RP:Necromancers Wanted

Part of the Home Sweet Home Arc

This is a Necromancer's Guild RP.

Summary: Bradyn meets with Gilwen to hear out her request. She would like help fixing a curse, and while Bradyn may be telling her is he is willing to help...He lies.

Cenril Library

Bradyn Mahara,

I am on the hunt for skilled Necromancers, and I was suggested your name by a fellow guild member of yours- Celaeno. If you would grant me an audience, in which I'd attempt to persuade you to lend your skill and aid, I ask that you respond with a meeting time and location that is most convient for you. My courier has been instructed to wait until a reply has been made, to save you the trouble of delivery.

Thank you,

Gilwen

______

It was always a toss up as to where Bradyn could be found. Perhaps he could be found somewhere in Vailkrin, like House Mahara or the Black Library, or perhaps it was Cenril. Where this courier is sent probably depends on what Celaeno told her, but hopefully she suggested the courier try the funeral parlor in Cenril. The courtier would be sent back to Gilwen armed with a date, time and location. The location was the library within Cenril, seeing no reason to have Gilwen risk a dangerous trek through Vailkrin to meet him at his home. The date and time? Sufficient enough for the courier to be able to locate Gilwen, for preparations to be made for her own journey, and to allow time for her to travel. When she arrives the library, Bradyn is already there -- sticking out like a sore thumb. The man, dressed in his usual black attire save for his crisp, white button down shirt was standing near the entrance of the library. Standing and waiting for a woman he knows nothing about, not even a vague idea of what she looks like.

The courier had been dispatched to Vailkrin, and then redirected to Cenril, and finally back to Gilwen, who, having expected to meet the vampire at his home, was pleasantly surprised by the change in local. She sat out, her typical entourage of three armed elves journeying with her, and made it to the coastal town with time to spare; she had wanted to try the new bakery on Merchant Street before meeting with Bradyn.

The vista was sparsely populated with tourists, typically couples who sought out to see the sights provided by the cliff’s overlook, but few wandered towards the library. Despite the handful of people who meandered through the immediate vicinity, Gilwen and company painted a telling picture of country folk; instead of the light materials and brighter colors typically worn by the denizens of Cenril, the elves were garbed in leathers and earthy colors, and bows and quivers of arrows were slung over the majority’s shoulder- Gilwen being the only exception. As the group approached the library, the fiery headed elf’s gaze bounced over each face presence, taking stock essentially, before landing on Bradyn’s visage. He seemed almost as out of place as she and her kin did. “Bradyn Mahara?” She ventured as she approached the man, a thin brow lifted quizzically. The lilt of her voice rolled her r’s, the accent clearly carried over from her natural tongue.

'Civil wars' -- someone decided it was a good idea to create tension with Vailkrin. Not every vampiric house within Vailkrin was stirred by her pleas, Mahara was not one of them, but it was still nuisance enough that this is why Gilwen would be directed toward Cenril over Vailkrin. Gilwen and the company she is with are given a quick but studious look before the Maharan vaguely confirms his identity in a round about way. "If I had known you had an entourage then I would have just sent you to Vailkrin." Hi. Hello. How are you. Nice to meet you. These social pleasantries seem to be eluding the vampire, just like he does not offer her a hand to shake. "Are you comfortable speaking here? I am afraid the only more secluded place within Cenril that I could offer is the funeral parlor. It is not an environment suited to the tastes of most individuals..." If she choose for that option, then Bradyn would stiffly lead the way. Otherwise, Gilwen was free to navigate through the library to an area she deems suitable for a private discussion. Bradyn would follow. Cenril's library was not a small one, plenty of out-of-earshot tables could, but they might even get lucky and be able to locate a study room.

Gilwen looked back at the three flanking elves who composed her entourage before returning her gaze back to Bradyn, "Precaution. It seems Lithrydel has been touched more liberally with madness these days." The lack of a handshake seemed to go without notice, and she stepped past the vampire to explore the bowels of the library. She had only been here once in the recent years, but she had a general understanding of the layout, and easily enough, she located a secluded round table among shelves of history books. Gilwen sat in one of the four seats, while her company moved off to scout the immediate vicinity. "I wish to ask your assistance in helping me rid Sage of Tiphareth's plague. I am in need of skilled Necromancers." Quick to the point, she pulled a small folded letter from a pocket on her person, and slid it across to Bradyn. "The ink has been enchanted to fade completely within a few hours. It contains all the details of the plague, the acreage affected, and a rough description on how exactly we plan to remove the the curse." She paused, and studied his features carefully before adding, "There is pay involved."

Bradyn would follow and have a seat when Gilwen does, the elf is not keen on trying to make any amount of small talk which is something that Bradyn appreciates. It may be the only thing that the necromancer has an appreciation for as he listens to what she wants, but that is not something that is going to show on his face. The vampiric male has long mastered keeping emotion from reflecting on facade or in voice. Mention of pay would have normally offended Bradyn, who had access to significant enough financial resources that he really did not need to work at the funeral parlor in Cenril. That was more of a...hobby. The name Tiphareth did not escape his attention either. The note is taken and the details of it are examined in silence, careful attention is paid to the rough plan that Gilwen has laid out to follow. "Everything in necromancy comes with a price and the price that one might pay for breaking a curse woven together by someone as capable as Tiphareth would be a great price indeed."

Gilwen watched Bradyn has he studied the information she had passed to him, and despite a lack of expression that might betray a semblance of hope, the elf seemed to exude a heavy exhaustion- whether it was the set of her shoulders, or the way her normal breathing pattern was peppered with longer, deeper in and exhales that weren't quite classified a sigh. The truth of the matter was she was exhausted. She was tired of journeying across Lithrydel to locate those who could help her people, and she was tired of stretching herself between her own needs, those of her fellow elf, and then those affected by the injustices of Larket and Kahran. But she was determined to see all of it through. "I won't begin to pretend to understand the intricacies of Necromancy. It's my understanding that the more concentrated aspect of the curse has already been unraveled, now it's just plucking the remaining threads from the forest. If you are not willing to assist us, can you perhaps point me in the direction of another necromancer who might?"

“I did not say that I was unwilling, I was however trying to make sure you fully understood that the cost of what you are asking may prove to be high.” Bradyn may have a preference for masking the few emotions that he does have. He may not usually care what others think of him, if they are put off in his demeanor or not. In this instance the vampiric necromancer was seeing reason to behave in a rather uncharacteristic manner. A smile, a ghost of one, fleetingly crosses his lips in an attempt to reassure Gilwen of his willingness to help. “Besides, there are not many necromancers who have studied enough to even begin to unravel Tiphareth’s work.” Bradyn himself may not even be advanced enough? But he stands to have more of a chance than Celaeno and Nasada. “Who else are you going to ask outside of me? Larewen? It is my understanding that you have already been in communication with her about a curse? Perhaps this one? Most people are not unfortunate enough to have to deal with multiple curses in their lives.” A brow is lifted.

Gilwen always harbored a faint unease when reaching out for outside assistance, especially with something so personal and delicate as the cleansing of Sage. While many of the elves could boast their prowess with spellwork, very few remaining in the enclave could claim knowledge of the necromantic arts. It was for that reason along that she had began seeking help in the matter, and it was also for that reason that Gilwen was willing to pay any monetary value to acquire the help she sought. Of course, she assumed that the price Bradyn referred to was in regards to money, or perhaps it was future assistance in the political war Larewen was constructing in Vailkin. Regardless, she'd find a way to pay. "I've asked Larewen as well as Celaneo. I'm still hunting for more Necromancers, should Larewen find herself too consumed by her own machinations to lend her assistance again. But yes, it was this curse that I had spoken to Larewen about." She pushed herself from her seat in the next moment, and seconds later, her entourage had returned to escort her elsewhere. "I would be appreciative if you could perhaps send me the names of one or two more skilled necromancers that I might be able to call upon. In the coming weeks, I'll send word of a date and time to meet again in Sage to begin work. Thank you for meeting with me." She nodded towards him in farewell and left.