounds more intriguing than sitting around reading death threats all day. I only request that when this is all said and done with, I could get the Lowsley Family assets unfrozen, so I can renovate the manor and retire."
Captain Morris, a bit more excited than his superior officer, saluted the Chancellor eagerly.
"Beats re-deployment to the Southern Isles, you've chosen and excellent group to lead a charge into Hell is seems." |
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Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 7:14 pm
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Tessa paid rapt attention to the minor lesson in history. This was the reason why the Grand Chancellor himself had requested her presence, and the presence of each one of these enigmatic characters. There was a certain weight to the way he spoke of the “inquisitors”. Tessa, of course, had heard of them. But as far as she knew, the custom had been in a lapse for two centuries. She knew they’d been demon hunters, working in the great demon war, but as many, she naturally assumed that history had been transformed into a folktale. Sparing a glance at the demon, she was forced to give it a second thought.
"You want to know what's taking power in the underworld? Well, let's get that out of the way first."
Tessa nodded.
"The thing that makes hell itself quake in fear goes by many names, but he has always called himself, to me and my family, Lord Sithious. He is not human, he is not demon, and he is not normal. There are supposed to be demon princes in the underworld, note I say 'supposed to be'. He has beaten, banished, and even killed many of the demon princes, taking some secret throne for himself. But, he has very little physical power on this planet right now, he is more of a spiritual entity for the moment." The Chancellor looked up at all of them. Tessa expected the answer before he even told them. He had the weary look of a man that had faced trials beyond her imagination, beneath his sociable exterior. ”But that is my fight, not yours." He slid his sword back into its sheath and cleared his throat.
Tessa lifted her chin as the Chancellor acknowledged her. “Well, once upon many times, the information you brokered was being brokered to me.”
Tessa smiled with a hint of pride. House Black had tuned her skills in espionage and research. Once she was let loose from their hold, it was like a leaking hurricane. As a rule, to thank a small group of unorganized rebels for smuggling her out, as well as possibly giving her child safe passage out of the capital, she had spread her web. Slowly, she made connections with other rebels, forming an sketchy underground, but as she grew momentum, her information brokering had a ripple effect. Of course she had dealt with the Royal Intelligence Agency during the civil war, taking personal interest in the rise in their power under the surface against the Old Chancellor and House Black. The compliment made her blush, but she quickly squashed herself down back into straight faced composure.
“I kept tabs on you, like I do most people, but when I started to dig into your history,” he said. Her reaction, to that, was hardly noticeable. A breath let out smoothly in time with his mention of her history, the corners of her eyes wrinkling briefly as if something sharp had only brushed against her. “…certain things started to catch my attention. I had someone working for me send the letter directly to you as well, which was easy enough. Don't worry though, you have kept yourself hidden away very well, my men just happen to be some of the best when it comes to finding hidden things.”
As he turned to the pair of soldiers, she thought hard beneath her mask. It was instinct, after the years of being underground. She wasn’t rash enough to ask him what he knew about her history among others. It’s safe to assume he knows everything, including the lycanthropy. Still, I thought I took measures against the agency’s noses. They’ve grown more influential since the war ended, I suppose.
“…you were with House Black.” Tessa snapped to attention like the hammer of a pistol. If she hadn’t been so jumpy from the full moon’s approach, she would have composed a reaction like that. Even if it had been the street. But inside the Chancellor’s chambers the mention of House Black members hit her like an uppercut to the nose, smelling of coal and blood.
“I was actually thinking about killing both of you, House Black was as well. But I noticed in the reports that there were no mentions of attempted genocide of the native population, no death camps set up, nothing that indicated to me that you were following the racist agenda of the old state. So, I figured that maybe, just maybe you gentlemen were a little like me, and maybe just maybe you wanted revenge on House Black.”
Their lack of outright genocide indicated…The Chancellor figured? Gentlemen! Men from House Black! She bit her tongue. The shield of her self-control was as thin as paper, but she managed to cross her arms and scowl instead of leap for their throats. It was the first time she’d come close to revealing her true feelings on her face. Any closer to the full moon and she could not have promised such control. She barely saw the point of staying still over flinging her knives. She forced her eyes to the floor and listened to the others’ introductions. Dante Kullorin, a reputable witch hunter loyal through the civil war to The One’s temple. Vashani, the Lishundan. She remembered the reputation on that one, finally. He was the Capulets’ infamous duelist. Crimson. Kimi, an assassin with a part in several deaths during the civil war. She wondered whose.
By the time the Chacellor arrived at Aydan Mckay, Tessa had cooled down. Her heart beat still thrummed heavily. Aydan Mckay. Tessa didn’t need the affirmation of her nickname. She was the Wolf of Whitehaven. Taking into account the imagination of her contacts in Witehaven, she was disappointed that the description was not accurate in the least. There were…suspicions Tessa had about the name’s origin. And it was interesting how tight-lipped and vague those origins were.
And last of all, Jack was introduced. She recognized his face from posters, and although she’d been careful to avoid direct contact with one of the most infamous rebel gangs, her web was spread through his organization as well. He’d been arrested that morning. So he was one of these chosen as well.
“Well my friends, it's really quite simple. I could have chosen a hundred other people or more to do this job, but you all did something that a hundred other people didn't do. You gave me a feeling in my gut, a force telling me you were the ones I should trust. Well, I sincerely hope I wasn't wrong, because I'm not asking you to simply kill demons. I'm asking you to be the first Inquisitors in Dalcaria in over 200 years.”
Tessa remained silent until several of the guests had said their acceptance.
Then she opened her mouth.
“How much?” she demanded, her voice uncharacteristically rough, and a scowl on her mouth. She had no illusions about this request. The Chancellor was asking her to face down demons, and with a rag tag group he’d spied on and slapped together, without an ounce of trust to bond them. And he was asking her to be comrades with House Black scum, if she wasn’t mistaken. |
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 12:36 am
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Username: Korn on a Stik Name: I have held many names through the centuries: Enki, Zosimos, Johann Faust, Nicholas Flamel, Victor Frankenstein. Now I go by Harold Dobbs. Age: As old as the magic he wields. Gender: Male Race/Nationality/Species: Vampire Orientation: Straight Personality: A reclusive intellectual above all else. I used to be lively and full of passion, but now I have grow cold and callous to the world. Rank: Outcast of the Vampire elders. Occupation: Alchemist Education: He learned alongside most of the pioneers of magic use, and basically originated chemical science and magic. Factions: Vampire Elders, Dalcarian Office of Science and Magic Religion/Philosophy: The Elder Gods Political Ideals: None Biography: One of the original vampires, Harold helped found the art of alchemy and most other chemical based sciences. As an elder Vampire, Harold held a lofty position in the Vampiric aristocracy, but resented most of this fellow "noble-bloods". They were pompous and slothful, caring nothing for advancement or attaining new knowledge. For most of his youth Harold was absorbed with his work and thought that nothing else in the world could possibly interest him. Then he met Julia. Julia the Fair she was called, but she was far more than fair. She was glorious. Although Julia was a human, he loved her dearly and she loved him, so much so that she allowed Harold to turn her into a vampire as well. They were married and Harold all but abandoned his research (which at the time was metallic transmutation) and turned his back entirely to the rest of their race to devote all his time to her. Harold (then known as Enki) lived happily for several hundred years. But then calamity struck. Julia became ill, for vampires are susceptible to certain mortal afflictions, and within half a century she passed away. Harold was crushed, but his passionate devotion to Julia did not let him simply wallow for more than a decade. Harold set to work, determined find the key to resurrection and immortality. How did you end up at the Palace: For as long as Dalcaria has been prosperous Harold has been taking contracts from the Dalcarian monarchy to supplement his dwindling fortune as an outcast vampiric aristocrat. Now Harold has been summoned by the new Grand Chancellor to take on a job like none other he has undertaken before for Dalcaria. Skills: Chemistry and Alchemy are his fortes. Harold is also proficient in conjuration and general wizardry, and has even dabbled in necromancy. Transportation: A horse drawn carriage with horses that can drive it themselves (of course trained with heavy magic use). Home: A lair carved into a cliff face very far from Durelieus. Likes: My wife, alchemy, chemistry, classical music and literature, other powerful minds. Dislikes: Mortals, imbeciles, other vampires, fire. Weapons: His magic, and if he must stoop to physical combat his claws. Clothing/Armor: A well tailored suit. Nothing special about it other than the price tag. Powers: Alchemic transfiguration, conjuration, basic wizardry. Picture:  |
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 1:46 am
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(OOC: Howdy all! Looking forward to adventuring with all of you. Hope my late entrance can be forgiven!
Edit: also, I'll make a prettier posting style than this first one. I just wanted to get on the grid ASAP)
The unusually light "clip clop" of horses hooves flitted and weaved through the streets of Durelieus. Those who cared to look up as the maroon carriage wizzed past would be taken aback at the lack of a driver directing the pair of steeds. Yet somehow, the carriage took turns cleanly and smoothly, the horses never seeming without precise direction. Once gaining access to the inner streets of the city, the carriage's destination was clear: the palace. At the outer gates, the occupant slid his left window open and presented a document confirming his membership to the Office of Science and Magic. The carriage glided up the promenade to the front doors of the palace.
There, the sole occupant creaked open his door and stepped out. The occupant was clad in a thick, heavy cloak, his face completely shadowed. Light would not touch thise man's face. At a wave of his hand, the carriage clattered off to the palace stables where the horses would mysteriously manage to unhitch themselves and join the palace horses in grazing.
From there it was a matter of weaving through the many guarded passages of the palace. At each point the stranger showed a new document, a letter from the Grand Chancellor himself, to grant him access further into the palace. At each check point, when the guards attempted to escort him, the stranger would raise a hand and say, "I know the way." Then briskly brushed past them.
One pair of guards, a pair of seasoned veterans, actually recognized the fellow and gave a wary bow as he passed. They knew the nature of this man's business would be with the Chancellor, and would be of a nature they wanted no part of.
The final door was where the fellow allowed himself to be escorted in by the guards. For formality's sake, or course. The doors of the room of stratagem may or may not alert the occupants to a newcomer's presence, as there is already lively conversation in full swing. If you can call Chancellor Bond lecturing on lore, espionage, and the present supernatural playing field. So, stopping halfway between the door and the moderate crowd gathered before Bond and his map, Harold Dobbs decided to make his arrival known.
"Greetings, Boy King," Harold called, decidedly crisp and lightly amused in speech, "For what grand purpose does His Excellency summon the lonely Old Alchemist?"
While Bond had not been called a "boy" by anyone for many years, he was still very young for being a ruler of such caliber. Besides, in comparison to Harold's age, all the occupants of this room were but babes. The only possible exception would be the rather impressive demon looming over the group.
Harold feared no opposition to his nickname for the Chancellor, not because of any misconception of the Chancellor's power and prowess, but in confidence of the man's emotional stability and intellectual sensibility. For if naught else, Grand Chancellor Bond was a sensible man. Certainly Harold's favorite quality of the fascist overlord. For now, Harold payed little heed of the others occupying the room. They would reveal themselves in time. For now, superficial observation would do fine.
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 1:33 pm
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James
James was slightly surprised by Aydan's comment, and laughter. He stood for just a moment considering what she said and smiled slyly. "Thank you Aydan, your blade will be of great help. As for your teachers though, I have no fears of the Temple coming after me. If they will attack me, it will be politically... For the time. And if you wish for no payment, then so be it, I shall respect your wish."
Turning his attention to Crimson now, James gave a nod with his smile. "I appreciate your decision to help Crimson. And yes, many of you have skills and resources you can make use of, and I hope you will make use of them all. As for teaching the others your skills Crimson, I approve of the idea, but many people here I suspect are unsure of such things. I only ask that you do what must be done in due time. Also, there are many mountains in Dalcaria, so I'm sure we can spare one for you. Perhaps while you're on your travels you might see one you like." James nodded to Crimson again in appreciation.Jack
Jack allowed himself to gaze over at the demon for another moment. "Aye, I do have my resources... But if I do involve myself in this whole thing, I'm going to need to be very careful with them. I don't want any of my people paying for mistakes I make." He said somewhat somberly as he looked to James. "I guess I'll join too, and as for payment... Well, we can talk about that later. Part of me feels like I'd rather just not be remembered for this, if that's possible."James looked at Jack and nodded understandingly to his requests. "Well Jack, I'll see what I can do. But sadly, you probably are asking the most out of everyone. It's not easy to keep such a big lie going for so long." Black Jack lowered his head slightly, but nodded in agreement. "Alright sir, I understand. Just please do what you can, if it isn't too much to ask." Jack started to rattle his chains a bit too. "Also, my freedom would be nice." He said with a bit of a joking smile.There was a brief moment where James allowed himself to look over this 'Black Jack' fellow, trying to figure out what was going on in his mind. He finally smiled and nodded though. "Consider yourself free. I'll have my guards take those chains off before you leave." James turned now to face Pendleton and held back a chuckle.
"Well Mr. Moore, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but this isn't some sort of over zealous crusade. There will be no village burning, no killing of non-believers, nothing that would end up hurting innocents. I've heard you're a good man, but understand that right now, your country needs you to fight and kill only its enemies, not its allies. I want you to consider all civilians that are not committing crimes of murder or worse as allies. Likewise, please consider all the people in this room as allies." James looked over Pendleton once more, trying to get a feel for what the old man might be thinking as well. "Oh, and you will be freed and given your weapons back before you leave as well, my guards will take care of that."
Allowing his eyes to now change to looking at Lowsley and Morris, James smiled at their very militaristic outlook on things. "Well gentlemen, I'm glad for your help. Mr. Lowsley, consider your family assets unfrozen. A barrister will be by within a few days to finish up the paperwork for everything, and I'll have it mailed to you at your nearest convenience. I trust you are a man who will get the job done, so you'll likely receive the papers before your mission is over." James looked at Morris and remained slightly serious. "I appreciate your enthusiasm as well, but the Southern Isles is still a sad affair for me. I understand no man or woman wanting to do battle there, but I may have to do something soon." James let his thoughts drift for a moment as he thought of the near genocide going on there, but allowed himself to quickly move along without drawing attention to his own thoughts.
James was surprised to hear Tessa's demand of how much she would be paid. He turned to look at her, and as he studied her for a moment, he figured she was angry about something, what it was he wasn't entirely sure though. Then it dawned on him. He didn't look in their direction, but he was fairly sure this had something to do with Lowsley and Morris. James made no mention of it and instead just moved onto her comment. "How much? Well, name a price and I'll see what I can do. I have a hard time putting maximum limits on things, so I'd rather just see if what you're thinking is doable or not."
Before James could continue, he noticed the door open and someone else walk in. Then that was followed by 'greeting' by the man now in the room. James smirked as he replied. "Boy? Perhaps. King? Hardly. I leave kingly things to the Clarion family, I have no right to make claims to any throne." James bowed his head slightly, mostly in respect to the late king. "As for the grand purpose, it's quite simple, 'Alchemist'. I know you had an... interesting history with our late monarchs, and I'm afraid your services may be needed again. Demons are coming back in a fuller force than the last demon war. I need you and these fine people to fight as Inquisitors. You seem to be the only people, at the moment, who could take on an army of demons, and they person leading them." A sarcastic smile crossed James' face again as he began to think more deeply about his last words. He'd let everyone say what they needed to say before he explained more. |
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 1:35 pm
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 3:15 pm
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Kimi
Kimi watched those around him wondering what they would do, he noticed James nod at his comment and felt slightly relieved that he wasn't gonna demand his secrets. When Jack spoke up vocalizing more or less what he had been thinking only for James to counter with the mention of payment and freedom, his mind particularly focused on the payment part since he was already free. He listened only partially afterwords as he found himself wondering just what he would ask for as compensation, he didn't really need money but really when it came down to it he already knew what he would ask for, he wasn't sure though if he should.
Kimi raised an eyebrow when one of the feral woman with red hair laughed in response to the Chancellor saying that he wanted them to be the new inquisitors then with a oddly wolfish grin accepted the position this was followed by the demon, Crimson, attempting to convince the rest of them to join then accepting the job himself. Kimi started to feel that maybe he should go ahead and accept as well though he wouldn't do it for free.
Thats when the other woman asked how much he would compensate them to which the chancellor mentioned to just name a number, Kimi himself was about to speak up to ask for what he wanted in payment only for someone new to show up, the man had an oddly ancient air about him even though he actually didn't look much older than most of them. The fact that he called James boy king didn't help with the air about him that made him seem way older than anyone already there, well except maybe the demon no way to tell his age without asking. He glanced back to James to see how he would react to this new comer who was being very casual, the chancellor himself was surprisingly respectful to the man who called himself Alchemist. They talked of the past where the man apparently helped the monarchs of the past, which made it obvious that the man was much older than he looked and probably not human like the demon.
When the chancellor fell silent Kimi took the silence as his chance to speak up and set his terms "Um I don't have much need for money but I would like it if you send what you would pay me and split it among the orphanages then if you can make me a false identity, I have one already but well its not perfect and if you and your people made one it would be, at least as close to perfect as it can be." What Kimi didn't mention was that he was planning to use that false identity to get a job at one of the orphanages and just let Kimi the assassin disappear after it was all over. Though all this depended on the Chancellor accepting and Kimi living through being an inquisitor for however long the job lasts. |
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