RP:Traitor in Arcania
Summary: Gevurah, accompanied by D'Artes soldiers, storms Arcania to find an execute Randyn Barrimtor (NPC), a traitor to the First House. It's part of an on going witch hunt to find and slaughter all rebels who sympathized with Laezila during her revolt. Narissorin, a recent drow immigrant from another city and tutor at Arcania, decides to ally himself with the First House by leading Gevurah to
Arcania
Gevurah pays an unexpected visit to Arcania. The High Priestess of Vakmatharas spends more of her time split between the Temple of Endless Death and the D’Artes Estate, which is right next door. Normally she travels with an entourage of five rogues, her personal guard, but today she storms Arcania with a small troop of soldiers. Their marching has become a familiar symbol of D’Artes power and ruthlessness since the end of the war. The First House has been on a tireless witch hunt to find and slay defectors and rebels who aided Laezila in the three-day riot at the end of the war. The soldiers interrupt classes and look through closets and large chests. Whoever they’re hunting must have been tipped off and he has gone into hiding. The High Priestess’s voice booms with unnatural reverb, “Bring to me the traitor Randyn Barrimtor! Anyone found harboring him will pay for their disloyalty! Anyone who brings him to me will be rewarded!”
Narissorin was in the process of tutoring a group of Arcania’s newest students when the High Priestesses voice thunders through the academy. “Great,” he mutters under his breath, a flick of his wrist and quick word causes the apprentices to freeze in place as if paralyzed. Taking a moment the mage tries to remember anything odd, when it hits, a mysterious drow had come to Arcania asked one of the master’s for aide. Naris had gotten a good look at him and thus knew a spell that could contact him, which he quickly casts. Imitating the voice of the master who had helped the rogue, by use of another spell, he notifies the male of a new and better hiding spot. A satisfied smile crosses his face for a split second before he dashes off to find the priestess.
Gevurah strategizes with the second-in-command of Arcania to plan the best way to find this traitor, if he’s still in the building. Her source, a midlevel D’Artes mage, assures her that Randyn is in the building. The soldiers have already sealed all the exits. “I trust you’ve sealed the magical portals,” she says to the Vice Headmaster just as Narissorin arrives. She scrutinizes the newcomer. “Speak. Do you know where Randyn is.” The First Daughter has the bad habit endemic to high birth of speaking her questions as statements.
Narissorin bows deeply, “Indeed I do mistress.” He responds without hesitation, The male’s short hair marks him as a commoner his fine robes, however, show that he has some kind of influence. “If some of you guards would care to accompany me I would be proud to lead them to her.” The Vice Headmaster snorts, “Don’t bother yourself with him mistress,” he says derisively, “he’s nothing but a lowly commoner.”
Narissorin’s manners dull the priestess’s suspicious edge back down to her usual regal stiffness. She waves a hand to silence the Vice Headmaster. “And many of the traitors that have fallen to my blade have been nobility as well.” She lifts her chin forward to urge Narissorin to lead the way. “Lead the way, mage.” Two of her guard stand between Narissorin and Gevurah on the off chance this is a trick, but no one behaves as if they suspect a trick in earnest. It’s part of the protocol.
Narissorin inclines his head hiding a smile at the priestesses dismissal of the Vice Headmaster. Pulling a flat crystal out of his pocket the mage speaks a quick spell and presses the shard against his eye. Peering through it the mage sees the rogue hiding in the room the he had been instructed to by Naris. “If you will follow me.” He says with another bow and heads off, moving towards the part of the academy that housed the personal quarters of the Masters of Arcania.
Gevurah follows Narissorin and too many of her soldiers trail her. She shakes her head in frustration and waves off all but three of them. “Go, search the building. I don’t need an army.” In the Masters’ quarters, she looks at Narissorin with more interest. “Are you a master? Your name? What discipline and what house.” It’s unlikely Gevurah will recognize a commoner’s name, but she may remember it in the future if Narissorin’s intel proves true.
Narissorin continues to guide the D’Artes contingent, “Not a master, just a mere tutor.” He responds honestly, “Of no house, I am from a city far from here and my house was destroyed when my matron erred.” A flash of a smile, “Such is our way. I don’t specialize in any one discipline, if I must I say specialize I specialize in being a generalist.” Approaching a door he stops, a look of confusion flashes across his face but then he shrugs, “In here” he signs in the drow silent hand code, “These are the quarters of Master Coranzen.” His fingers say.
Gevurah looks a little disappointed when the tutor confesses he is not a master. “And your name?” The priestess catches Narissorin’s confusion flicker across his dark face in the faerie light. “What is it,” she signs back to him. Her guards enter Master Coranzen’s quarters first to sweep it for traps and find Randyn as promised, cowering in a corner and trying to cast a spell as he is tackled. The spell fizzles with a sad whizz like a whoopie cushion. A soldier jerks the stunned defector up onto his feet and shouts, “Found the traitor!” A wicked, satisfied grin whips across Gevurah’s features and she turns around to lead the guard and prisoner to the main auditorium. The Vice Headmaster joins her and she tells him to summon all students and teachers to witness the spectacle. She waves for Narissorin to join her at the center of the auditorium.
Narissorin smiles, “Narissorin, hopefully to be a master again like I was in the city of my birth.” For a moment he stays silent looking at the door, “I find it almost impossible to believe that he could be hiding in here without help,” he looks to the priestess, “You know how secretive drow, nobles, and mage’s are and Coranzen is all three he would have had his doors well warded and guarded. Someone had to let the rogue in.” A shrug and a smile, as the guards burst into the room and find the traitor, “I guess it doesn’t matter.” The mage falls silent as the priestess hands out her orders, a bit surprised to hear of his place of honor, but he gladly does as bid.”
Gevurah nods at Narissorin’s information concerning Coranzen. Because the tutor just expressed his aspiration to become a master, his motive is suspect. It would be very convenient for Narissorin if Coranzen’s spot suddenly vacated. The priestess will require further evidence before acting against a master like Coranzen. In the auditorium, she unsheathes a ceremonial dagger with the Word of Vakmatharas engraved in the blade and His skull capping the end of the hilt. As the auditorium fills, she whispers to the tutor from another city. “Which God do you worship?”
Narissorin smiles, hoping he had planted the seeds carefully, knowing that it was actually one of Coranzen’s rivals who had let the interloper in, willingly on orders from the Headmaster himself. “To be honest mistress,” he whispers back, “I follow two gods Vakmatharas and Xalious. I am a mage after all.”
Gevurah smiles darkly. “Good. I find those deities acceptable.” She turns back to the soldier holding Randyn and signs for him to force the prisoner on his knees. With the auditorium now full, Gevurah’s booming voice, magically enhanced to aid her priestly needs, fills the large room. “Randyn Barrimtor has betrayed our city and our way of life. He dared challenge the power of House D’Artes, and will now pay for his mistake with his life. May Vakmatharas’s cloak of death enshroud his soul. Your tutor, Narissorin, though an immigrant to our city, respects the power and right-to-rule of the First House. For this reason I bestow upon him the honor of slaying the traitor.” She whispers a quick incantation and her dagger glows red. She hands it hilt first to Narissorin and waves him forward to slaughter Randyn.
Narissorin inclines his head solemnly and takes the offered dagger and steps around the male so that he can clearly see all of those who stand to witness his death. Grasping the male’s hair he wrenches his head back and lays the blade gently on his throat. A swift firm thrust and jerk opens the traitor’s throat in a grisly grin. The mage then forces the dying man’s head forward to stare at the gathering as he bleeds out.
Gevurah is solemnly silent until the last breath twitches out of Randyn’s failing lungs. Once he is dead, she waves a hand to excuse the gathered. Regarding Narissorin again she says, “Your loyalty is appreciated. I hope to see you a master one day.” Her tone seems final, as if her work here is done. She waits for his farewell out of politeness, then will take her leave.
Narissorin bows a final time, “It was a pleasure.” He says, “Should you eve require my services I will be here.” He doesn’t show it but he is as ready for her to leave as she is, he has work to do.