RP:Context Is For Kings

Part of the The Whisperer In Darkness Arc

This is a Necromancer's Guild RP.

Summary: G'breel Loorkah, a preklek in human disguise going by Gabriel, sets out to find a replacement for the two priests of Delisha and Vakmathras that were slain by the group of adventurers sent by Lionel. After a bit of research, Gabriel settles on Bradyn Mahara and makes himself known to the vampire, ultimately drawing the necromancer and devout follower of Vakmathras to his side.

House Mahara, Vailkrin

Khitti || G’breel Loorkah did not have the most appealing of faces--would you if you looked like a walking, talking gecko? At least he wasn’t selling insurance on top of that. After much hiding and tooling around with his illusion device, fixing it after his run-in with those meddling adventurers (and that damned feline too!), G’breel was once again in his human form. Gabriel, as he was known in this disguise, looked, smelled, sounded and for all intents and purposes -was- human. Sometimes, even -he- forgot he was a preklek. Sans crude, ritual face paint this time around, Gabriel stalked through Vailkrin in search of one man--a vampire, as it so happens--that might be able to help him. The rituals -must- continue, Gabriel’s master demanded it. It had already started up, thankfully, what with those same adventurers having unleashed the survivors of that island on Venturil and its byrgs, but it wasn’t enough. He needed someone with power--someone tied to dark magic.

Khitti || The seemingly 50 year old male--though still sprightly in step and with barely a grey hair--made his way to House Mahara, stopping just in front of the door. He adjusted his leather trenchcoat and pants (these things were like a godsend; it was almost as if he were still in his own scaly skin), made his hair slightly more presentable, knocked on the door, and waited. It was not She-Who-Would-Be-Queen that attracted Gabriel to Vailkrin--she prove to be too much of an obvious choice. No. There’d been whispers of another, perhaps even more devout soul in the City of Darkness: one Bradyn Mahara. Whenever the door would be answer, the servant would be addressed with a calm, cool, unaffected voice that said, “Gabriel Loorkah to see Bradyn Mahara.” There was no appointment, no call for such a meeting beforehand. Gabriel was just present and looked the part of all Vailkrin goers and he hoped that would be enough for a meeting with the head of household.

Bradyn || It would not be Bradyn that answers the door, no. Kharis, as usual, would be the one who deals with filtering any guests that come to House Mahara. It was not a daily occurrence, to say the least, that a visitor came requesting a visit with Bradyn and Gabriel is not immediately turned away. Guests that Bradyn is more familiar with tend to be shown to some other part of the house, often the library. This is not the case today, Gabriel's name is not one that Kharis has been familiarized with. The man is instructed to wait in the foyer. Kharis leaves, moving up a grandiose flight of stairs to search the house for Bradyn. Gabriel can likely hear the sound of doors opening and closing above, silence for a minute, and then more signs of movement. The person that comes into sight and begins to descend the staircase is not Kharis, but the Maharan that Gabriel hopes to have a conversation with. His appearance is the norm for Bradyn, pressed blacks predominantly worn with a crisp white shirt being the only deviation from his preferred color choice. “Gabriel Loorkah. This is not a name I am familiar with. I do not believe that we have ever had the chance to meet. And yet you are before me, a total stranger, wishing to speak. Which means you want something. What.”

Khitti || On the inside, Gabriel was smirking. -A lot-. On the outside however, a slender dark brow was raised and a hand cooly ran through his equally dark hair in attempt to keep that demeanor of his as calm as it was when he approached. “Trouble has been brewing in the west and I’d like some assistance. I’m a priest of Vakmathras and my island home was attacked by a bunch of self-absorbed adventurers--several paladins amongst them. All led by some pregnant redhead with a frightfully nasty holy sword.” Gabriel paused, took a breath. Was his irritation towards his loss of the island showing? Would that sort of emotion even bend Bradyn to his will? With that initial reaction from Bradyn, Gabriel supposed not and promptly composed himself. “I mean to re-establish myself in Venturil and its surrounding byrgs. Spread the word of the death god there. It’s something that was a long time coming, but those that were helping me on the island were mercilessly slain and their good work put to a halt. To get more to the point, Mr. Mahara, I’m coming to you because I’d like you to help me spread Vakmathras’ will. I have some followers working to do this already, but they are mere peasants. You are someone of power. Someone for people to look up to. You are more than they and I’m certain you’re the right choice amongst the rest of those that serve Him in this city to further your service to him.”

Bradyn || What emotion could Gabriel prey upon to try and get Bradyn to bend to his will? There are not many emotions to be used against he vampiric male — but he does have a strong since of loyalty to the few things that he has devoted himself to: House Mahara, necromancy, and Vakmatharas. Mention of the pregnant redhead with the holy sword does not really even bleep on Bradyn’s radar, he has been too out of the loop with all things Khitti to really come to the realization that she was the menace that Gabriel speaks of. But as a devote follower of Vakmatharas, talk of anyone causing trouble for the God of Death is of concern for Bradyn. It seems that Gabriel has honed in on the proper subject matter. “I do not often venture out in that direction. There has never been much cause for me to travel that way, I did not even realize there was a following for Vakmatharas in that area.” Bradyn might have sounded skeptical, except his voice rarely broke from monotone and this conversation would be no different. The vampire was not too keen on the word ‘help’ as of late though. A lot of people were making that request of him. Help me rid of the forest of this disease? Please. But the underlying cause of this request, Bradyn could see plenty of reason to offer support, but he would try and not just blindly agree, “And just what sort of help do you think that I will be able to offer you? Preaching to the masses?” Bradyn was definitely skeptical on that point, he was far from charming or alluring.

Khitti || It was just as well, perhaps, that Bradyn was out of the loop. Who knew what sort of feelings he harbored for that redhead? Not anything major, of course, but just because he’d worked with Khitti, there could’ve been something, even miniscule, that might keep Bradyn from assisting Gabriel and that would not do. Gabriel chuckled somewhat, “If that’s what you’d like to do, but I’m more of a straight-to-the-point sort of guy. I’d much rather guide their faith by force. My followers are doing the preaching currently while I looked for aid, but that is not my way. And if they do not comply? If they do not see our master’s way? Well… that is where you might come in. Do you know much of Vakmathras’ rituals for sacrifice? I have one in particular I’m quite fond of. It’d been written by the high priest and high priestess on the island, for it was to combine the efforts of Vakmathras and Delisha, but it can certainly be re-written to suit your needs, should you wish to help.” Gabriel eyed Bradyn’s attire carefully, taking in every ironed and starched bit carefully, “It -is- all manner of gory though… and while, you are obviously a vampire, not all will be apt to do such things. It is understandable if you are such. Unfortunate, but understandable. I could always seek out… oh what is her name… Dragana?”

Bradyn saw those last few sentences for what they were, it was no secret that House Mahara and House Dragana are not always on civil terms. Most of the time they are not. These words earn Gabriel a ghost of a smirk but it does not linger for long. “I am familiar with only some of the rituals.” Bradyn has given more of his attention to other studies, the rituals of Vakmatharas have not been a major focus. Plus he was not a priest, there may be many a ritual he is just not privy to, plain and simple. Still, this far Bradyn actually -liked- what he was hearing. It sounded like a chance for mayhem and in the long run...did that not benefit the god of death? One way or another, by enlisting his aid, Bradyn has determined that he would be doing right by Vakmatharas. “I would not be surprised if I am not familiar with the exact ritual you wish to perform, but I have no issue with exercising force where need be.” Gory or not. Bradyn will not even address the jab about him being concerned about his attire. “I suppose that if we could rework the ritual to suit my needs, that means you would have no issue with my making a study of the ritual before hand.” A faint lift of the brow. “And I also presume that you did not bring anything that has been written for this ritual with you today? If you did not, then I suppose I will simply have to travel out to Venturil at your leisure so that I can see the everything for myself.” Bradyn assumed that one way or another he was going to need to travel to Venturil.

Khitti || “Oh, as it happens, I certainly do. Here.” Gabriel reached into his beloved leather coat and extracted from a pocket the written ritual. “You can see where I’ve made adjustments--feel free to rewrite it to make it more legible if you wish. But no part of it can be changed. It is will only work the way it is written, as deemed by those poor priests.” Gabriel dipped his head somewhat in a nod, “Come as swiftly as you can to Diernebyrg--that is where we will set you up. It’s nearby the Dead Forest. I’m certain it will be like home to you there, in the darkness. I have already started a ritual to force it into such.” The ritual itself detailed quite a bit: chanting to be provided by some of those aforementioned followers Gabriel scavenged from the island, a sacred grove nearby to be defiled and made fit for Vakmathras’ will. Ingredients and such were also laid out for vampire, to which Gabriel added, an index finger pointing to the list, “If you’d like to procure your own ingredients--should you be that particular about it--then that’s perfectly fine. Otherwise, I will send for them once you reach Venturil.”

Bradyn takes hold of the scroll but is not quick to unfurl it, he would wait until Gabriel makes his departure. As swiftly as he can, in this case, would be after Bradyn has made a detailed study of the ritual. The last time he took someone’s word on the intention and purpose of a ritual, things went entirely awry. He was mad at a certain redhead for awhile after that, she did not think highly of his attitude either. Lesson learned, and Gabriel’s cooperation in this only served to ease Bradyn’s suspicions about Gabriel. “Procure the ingredients as you see fit, you have more at stake in the success of this ritual than I do.” Of course Bradyn would make inspection of them when the time came. But first, he needed to study this scroll. It would be three days time before Bradyn actually departs for Venturil — or Diernebyrg, to be more specific.

Khitti || Gabriel would nod again, this time a glimmer of a greedy grin playing on his lips, but only momentarily. “As you wish, Mr. Mahara. We will see each other quite soon.” He would allow Bradyn every accommodation, for it would all prove fruitful in the end. Gabriel’s master would certainly be pleased, and now it was time for him to return to the aforementioned nameless dark entity. Pivoting on his boot heels, the preklek-in-disguise gave Bradyn a half wave over his shoulder and disappeared into Vailkrin’s darkness.