Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Into the Moral Darkness: (Now a Completed Story!)
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Nonlethal Force" data-source="post: 3323125" data-attributes="member: 35788"><p>It was almost an hour before Brandt received word from either of the acolytes. Barra was the first to return to Brandt’s office. The priestess of Yrraxea continued to lie on the floor.</p><p></p><p>The acolyte waited for Brandt to address him first in the tradition of defense taught to him by Master Buschlerre. <span style="color: Lime">“Yes, Barra? You have news of your master’s progress?”</span></p><p></p><p>Barra nodded his head. He was shorter than the more mature and experienced Brandt. <span style="color: Lime">“Yes, Master Brandt. Master Buschlerre wishes to inform you that a room is in the process of being prepared for the interrogation. Would you like the details in a more private location?”</span></p><p></p><p>Brandt smiled politely and shook his head to decline the offer. <span style="color: Lime">“No, Barra. If Master Buschlerre is preparing the room, I do not believe that we have much to fear in the priestess’ ability to counteract our plans. Whether she knows about the preparations or not, I do not think it will matter.”</span></p><p></p><p>Brandt’s words were a simple display of bravado. He was confident in Buschlerre’s ability to prepare the room for the interrogation, of course. What Brandt couldn’t be sure of was the capacity for spell casting of the priestess. His show of words was mostly for her benefit. If he could convince the priestess that he truly believed that she could do nothing, then she might cooperate more readily.</p><p></p><p>The acolyte nodded and continued. <span style="color: Lime">“Master Buschlerre is confident that if we head toward the room immediately that it will be ready when we arrive. The only question is whether or not Master Searthu has been able to be raised. Can the interrogation begin if he is not present?”</span></p><p></p><p>Brandt nodded. He stood so that his head was unable to be seen by the priestess. He knew that she did not need access to that particular batch of information. <span style="color: Lime">“We can go.”</span></p><p></p><p>Brandt took several seconds to kneel down to the priestess’ level. He knew that so long as she was gagged and bound that she could be no threat to him. He was innately curious to see if she could even be a threat without all of the precautions. <span style="color: Lime">“We have a choice, priestess. We can travel through the temple in a civilized fashion and treat you with respect. Or, if you force my hand we can simply teleport into the room. The choice is yours, of course. Nod your head if you would like the opportunity to stretch your legs and walk down the hall.”</span></p><p></p><p>The priestess stared deeply into Brandt’s eyes. The follower of Reah seemed to be able to back up his aggressive stance form her perspective. He had already proven his ability to teleport more than one person. She had no reason to doubt that any of his other claims would be false. She nodded her head in support of the idea that she would behave.</p><p></p><p>Brandt smiled at the woman. <span style="color: Lime">“Good. I like being able to treat people with the respect that they deserve.”</span> Brandt stood up to his full height and turned back to the acolyte. <span style="color: Lime">“Barra, help the priestess to her feet, please. And do be careful to not disturb the bindings or the gag.”</span></p><p></p><p>Brandt smiled at the acolyte and watched as Barra helped the woman to her feet. Together the pair of temple staff escorted the woman down the hall. They would need to walk through a back passageway through the temple to avoid walking past the entrance and the rooms designated for healing. There would be no need to have this woman walk past any potential number of innocent citizens waiting for healing in the other hallway.</p><p></p><p>Brandt turned and opened the door to allow the priestess to enter and to be followed by the acolyte. As he did, he saw Thomas walking quickly towards his position. Brandt smiled as he saw an indication that Master Searthu had successfully been alerted to the need.</p><p></p><p>The acolyte strode towards Brandt with a certain spring in his step. <span style="color: Lime">“Master Brandt! Master Searthu has been directed to the room that Master Buschlerre is preparing. I have been sent to tell you that all is indeed ready to await our guest. Master Searthu is excited and sends his regard for allowing him to assist you in this matter.”</span></p><p></p><p>Brandt nodded and smiled even more broadly. <span style="color: Lime">“Very good, Thomas. Follow the priestess with Barra, if you will. You can help to ensure that she thinks twice before doing anything that would be considered foolish.”</span></p><p></p><p>The acolyte took his place slightly behind Barra. Barra was the more veteran acolyte and Thomas’ position would naturally be behind Barra. Either way, Brandt felt more secure about traveling with the priestess with a total of three, even if two of his number were acolytes.</p><p></p><p>Within another minute the trio had escorted the priestess to the room where the interrogation was to take place. The elf priest of Reah, Master Buschlerre, was at the door to greet Brandt and the acolytes. Master Buschlerre looked to be of a middle age for an elf. He wore his hair long and pulled back into a single pony tail off the back of his head. The hair was pulled back so as to hide the pointed ears that would otherwise have readily distinguished him as an elf. Instead, it was his thin frame, alert eyes, and pale skin that gave his race away to most observers. His robes were identical to Brandt with the exception that they were lighter in color and had an additional strip of color sown just above the bottom hem.</p><p></p><p>The elf reached out a hand and greeted Brandt. <span style="color: Lime">“Good day, Master Brandt. Well, I suppose by now it is good evening, although without going outside too often it is easy for me to lose track of the time. You have had quite an interesting day, no?”</span></p><p></p><p>An amused expression passed over Brandt’s face. It did not surprise him at all that the temple’s current master of aegis magic spent little time outside the temple. It did surprise him that Buschlerre had spoken first instead of waiting to be addressed. There was no doubt that Buschlerre was the superior in age and had the right to greet Brandt instead of the other way around. However, it certainly was not his custom. The discovery of the priestess must have been enough to draw the defensive master out of his shell. With an odd smile on his face, Brandt replied to the elf priest. <span style="color: Lime">“Yes, quite. You were told of the priestess of Yrraxea that was discovered in Huetown?”</span></p><p></p><p>Buschlerre nodded in return. <span style="color: Lime">“Interesting, indeed. I can hardly wait for what we are about to discover tonight.”</span> A genuine smile of anticipation passed over his face.</p><p></p><p>Inside the room, Master Searthu stood waiting patiently. When he heard the greeting from Master Buschlerre, he approached the door. He stood a mere five foot and eight inches tall, although that was an average height for an Ehrmenae. His ears rested flat against his head in the traditional configuration of the Ehrmenai people. The cartilage on the outside of the ears of the Ehrmanai fused with the skin behind it, allowing a small yet thick guard to grow in protection over the vital sense organ. His narrow eyes, slim mouth, and thin nose also easily identified him as an Ehrmenae. However, perhaps the most interesting facial development was the bony nasal carapace that was common among his people. The carapace extended over his nose, eyebrows, and a full third of his forehead before merging back into his skull. It was almost as if he wore a natural nosepiece from a helm without the rest of the headgear.</p><p></p><p>Searthu’s robes contained two less stripes than Brandt’s, although the robes themselves were the same color and style. He was the least in both rank and age of the three priests of Reah, and this alone caused him to want to wait his turn rather than speaking in greeting once he had heard Brandt’s voice in the hallway. As Brandt turned the corner and was shown into the room by Master Buschlerre, Master Searthu stood up to the fullest height he could gain from his shorter body.</p><p></p><p>Brandt stopped and extended his hand in greeting to Searthu. <span style="color: Lime">“Master Searthu, I am glad that you were able to come tonight. I hope I did not interrupt your plans with family in light of my discovery?”</span></p><p></p><p>Searthu smiled. <span style="color: Lime">“Are you kidding? A discovery like this does not happen all that often! I am excited to be a part of this. I had not left the office for the evening, and my family will no doubt understand when I return home and speak of what kept me delayed!”</span></p><p></p><p>It was clear to Brandt that both of the men who had been summoned were pleased to be here. While the masters passed along their greetings, the acolytes had detained the priestess of Yrraxea in the hallway. Once the pleasantries were said, Master Buschlerre motioned for the acolytes to bring the woman into the small room.</p><p></p><p>The room was only about twenty feet square. It proved to be a rather tight fit for the priestess of Yrraxea, the three priests of Reah, and their two acolytes. Master Buschlerre spoke first once all were present in the room and the door to the hallway was shut tight. <span style="color: Lime">“Fellow masters, I know we are tight in here, but I believe this experience would go quite far in the training of these two acolytes that have been summoned by Master Brandt. With your leave, I would suggest that they stay.”</span></p><p></p><p>Master Brandt and Master Searthu nodded in approval without speaking a word. The two acolytes smiled with distinct pleasure at being allowed to see the interrogation first hand. Master Buschlerre turned to the priestess and continued his speech once he knew of the approval of the other masters. <span style="color: Lime">“Madam, we respect your life although we regret that you have chosen to follow such an evil goddess with it. However, you should know that so long as you cooperate there will be no harm that comes to you. Please nod if you understand this fact.”</span></p><p></p><p>[Sblock=Color-Free Speech Section]</p><p>It was almost an hour before Brandt received word from either of the acolytes. Barra was the first to return to Brandt’s office. The priestess of Yrraxea continued to lie on the floor.</p><p></p><p>The acolyte waited for Brandt to address him first in the tradition of defense taught to him by Master Buschlerre. “Yes, Barra? You have news of your master’s progress?”</p><p></p><p>Barra nodded his head. He was shorter than the more mature and experienced Brandt. “Yes, Master Brandt. Master Buschlerre wishes to inform you that a room is in the process of being prepared for the interrogation. Would you like the details in a more private location?”</p><p></p><p>Brandt smiled politely and shook his head to decline the offer. “No, Barra. If Master Buschlerre is preparing the room, I do not believe that we have much to fear in the priestess’ ability to counteract our plans. Whether she knows about the preparations or not, I do not think it will matter.”</p><p></p><p>Brandt’s words were a simple display of bravado. He was confident in Buschlerre’s ability to prepare the room for the interrogation, of course. What Brandt couldn’t be sure of was the capacity for spell casting of the priestess. His show of words was mostly for her benefit. If he could convince the priestess that he truly believed that she could do nothing, then she might cooperate more readily.</p><p></p><p>The acolyte nodded and continued. “Master Buschlerre is confident that if we head toward the room immediately that it will be ready when we arrive. The only question is whether or not Master Searthu has been able to be raised. Can the interrogation begin if he is not present?”</p><p></p><p>Brandt nodded. He stood so that his head was unable to be seen by the priestess. He knew that she did not need access to that particular batch of information. “We can go.”</p><p></p><p>Brandt took several seconds to kneel down to the priestess’ level. He knew that so long as she was gagged and bound that she could be no threat to him. He was innately curious to see if she could even be a threat without all of the precautions. “We have a choice, priestess. We can travel through the temple in a civilized fashion and treat you with respect. Or, if you force my hand we can simply teleport into the room. The choice is yours, of course. Nod your head if you would like the opportunity to stretch your legs and walk down the hall.”</p><p></p><p>The priestess stared deeply into Brandt’s eyes. The follower of Reah seemed to be able to back up his aggressive stance form her perspective. He had already proven his ability to teleport more than one person. She had no reason to doubt that any of his other claims would be false. She nodded her head in support of the idea that she would behave.</p><p></p><p>Brandt smiled at the woman. “Good. I like being able to treat people with the respect that they deserve.” Brandt stood up to his full height and turned back to the acolyte. “Barra, help the priestess to her feet, please. And do be careful to not disturb the bindings or the gag.”</p><p></p><p>Brandt smiled at the acolyte and watched as Barra helped the woman to her feet. Together the pair of temple staff escorted the woman down the hall. They would need to walk through a back passageway through the temple to avoid walking past the entrance and the rooms designated for healing. There would be no need to have this woman walk past any potential number of innocent citizens waiting for healing in the other hallway.</p><p></p><p>Brandt turned and opened the door to allow the priestess to enter and to be followed by the acolyte. As he did, he saw Thomas walking quickly towards his position. Brandt smiled as he saw an indication that Master Searthu had successfully been alerted to the need.</p><p></p><p>The acolyte strode towards Brandt with a certain spring in his step. “Master Brandt! Master Searthu has been directed to the room that Master Buschlerre is preparing. I have been sent to tell you that all is indeed ready to await our guest. Master Searthu is excited and sends his regard for allowing him to assist you in this matter.”</p><p></p><p>Brandt nodded and smiled even more broadly. “Very good, Thomas. Follow the priestess with Barra, if you will. You can help to ensure that she thinks twice before doing anything that would be considered foolish.”</p><p></p><p>The acolyte took his place slightly behind Barra. Barra was the more veteran acolyte and Thomas’ position would naturally be behind Barra. Either way, Brandt felt more secure about traveling with the priestess with a total of three, even if two of his number were acolytes.</p><p></p><p>Within another minute the trio had escorted the priestess to the room where the interrogation was to take place. The elf priest of Reah, Master Buschlerre, was at the door to greet Brandt and the acolytes. Master Buschlerre looked to be of a middle age for an elf. He wore his hair long and pulled back into a single pony tail off the back of his head. The hair was pulled back so as to hide the pointed ears that would otherwise have readily distinguished him as an elf. Instead, it was his thin frame, alert eyes, and pale skin that gave his race away to most observers. His robes were identical to Brandt with the exception that they were lighter in color and had an additional strip of color sown just above the bottom hem.</p><p></p><p>The elf reached out a hand and greeted Brandt. “Good day, Master Brandt. Well, I suppose by now it is good evening, although without going outside too often it is easy for me to lose track of the time. You have had quite an interesting day, no?”</p><p></p><p>An amused expression passed over Brandt’s face. It did not surprise him at all that the temple’s current master of aegis magic spent little time outside the temple. It did surprise him that Buschlerre had spoken first instead of waiting to be addressed. There was no doubt that Buschlerre was the superior in age and had the right to greet Brandt instead of the other way around. However, it certainly was not his custom. The discovery of the priestess must have been enough to draw the defensive master out of his shell. With an odd smile on his face, Brandt replied to the elf priest. “Yes, quite. You were told of the priestess of Yrraxea that was discovered in Huetown?”</p><p></p><p>Buschlerre nodded in return. “Interesting, indeed. I can hardly wait for what we are about to discover tonight.” A genuine smile of anticipation passed over his face.</p><p></p><p>Inside the room, Master Searthu stood waiting patiently. When he heard the greeting from Master Buschlerre, he approached the door. He stood a mere five foot and eight inches tall, although that was an average height for an Ehrmenae. His ears rested flat against his head in the traditional configuration of the Ehrmenai people. The cartilage on the outside of the ears of the Ehrmanai fused with the skin behind it, allowing a small yet thick guard to grow in protection over the vital sense organ. His narrow eyes, slim mouth, and thin nose also easily identified him as an Ehrmenae. However, perhaps the most interesting facial development was the bony nasal carapace that was common among his people. The carapace extended over his nose, eyebrows, and a full third of his forehead before merging back into his skull. It was almost as if he wore a natural nosepiece from a helm without the rest of the headgear.</p><p></p><p>Searthu’s robes contained two less stripes than Brandt’s, although the robes themselves were the same color and style. He was the least in both rank and age of the three priests of Reah, and this alone caused him to want to wait his turn rather than speaking in greeting once he had heard Brandt’s voice in the hallway. As Brandt turned the corner and was shown into the room by Master Buschlerre, Master Searthu stood up to the fullest height he could gain from his shorter body.</p><p></p><p>Brandt stopped and extended his hand in greeting to Searthu. “Master Searthu, I am glad that you were able to come tonight. I hope I did not interrupt your plans with family in light of my discovery?”</p><p></p><p>Searthu smiled. “Are you kidding? A discovery like this does not happen all that often! I am excited to be a part of this. I had not left the office for the evening, and my family will no doubt understand when I return home and speak of what kept me delayed!”</p><p></p><p>It was clear to Brandt that both of the men who had been summoned were pleased to be here. While the masters passed along their greetings, the acolytes had detained the priestess of Yrraxea in the hallway. Once the pleasantries were said, Master Buschlerre motioned for the acolytes to bring the woman into the small room.</p><p></p><p>The room was only about twenty feet square. It proved to be a rather tight fit for the priestess of Yrraxea, the three priests of Reah, and their two acolytes. Master Buschlerre spoke first once all were present in the room and the door to the hallway was shut tight. “Fellow masters, I know we are tight in here, but I believe this experience would go quite far in the training of these two acolytes that have been summoned by Master Brandt. With your leave, I would suggest that they stay.”</p><p></p><p>Master Brandt and Master Searthu nodded in approval without speaking a word. The two acolytes smiled with distinct pleasure at being allowed to see the interrogation first hand. Master Buschlerre turned to the priestess and continued his speech once he knew of the approval of the other masters. “Madam, we respect your life although we regret that you have chosen to follow such an evil goddess with it. However, you should know that so long as you cooperate there will be no harm that comes to you. Please nod if you understand this fact.”</p><p>[/Sblock]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nonlethal Force, post: 3323125, member: 35788"] It was almost an hour before Brandt received word from either of the acolytes. Barra was the first to return to Brandt’s office. The priestess of Yrraxea continued to lie on the floor. The acolyte waited for Brandt to address him first in the tradition of defense taught to him by Master Buschlerre. [Color=Lime]“Yes, Barra? You have news of your master’s progress?”[/Color] Barra nodded his head. He was shorter than the more mature and experienced Brandt. [Color=Lime]“Yes, Master Brandt. Master Buschlerre wishes to inform you that a room is in the process of being prepared for the interrogation. Would you like the details in a more private location?”[/Color] Brandt smiled politely and shook his head to decline the offer. [Color=Lime]“No, Barra. If Master Buschlerre is preparing the room, I do not believe that we have much to fear in the priestess’ ability to counteract our plans. Whether she knows about the preparations or not, I do not think it will matter.”[/Color] Brandt’s words were a simple display of bravado. He was confident in Buschlerre’s ability to prepare the room for the interrogation, of course. What Brandt couldn’t be sure of was the capacity for spell casting of the priestess. His show of words was mostly for her benefit. If he could convince the priestess that he truly believed that she could do nothing, then she might cooperate more readily. The acolyte nodded and continued. [Color=Lime]“Master Buschlerre is confident that if we head toward the room immediately that it will be ready when we arrive. The only question is whether or not Master Searthu has been able to be raised. Can the interrogation begin if he is not present?”[/Color] Brandt nodded. He stood so that his head was unable to be seen by the priestess. He knew that she did not need access to that particular batch of information. [Color=Lime]“We can go.”[/Color] Brandt took several seconds to kneel down to the priestess’ level. He knew that so long as she was gagged and bound that she could be no threat to him. He was innately curious to see if she could even be a threat without all of the precautions. [Color=Lime]“We have a choice, priestess. We can travel through the temple in a civilized fashion and treat you with respect. Or, if you force my hand we can simply teleport into the room. The choice is yours, of course. Nod your head if you would like the opportunity to stretch your legs and walk down the hall.”[/Color] The priestess stared deeply into Brandt’s eyes. The follower of Reah seemed to be able to back up his aggressive stance form her perspective. He had already proven his ability to teleport more than one person. She had no reason to doubt that any of his other claims would be false. She nodded her head in support of the idea that she would behave. Brandt smiled at the woman. [Color=Lime]“Good. I like being able to treat people with the respect that they deserve.”[/Color] Brandt stood up to his full height and turned back to the acolyte. [Color=Lime]“Barra, help the priestess to her feet, please. And do be careful to not disturb the bindings or the gag.”[/Color] Brandt smiled at the acolyte and watched as Barra helped the woman to her feet. Together the pair of temple staff escorted the woman down the hall. They would need to walk through a back passageway through the temple to avoid walking past the entrance and the rooms designated for healing. There would be no need to have this woman walk past any potential number of innocent citizens waiting for healing in the other hallway. Brandt turned and opened the door to allow the priestess to enter and to be followed by the acolyte. As he did, he saw Thomas walking quickly towards his position. Brandt smiled as he saw an indication that Master Searthu had successfully been alerted to the need. The acolyte strode towards Brandt with a certain spring in his step. [Color=Lime]“Master Brandt! Master Searthu has been directed to the room that Master Buschlerre is preparing. I have been sent to tell you that all is indeed ready to await our guest. Master Searthu is excited and sends his regard for allowing him to assist you in this matter.”[/Color] Brandt nodded and smiled even more broadly. [Color=Lime]“Very good, Thomas. Follow the priestess with Barra, if you will. You can help to ensure that she thinks twice before doing anything that would be considered foolish.”[/Color] The acolyte took his place slightly behind Barra. Barra was the more veteran acolyte and Thomas’ position would naturally be behind Barra. Either way, Brandt felt more secure about traveling with the priestess with a total of three, even if two of his number were acolytes. Within another minute the trio had escorted the priestess to the room where the interrogation was to take place. The elf priest of Reah, Master Buschlerre, was at the door to greet Brandt and the acolytes. Master Buschlerre looked to be of a middle age for an elf. He wore his hair long and pulled back into a single pony tail off the back of his head. The hair was pulled back so as to hide the pointed ears that would otherwise have readily distinguished him as an elf. Instead, it was his thin frame, alert eyes, and pale skin that gave his race away to most observers. His robes were identical to Brandt with the exception that they were lighter in color and had an additional strip of color sown just above the bottom hem. The elf reached out a hand and greeted Brandt. [Color=Lime]“Good day, Master Brandt. Well, I suppose by now it is good evening, although without going outside too often it is easy for me to lose track of the time. You have had quite an interesting day, no?”[/Color] An amused expression passed over Brandt’s face. It did not surprise him at all that the temple’s current master of aegis magic spent little time outside the temple. It did surprise him that Buschlerre had spoken first instead of waiting to be addressed. There was no doubt that Buschlerre was the superior in age and had the right to greet Brandt instead of the other way around. However, it certainly was not his custom. The discovery of the priestess must have been enough to draw the defensive master out of his shell. With an odd smile on his face, Brandt replied to the elf priest. [Color=Lime]“Yes, quite. You were told of the priestess of Yrraxea that was discovered in Huetown?”[/Color] Buschlerre nodded in return. [Color=Lime]“Interesting, indeed. I can hardly wait for what we are about to discover tonight.”[/Color] A genuine smile of anticipation passed over his face. Inside the room, Master Searthu stood waiting patiently. When he heard the greeting from Master Buschlerre, he approached the door. He stood a mere five foot and eight inches tall, although that was an average height for an Ehrmenae. His ears rested flat against his head in the traditional configuration of the Ehrmenai people. The cartilage on the outside of the ears of the Ehrmanai fused with the skin behind it, allowing a small yet thick guard to grow in protection over the vital sense organ. His narrow eyes, slim mouth, and thin nose also easily identified him as an Ehrmenae. However, perhaps the most interesting facial development was the bony nasal carapace that was common among his people. The carapace extended over his nose, eyebrows, and a full third of his forehead before merging back into his skull. It was almost as if he wore a natural nosepiece from a helm without the rest of the headgear. Searthu’s robes contained two less stripes than Brandt’s, although the robes themselves were the same color and style. He was the least in both rank and age of the three priests of Reah, and this alone caused him to want to wait his turn rather than speaking in greeting once he had heard Brandt’s voice in the hallway. As Brandt turned the corner and was shown into the room by Master Buschlerre, Master Searthu stood up to the fullest height he could gain from his shorter body. Brandt stopped and extended his hand in greeting to Searthu. [Color=Lime]“Master Searthu, I am glad that you were able to come tonight. I hope I did not interrupt your plans with family in light of my discovery?”[/Color] Searthu smiled. [Color=Lime]“Are you kidding? A discovery like this does not happen all that often! I am excited to be a part of this. I had not left the office for the evening, and my family will no doubt understand when I return home and speak of what kept me delayed!”[/Color] It was clear to Brandt that both of the men who had been summoned were pleased to be here. While the masters passed along their greetings, the acolytes had detained the priestess of Yrraxea in the hallway. Once the pleasantries were said, Master Buschlerre motioned for the acolytes to bring the woman into the small room. The room was only about twenty feet square. It proved to be a rather tight fit for the priestess of Yrraxea, the three priests of Reah, and their two acolytes. Master Buschlerre spoke first once all were present in the room and the door to the hallway was shut tight. [Color=Lime]“Fellow masters, I know we are tight in here, but I believe this experience would go quite far in the training of these two acolytes that have been summoned by Master Brandt. With your leave, I would suggest that they stay.”[/Color] Master Brandt and Master Searthu nodded in approval without speaking a word. The two acolytes smiled with distinct pleasure at being allowed to see the interrogation first hand. Master Buschlerre turned to the priestess and continued his speech once he knew of the approval of the other masters. [Color=Lime]“Madam, we respect your life although we regret that you have chosen to follow such an evil goddess with it. However, you should know that so long as you cooperate there will be no harm that comes to you. Please nod if you understand this fact.”[/Color] [Sblock=Color-Free Speech Section] It was almost an hour before Brandt received word from either of the acolytes. Barra was the first to return to Brandt’s office. The priestess of Yrraxea continued to lie on the floor. The acolyte waited for Brandt to address him first in the tradition of defense taught to him by Master Buschlerre. “Yes, Barra? You have news of your master’s progress?” Barra nodded his head. He was shorter than the more mature and experienced Brandt. “Yes, Master Brandt. Master Buschlerre wishes to inform you that a room is in the process of being prepared for the interrogation. Would you like the details in a more private location?” Brandt smiled politely and shook his head to decline the offer. “No, Barra. If Master Buschlerre is preparing the room, I do not believe that we have much to fear in the priestess’ ability to counteract our plans. Whether she knows about the preparations or not, I do not think it will matter.” Brandt’s words were a simple display of bravado. He was confident in Buschlerre’s ability to prepare the room for the interrogation, of course. What Brandt couldn’t be sure of was the capacity for spell casting of the priestess. His show of words was mostly for her benefit. If he could convince the priestess that he truly believed that she could do nothing, then she might cooperate more readily. The acolyte nodded and continued. “Master Buschlerre is confident that if we head toward the room immediately that it will be ready when we arrive. The only question is whether or not Master Searthu has been able to be raised. Can the interrogation begin if he is not present?” Brandt nodded. He stood so that his head was unable to be seen by the priestess. He knew that she did not need access to that particular batch of information. “We can go.” Brandt took several seconds to kneel down to the priestess’ level. He knew that so long as she was gagged and bound that she could be no threat to him. He was innately curious to see if she could even be a threat without all of the precautions. “We have a choice, priestess. We can travel through the temple in a civilized fashion and treat you with respect. Or, if you force my hand we can simply teleport into the room. The choice is yours, of course. Nod your head if you would like the opportunity to stretch your legs and walk down the hall.” The priestess stared deeply into Brandt’s eyes. The follower of Reah seemed to be able to back up his aggressive stance form her perspective. He had already proven his ability to teleport more than one person. She had no reason to doubt that any of his other claims would be false. She nodded her head in support of the idea that she would behave. Brandt smiled at the woman. “Good. I like being able to treat people with the respect that they deserve.” Brandt stood up to his full height and turned back to the acolyte. “Barra, help the priestess to her feet, please. And do be careful to not disturb the bindings or the gag.” Brandt smiled at the acolyte and watched as Barra helped the woman to her feet. Together the pair of temple staff escorted the woman down the hall. They would need to walk through a back passageway through the temple to avoid walking past the entrance and the rooms designated for healing. There would be no need to have this woman walk past any potential number of innocent citizens waiting for healing in the other hallway. Brandt turned and opened the door to allow the priestess to enter and to be followed by the acolyte. As he did, he saw Thomas walking quickly towards his position. Brandt smiled as he saw an indication that Master Searthu had successfully been alerted to the need. The acolyte strode towards Brandt with a certain spring in his step. “Master Brandt! Master Searthu has been directed to the room that Master Buschlerre is preparing. I have been sent to tell you that all is indeed ready to await our guest. Master Searthu is excited and sends his regard for allowing him to assist you in this matter.” Brandt nodded and smiled even more broadly. “Very good, Thomas. Follow the priestess with Barra, if you will. You can help to ensure that she thinks twice before doing anything that would be considered foolish.” The acolyte took his place slightly behind Barra. Barra was the more veteran acolyte and Thomas’ position would naturally be behind Barra. Either way, Brandt felt more secure about traveling with the priestess with a total of three, even if two of his number were acolytes. Within another minute the trio had escorted the priestess to the room where the interrogation was to take place. The elf priest of Reah, Master Buschlerre, was at the door to greet Brandt and the acolytes. Master Buschlerre looked to be of a middle age for an elf. He wore his hair long and pulled back into a single pony tail off the back of his head. The hair was pulled back so as to hide the pointed ears that would otherwise have readily distinguished him as an elf. Instead, it was his thin frame, alert eyes, and pale skin that gave his race away to most observers. His robes were identical to Brandt with the exception that they were lighter in color and had an additional strip of color sown just above the bottom hem. The elf reached out a hand and greeted Brandt. “Good day, Master Brandt. Well, I suppose by now it is good evening, although without going outside too often it is easy for me to lose track of the time. You have had quite an interesting day, no?” An amused expression passed over Brandt’s face. It did not surprise him at all that the temple’s current master of aegis magic spent little time outside the temple. It did surprise him that Buschlerre had spoken first instead of waiting to be addressed. There was no doubt that Buschlerre was the superior in age and had the right to greet Brandt instead of the other way around. However, it certainly was not his custom. The discovery of the priestess must have been enough to draw the defensive master out of his shell. With an odd smile on his face, Brandt replied to the elf priest. “Yes, quite. You were told of the priestess of Yrraxea that was discovered in Huetown?” Buschlerre nodded in return. “Interesting, indeed. I can hardly wait for what we are about to discover tonight.” A genuine smile of anticipation passed over his face. Inside the room, Master Searthu stood waiting patiently. When he heard the greeting from Master Buschlerre, he approached the door. He stood a mere five foot and eight inches tall, although that was an average height for an Ehrmenae. His ears rested flat against his head in the traditional configuration of the Ehrmenai people. The cartilage on the outside of the ears of the Ehrmanai fused with the skin behind it, allowing a small yet thick guard to grow in protection over the vital sense organ. His narrow eyes, slim mouth, and thin nose also easily identified him as an Ehrmenae. However, perhaps the most interesting facial development was the bony nasal carapace that was common among his people. The carapace extended over his nose, eyebrows, and a full third of his forehead before merging back into his skull. It was almost as if he wore a natural nosepiece from a helm without the rest of the headgear. Searthu’s robes contained two less stripes than Brandt’s, although the robes themselves were the same color and style. He was the least in both rank and age of the three priests of Reah, and this alone caused him to want to wait his turn rather than speaking in greeting once he had heard Brandt’s voice in the hallway. As Brandt turned the corner and was shown into the room by Master Buschlerre, Master Searthu stood up to the fullest height he could gain from his shorter body. Brandt stopped and extended his hand in greeting to Searthu. “Master Searthu, I am glad that you were able to come tonight. I hope I did not interrupt your plans with family in light of my discovery?” Searthu smiled. “Are you kidding? A discovery like this does not happen all that often! I am excited to be a part of this. I had not left the office for the evening, and my family will no doubt understand when I return home and speak of what kept me delayed!” It was clear to Brandt that both of the men who had been summoned were pleased to be here. While the masters passed along their greetings, the acolytes had detained the priestess of Yrraxea in the hallway. Once the pleasantries were said, Master Buschlerre motioned for the acolytes to bring the woman into the small room. The room was only about twenty feet square. It proved to be a rather tight fit for the priestess of Yrraxea, the three priests of Reah, and their two acolytes. Master Buschlerre spoke first once all were present in the room and the door to the hallway was shut tight. “Fellow masters, I know we are tight in here, but I believe this experience would go quite far in the training of these two acolytes that have been summoned by Master Brandt. With your leave, I would suggest that they stay.” Master Brandt and Master Searthu nodded in approval without speaking a word. The two acolytes smiled with distinct pleasure at being allowed to see the interrogation first hand. Master Buschlerre turned to the priestess and continued his speech once he knew of the approval of the other masters. “Madam, we respect your life although we regret that you have chosen to follow such an evil goddess with it. However, you should know that so long as you cooperate there will be no harm that comes to you. Please nod if you understand this fact.” [/Sblock] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Into the Moral Darkness: (Now a Completed Story!)
Top