RP:The beginning of the End
Background
NPCs were played by Redovian, Vajramirne, and Dyzz.
This arc is part of the Paladins Rising arc.
Dark robes fluttered, and heartbeats raced in anticipation. The meeting should already be underway, and the tension in the air was palpable. One hooded figure cursed under his breath, and another made a warding gesture. It wasn't truly a magical working, few here were foolish enough to try and work even the most feeble of magic in the presence of the altar of Vakmatharas, and the head priest that tapped his fingers upon his skull topped staff impatiently. Still... it was a curse and a warding more than they would have dared a week ago. There was something unsettling about the increasing tensions of the crowd. The priest could swear he felt some odd disturbance... That staff was topped with the skull of the last fool to dishonor Vakmatharas by giving criticism to the priest. The last robed body filed in, with baited breath, hoping his life wasn't about to end, without the promise of unlife to come. The priest raised an eyebrow, and silence fell upon the room. He slowly rose, and tapped the butt of his staff upon the ground. “My good council. Today is a day of ill tidings. We address the problem of the church, which has too much influence within Cenril of late. It is no wonder that the citizens do not flock fully to the banners of their thug lords, but the division of loyalty is unduly even. Our lord, Vakmatharas, holds no great sway here, and our agents are few. This cabal has been given the lord's blessing, though, and though few soldiers and supplies can be spared from our allies in Vailkrin, this is a time of great opportunity. We must play our hands well. Our first objective will be to escalate the violence between the church and the thug lords. We will target leaders, the showmen, the less guarded but more popular figures, and let the dogs fall upon each other, only to put the mutts down after they have ripped into each other’s throats. Cenril will be ours, by the grace of unholy Vakmatharas.” The group rumbled their agreement, and no voices raised in opposition, no other voice would be heard anyway. They were all terrified of the lich, and would not risk their eternal rewards with foolish words. A few undead death knights stood like statues in the corners, watching the gathered magi, glowing red eyes hollow and stoic. War was coming.
Meredith Jayme's plated armor jostled noisily as she stepped into the dark shrine. Even as the High Priest spoke, her fingers clenched tightly in her gauntlets. She was prepared to go to war now! All of this politicking and skulking about in the dark did not suit her warrior's nature. Even as she strode past the death knights assembled in the corner, her ornate armor and immaculate features singled her out. She showed no reserve as she approached the altar, finger pointing accusingly. "I will remind you all that we were not always so weak, and so few! This was entirely avoidable, had you acted sooner! The city should -already- be ours, bathed in the blood of the virtuous! But instead, you chose to play in the shadows." Her voice was cold, and emotionless... a perfect expression of her featureless face. "There are no more chances. If we fail here, then the scales will be forever tipped in favor of life over death. This cannot be allowed to stand."
Raenin Tydorian stands afar from the gathered group of dark priests, death knights and his fellow necromacers, his hood drawn low over his elven features. The forsaken elf's tombstone shaded eyes peer out from the shadows of his cowl at Meredith Jayme proclamation, and the emotionless mask that dominates the dark mage's alabaster features cracks with rage. His black robes, etched with blood red runes of a dark nature, flutter about as the forsaken high born grabs the withered-oak staff he carries and says. " Our lord Vakmatharas demands sacrifice, but not a foolish charge into battle that will only cement the Church's victory against us! " Raenin stares down Meredith Jayme, as he continues with. " And your wanton blood lust will only result in all of our deaths, and the disfavor of He Who Walks in the Shadows!" The necromancer now turns upon the crowd, and says aloud for all to hear. " The great undeath awaits us all! But we must remain in the shadows until our strength is able to crush our enemies! We shall wait out this cleansing of the Church, and in the end, death shall claim all!" More than a few shout their approval of the forsaken elf's preaching, but many do not...
The high priest clicked his shriveled up tongue at the entrance of the death knight. This was the one warrior he had so much trouble keeping a reign on. Blessed as she was, her rank put her on par with his own rule, but she still had to acquiesce to his decisions. It was always a knights duty to follow their priesthood, the dark ones were no exception. Still, so much that had once seemed known had become muddled, less predictable. He had to reign her in once more. "The time for bloodshed is nigh. However, we haven't the forces for a true assault. Such would be a fools errand. Our necromancers are taxed by the struggles in Vailkrin, we haven't undead legions to throw around carelessly. Demons do not answer the calls of our warlocks. And our death knights dream too much, and throw themselves upon their enemies blades trying to capture those fools' dreams." He said this last bit with a sneer. "We will attack covertly, and your blade will taste blood when Vakmatharas commands it, and no sooner." The robed magi were hushed, but the tension had increased all the more. Some agreed with Meredith, but most of them were terrified of the church, while they had so few numbers. Still, it was dissent in opinion that would hinder their efforts. The priest cursed the death knights mouth under his breath.
Meredith spun around on Raenin, her vicious gaze zeroing in on him with murderous intent. "Spoken like a true coward, as always, Master Tydorian! You and your ilk are but vermin, hiding in the walls and under the floors when the cat comes to hunt. It is because of your flawed mentality that our numbers have so weakened! Rest assured, there is no eternal un-life for those who run and flee when the enemies of His Dark Eminence come to call." Her fingers clenched tightly again as she rounded upon the High Priest once more. "The situation is dire, and caution is now the only choice left to us. But I will remind everyone here that it was THIS COUNCIL who advised we sit and watch as our brethren were slaughtered wholesale by the likes of the Church and the Temples who fear us. When I answered the call of He Who Walks in the Shadows, I was surrounded by foolish men and women whose blind fearlessness caused them to charge into battles they could not win. I never thought I would long for the day to see such incompetence... but at least those fool headed soldiers knew how to act." She turned away from the altar, towards the knights gathered in the back. "Such pitiful numbers of us left. The Knights of Death... reduced to a handful. How many fell when the shrine in Vailkrin was razed, I wonder. Certainly more than enough to have dealt with this Church. Vakmaratharas must be ashamed to see how feeble and weak his followers have become."
Raenin stills his own anger as Meredith proclaims him a coward, the forsaken elf's gaze narrowing towards the knight as he responds. " You foolish woman.." The dark magus snickers, continuing with. " You'd wage war and die, rather than ensure the will of Our Dark Father shall be carried out? " Again Raenin turns to the crowd and says. " We are no warband of mindless murarders! We are the servants of the Dark One! It is our sworn duty to tear down the walls of the Church and spit upon their corpses!" This is when the necromancer turns back upon Meredith and says in a cold and vile tone. " But not until we know we can deal the killing blow in a swift and merciless manner."
The High Priest approves far more of Raenin's words. He was a powerful figure among the necromancers, and many would flock to his banner over the high priest. He was a dangerous force. But Meredith's words were inflammatory... death knights, who never shifted an inch in their vigils, actually seemed to shudder in response to her words, as though battle lust gripped them. The priest's jaw would've dropped to see that faint shiver, had he been living. He hid his surpise, though. Yes, something here was wrong. Very wrong. He had to tighten his grip, immediately. "Yes, we must wait our time... but that is not to say inaction is our best course." That hush came about the room as he spoke. Oh, how he thrilled in his own power. Was it not why he served the dark lord to begin with? "Certain violence's must be precipitated. The city is poised, ready and ripe for violence, and awaits the gentle push that shall send it beyond the brink. Raenin, Meredith, I've a task for you, that will require both your skills." He smiled, a thin lipped, shriveled grin, full of malice and terrible promise. And just a hint of foreboding.
Meredith's words, although Directed at Raenin, were spoken whilst her focus still lay with the High Priest. "It was a war that needed waging, and one whose delay has cost the lives of many loyal to our dark master. Now we are too weak to wage it, and you wear your frailty like a badge of honor. This is why His Dark Eminence confers his powers upon the Knights of Death, and not a band of lowly necromancers."
Raenin pays the foolish knight of death no mind as he looks to the High Priest and says. " What shall you have us do? For I assure you, I can carry it out without having that lumbering berserker following me." Now to Meredith does the forsaken say. " And I shall show you what true powers the Dark Lord has granted me and my ilk."
The High Priest almost sighed in dismay. If he had a brain left in his skull casing, it would throbbing with a headache right now. "The two of you will see to this matter yourselves. It requires a certain finesse, and a certain brutality. Though you may dread your assignments. The Church must not turn it's accursed eye towards us. They are just as eager to fight as any of the thug lords, and much better organized. We want them to initiate this war, publicly. The church is full of pompous, self righteous fools, and when victimized they will retaliate in full force. This will spark the war we desire, and turn the public against the church's favor. They must be seen as bloodthirsty warmongers. Raenin, it is your task to see to the murders of some of the paladins and most loved priestesses flowing into the church in anticipation of this violence. It must be blamed on the thug scum, our hand cannot be seen. Your curses and subtle manipulations will be put to the test in the face of our enemy, the light. Meredith, as a fallen paladin it is your job to infiltrate the church, and see to the... distraction... and eventually, utter obliteration of the higher paladins come to coordinate this war. You must learn to hold your hand! But be ready to administer the fatal blow when the time comes. For Meredith, you must learn stealth, and patience... for Raenin, you must learn to act, and not stand idly by awaiting the easy victory. Our ultimate enemy is the church, but our ultimate goal is domination, not the destruction of our foe. Still, we owe the most special attentions to the enemies of our lord, do we not?" He smiled yet again, and tapped his staff on the stone floor once. His commands brooked no argument, he was the voice of the dark lord..
Meredith's smile, however false, did not waver. She had goaded the necromancer as much as her plans required. He had been given just enough rope to hang himself with... and failing that... there were other ways of eliminating such miserable creatures. Her hands fell to the belt around her waist, fingers idly brushing against the tops of the skulls hanging there. "Oh yes, by all means... send the necromancer alone. I see no way that could possibly stand to fail."
The high priest glared solemnly at Meredith. "You underestimate him, Meredith."
Meredith Jayne turned her back upon the High Priest and laughed almost pleasantly, had it not been for the venom dripping from each chord. "Underestimate him? Most certainly not. There is no more slithery, or treacherous a man than Master Raenin. I have every confidence in his abilities, in those regards. What I lack... is faith in his ability to strike while the iron is hot." Nevertheless, she intended to carry out her orders here. "Infiltration shall be simple enough. All who knew me during my time as a crusader perished long ago. It should be no great ordeal to ingratiate myself with them once more."
Raenin simply smirked at Meredith's comment, looking back to the High Priest as he says. " I've a plan, and one that will work for us all.." Then the forsaken looks o Meredith and says. " If you think your simple mind can comprehend anything beyond "Smash it with my sword." Before Meredith could respond, Raenin says aloud. " The Archbishop! The head of the filthy church has but one key weakness." The necromancer waits a moment before saying. " His beloved son! Sir Erick,a newly appointed paladin and promising heir to take his father's place." Raenin moves about the crowd, his dark robes trailing behind him as he says. " I can manipulate some thugs into being in the right place at the right time, and if Meredith can use a bit of info I have on young master Erick, she may be able to get the lad to the place where he will fall, and she can be made into a hero, and brought into the heart of our enemies camp!" Once more does Raenin turn towards Meredith, as he says. " Unless you've not the womanly skills to seduce a young man whose own hormones are raging daily." A smirk forms upon the lips of the necromancer, as he awaits Meredith's and the High Priest's answer to his plan.
The high priest quirked his eyebrow at Raenin's suggestion. It was a good plan. The archbishop was a man of passion, they could very well crucify him with his own vengeful campaign. As a bonus, when he lost a son, he would all but gain a daughter. Raenin's mind was subtle and devious indeed, not that the high priest hadn't already thought upon the idea. But he merely nodded at his words. "It is sound. Your information is solid enough, then, to carry out this mission?" He wanted more than an affirmation. When Raenin answered yes, he would take all responsibility on his shoulders. Should anything go wrong, the high priest shouldn't be the one to pay, after all. It was why he had left Raenin to make the suggestion, after all. Should either of his minions fail in their tasks, one may turn upon the other... But they were, fortunately, both expendable, whether they knew it or not. He was not. Not to himself, anyway. The dark lord needed this one, oh yes.
Meridith was, quite honestly, rather shocked. The necromancer's suggestion was... quite daring. Not one to be upstaged, the death knight tapped her jaw in thought. "Seduce the boy, lure him to his demise, and use the opportunity to become a champion of the church in the process? A very cunning plan, indeed. I admit... I am impressed by it. You should show such audacity more often."
Raenin turns to Meredith, his features once more calm and emotionless as he responds first to Meredith with. " I wait for the right time to strike, with a plan that I know shall work." Then to the High Priest does he reply. " I assure you, the boy shall fall and the Archbishop shall crave vengeance and retribution for his child's death." The crowd mutters their approval, and Raenin simply smirks under his won cowl, the emotion hidden beneath the shadows of his hood..
The High Priest tapped his staff. "It is settled, then. The council supports your endeavor in whatever way you may need. The priests shall remain in contemplation and practice ritual for the blessings of our lord with myself." Contemplation indeed. The high priest had his own plans... which involved a good deal of dead paladins. Unknown to all but the priests under his guidance, he was having an elaborate pentagram arranged beneath the city... one which would kill all of the inhabitants of Cenril, turning them into his loyal undead, and granting him endless power. Another Vailkrin, under his command. All he needed was a Paladin to sacrifice their love and faith upon his altar at the time of it's completion, under the full moon. One might see a glint in his eye when he looked upon Meredith, and wonder. Was it her who would complete his diabolical ritual? Or was there another paladin caught his eye? Plans within plans within plans. He would not fail. He would be a god, soon enough.
Meredith calmly turned upon her armored heels and headed for the decrepit door. "Well, no sense in my further dallying here. As much as I enjoy to verbally joust with you, Raenin... I think I would much prefer to see about bumping into this boy I am to woo."
Raenin smirked, and watched as Meredith and the other's began to take their leave. He waited until he was alone, and smiled a sinister smile. Plans within plans within plans alright. And his own dark desires may soon come into fruitation if all goes as planned. Indeed, a new god may be born from the ashes of Cenril, but it shall not be that decrepit old High Priest!