RP:The Devil In I
Part of the Through The Looking-Glass: Return To Wonderland Arc
This is a Devout's Guild RP.
This is a Necromancer's Guild RP.
Summary: Khitti rejoins the Necromancer's Guild, while simultaneously insulting and praising Bradyn and Lorkain, and also openly admitting to wanting to show Quintessa Dragana the pointy end of her swords.
The Death Cult Temple, Vailkrin
Bradyn Mahara might have long surpassed the requirement for having to come to this space with the hope that Lorkain might tolerate him enough for tutoring, and yet here he was. This space still had many benefits to him, it was a great training space and even he would be foolish to not continue to put it to good use. Plus Lorkain still had a wealth of knowledge that Bradyn would love to continue to tap into. Most curious to Bradyn was the fact that Lorkain was a lich, an interest of his that really no one else knows about. Bradyn is not so brazen as to try and speak openly about these curiosities. He's more casual with his attempts. The vampire instead attempts to make periodic visits to the Death Cult Temple, where he trains and continues to hone his skills in the dark arts. Summoning this, reanimating that, and then before he leaves he tries to convince Lorkain that it would be nice to have a private audience with him, there are questions and curiosities, etc etc. And thus far Lorkain has denied every request. It's a good thing these are only periodic visits, it would be tiring if Bradyn did this daily. It's only like every two weeks. This is what Khitti comes in on though, Bradyn wants to chat...Lorkain is effectively telling Bradyn no...and Bradyn being forced to handle this rejection gracefully, or else....
Khitti || Passing through the usual portal on the east side of Vailkrin sometimes got a bit tiring, the walk through the town itself boring. In at least this way, Khitti and Bradyn were alike: it really hadn’t taken much to quickly lose interest in things--or in people, rather. Perhaps it was a curse of vampirism--even for those that no longer possessed the “gift” as some called it. Even just the thought of seeing the same people day in and day out for centuries was just… not particularly appealing. Of late, Khitti had even less patience with the living and the undead and it showed now as she shadow-stepped through the central training facility and headed down towards the Death Cult Temple in an effort to avoid everyone that might speak to her. That was one of the many reasons she loved the cemetery, why she wanted to go there now--it was so goddamn quiet that she might be able to sort through her own thoughts there. That… was not a thing that would happen tonight. No, tonight she’d run into Bradyn and Lorkain, much to everyone’s dismay. The redhead caught the tail-end of the conversation, olive-green eyes shifting from vampire to lich and back again, a crimson brow raised in slight curiosity. “Have the rules changed in this guild since I helped implement new ones? Is it now commonplace to reject someone’s quest for knowledge, whatever it might pertain to?” Her attention slid back to Lorkain, a look of disdain and disappointment written on her features, her words harboring a tone of annoyance, “Perhaps I -shouldn’t- rejoin the guild, if that’s the case.”
Bradyn :: Most might going wide-eyed with the response that Khitti gives to Lorkain in light of his rejection to Bradyn...but these are two undead beings here, the reaction that Khitti gets is completely lacking in passion. It's Lorkain that speaks first, "I would have thought that you were aware that my obligations to train only apply to the lower levels of the dark arts." And even Lorkain has a reputation for being one of the more harsh tutors that can be sought out. Bradyn offers nothing on this subject, Lorkain could speak for himself and really...he was not sure he cared for Khitti to learn of his want to turn himself into a lich. Lorkain may not be so unjustified in turning Bradyn down, the jerkface could kill himself if he's not careful. Neither Lorkain nor Bradyn are the personality types to lecture about attitude, they are both keenly aware that they are not the most pleasant to deal with themselves. When provoked enough, both are the sort to act upon their annoyances. And not with words. "Khitti," Bradyn says finally, "You have decided to venture into Vailkrin again." A human, in an area inhabited by vampires. Bradyn manages to contain a smirk. "I would ask you to what we owe this honor, but it sounds like you were considering rejoining the guild. Have you changed your mind so quickly? What for? Has mortality made you more sensitive than the norm?" Dear Bradyn, Khitti does punch.
Khitti sneered at Lorkain, her own attitude just as bitey, “I’m aware that you’re barely a teacher at all at times, Lorkain.” She certainly has not forgotten that one lesson here where he berated her until she resurrected a body. A smirk soon replaced the sneer, her attention shifting to Bradyn once again, “I’m in Vailkrin more than you might think, Bradyn. I’m sure that displeases you. And I’m surprised you didn’t come to this conclusion by yourself. I come to you, asking questions about Vakmathras, with my ability to conjure the Black Tides restored. Surely you had some inkling that I might… just maybe… want to rejoin. To return to my studies. As you’re likely well aware, the Light is tiresome. It’s not -home-.” Khitti might no longer be a vampire, but the demeanor of one was still very much attached to her. “I’m afraid ‘sensitive’ doesn’t cover it.” Ugh. Khitti really did want to punch both of them right now. Maybe she’d continue on after them and just go on a fiery-punchy-stabby quest throughout Vailkrin. It had the chance of tempering her irritation, even if slightly.
Bradyn shares a look with Lorkain. Both have seen their fair share of ill-tempered individuals come through these doors, but Khitti was really intent on testing both of their patience tonight. Lorkain could sit here and spend his days slinging insults back and forth with Khitti, but really it was beneath him. Nothing more than a waste of his time. He'd remember this moment though, hopefully Khitti would never need to request anything of Lorkain going forward. With Lorkain having left, Khitti and Bradyn are left to exchange words...though how much longer Bradyn was willing to do so was unclear. "You must think that you rate pretty high in my world if you think that I dwelled on our conversation for very long after you left. That I might sit there speculating if you would like to rejoin the guild, if you might need a place to continue your studies now that you find that you have mysteriously gained access to your former abilities once again. I might have found it curious, for it is indeed not the norm....But let me take a moment to remind you. You left the guild, and when you left I was not exactly a person whose company you cared for. We were not friends," does Bradyn have friends, "At best we were study partners and associates who managed to tolerate one another for the betterment of the guild. If you would like to return to the guild, I am sure we can come to an understanding...And if not, then you are quite capable of showing yourself out."
Khitti || “No, I don’t really think you’re the type to do that, Bradyn. I just felt like showing the two of you that you’re not the only one with terrible attitudes around here,” Khitti said with a smirk. “And business is different from one’s personal life. If I could work with Larewen Dragana of all people, I can certainly work with you. I’m aware we’re not friends. I’m also aware that that will likely never be the case, especially since I’m no longer a vampire. Your disgust is probably the most prominent emotion I’ve seen on you up until now, so it’s not hard to tell. That being said, we do have an understanding on at least one thing in this universe and that’s needing to know more. I need to know more about the Black Tides. I need to also do research on some individuals from the Shadow Plane. It’s not like -I- don’t have things to contribute to the guild either. Out of everyone in the guild that I knew of, before I left, I was the only one to wield the Black Tides as well as I had--and do so again. I’m not even sure if I’d be able to get my teaching job back, but as there’s still no specific teacher for that physical aspect of necromancy, I’d still be the one to go to. Because that’s where -I- excel. You know it. Larewen knew it. -Lorkain knows it-. We do not need to be friends to be… associates… co-workers… whatever the hell you want to call it. And to be perfectly honest, I’m absolutely fine with that route for pretty much every aspect of my life as of late.” Khitti’s words were all said with conviction, her lips pressed into a grim line once she was finished speaking for the moment. “Making friends is no longer an objective. I might not be dead any longer, but that side of me is.”
Bradyn responds to a bulk of what Khitti is saying with a lifted brow. It might be hard to tell, but he was really thinking about snapping her pretty little neck right about now. Not that she'd make it easy for him to do, but it'd be fun Bradyn is silent for an awkward chunk of time as he has to force himself from visualizing Khitti's death back to business. Khitti was once a leader to the Necromancer's Guild, it is not like her knowledge was lost...just the means to implement the knowledge. "Your request is both simple and complicated. Based on my understanding of things, you would be more than welcome to rejoin the guild...but as you are no longer a necromancer, you would not be able to advance through all the ranks as you were in the past. It is not yet clear to me might be transpiring with you. Your loss of your abilities is what forced you to leave the guild, it is why you began walking the path you are on now. And yet you have them back. I am sure you are seeking some of the very same answers. So until it becomes clear to the both of us if you have the full extent of your abilities back, I can admit you back into the guild at the rank of Sceleratus but I cannot give you your teaching position back. Yet."
Khitti just sort of shrugged. Even if she had had some inkling of whether or not Bradyn wanted to kill her, she didn’t seem to care. “I wasn’t expecting to get it back immediately, if even at all. Access to the books that might give me answers to my questions is all I want for now anyway. Because obviously I know full well that the guild was never quite as free with their resources like the other guilds. Nor do I want to seek those answers from places like the Mage’s Guild. I didn’t trust them when I first encountered a few of their members years ago and I certainly don’t trust them now. Even moreso because I don’t know what the frak is going on with me.” Her line of sight shifted away from the vampire to elsewhere in the room, not really fixing on any one thing. “And despite our attitudes towards one another and whatever personal feelings we might harbor, I still at least have some amount of respect for you. For him,” she said with a nod in the direction that Lorkain went. “I may not trust any of you with my life, but I certainly trust you to at least understand what others do not when it comes to the dark side of things.”
Bradyn smiles a rare smile, "We're necromancer's. You shouldn't trust us with your life...Your death on the other hand...." Maybe this could be taken as a threat, except in this moment and with this context....Bradyn was actually making a funny. Granted, a very grim and dark funny...but still. Both Bradyn and Lorkain heard the bit about respect, but neither responded to it nor would they let the tiniest compliment from Khitti go to their egos. "It seems that we have come to an understanding then. Welcome back to the guild, you know where to find me if for some reason you require my assistance with any of your studies." As these words are spoken, a familiar looking book manifests from the shadows, levitating before Khitti for her to take. "Our numbers are few like always, but there is another by the name of Quintessa. It sounds as though you two have already crossed paths, however." Based on a letter he had received from Khitti. "Were you interested in meeting with your fellow guild member, I hear she can be found at House Dragana.
Bradyn gave Khitti 1 Minor Book of Dead.
Khitti || The vampire received a smirk regarding his attempt at making a joke--dark humor was not lost on Khitti after all. She practically thrived on it. She’d take the book once it appeared before her, but… the instant Quintessa Dragana was mentioned, all semblance of niceness or happiness or any other sort of emotion of that type was wiped away. “I’d much rather allow her to meet the pointy end of one of my swords and let you do what you want with the body. But, for now, no. Our meeting will come in time. She’s well aware of what I think of her, as I told her as much during an arena match she had with that drow Gevurah recently. For her sake, I hope it ends up being a place where I’m not liable to get too… murderous. And if it should pass that it does happen, I’ll have her body sent to you so that you might find out what makes her tick and why she allowed herself to be turned by someone such as Larewen.” Here was Khitti’s own attempt at dark humor, but there was definitely a hint of “this might actually come to pass” clinging to it. Would Bradyn be upset if a guildmember found herself very much dead if he was allowed to experiment on the body? Well, she hoped not, but if there were repercussions, she’d deal with it then, if things did go down that path. The book was clung to, almost hugged against Khitti’s form like an old friend. It -was- one, after all. What was this feeling she felt? Nostalgia maybe? “If I do require your assistance with something, I’ll be sure to send word ahead of time so you can properly prepare yourself to be in the presence of a human again.” Because he hated it so much, you know. If there was nothing else, the telltale ‘bamf’ sound that came with her shadow-stepping magic would be heard as she disappeared into a cloud of smoke, her footsteps soon heard going in the direction of the exit that led to the cemetery.