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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Emperor Valerian" data-source="post: 1636581" data-attributes="member: 15043">Had a couple minutes, so here is another update...=====================================A cold draft whispered through the air, rustling and slipping through Vintressa’s hair, chilling her head and making her shiver slightly on the red velvet of the Imperial throne.Part of her mind still did not comprehend what had actually happened, even as the nobles and heads of major institutions in the capital all knelt, swearing loyalty.  I’m Regent, her mind numbly muttered.The Emperor had left the city not hours before, at the head of a second column of troops, headed towards the east.  Before he left the palace, Vintressa had watched him sign a proclamation proclaiming her Regent in his absence, charged with affairs of state and security of Iskeldrun.  Of course the Council was still here, and somewhere in the palace depths Royukgan’s brain could be pecked for assistance.Nonetheless, at this very moment, Vintressa felt alone.Before her lay hundreds of dignitaries and representatives.  Many were from noble families.  Some were from major organizations and Guilds.  And finally, many were the highest priests of the multitude of religions within the city and the Empire.One by one, the major dignitaries came to the front to kiss her signet ring, and she tried to keep their names and positions straight.  Count Wazen, Grand Leader of the Jeweler’s Guild... High Praetor... oh no... what is the name of the High Praetor!?  As the man kissed her hand, she gave him a vague thanks, deftly avoiding his name.  That slight hiccup out of the way, she easily recalled the Chief Mage at the Academy, and the Holy Healer of Honoria...Just behind that priestess, clad in her demure robes, was an unusual figure.  Unlike the others, clad in fine robes and suits for the most part, this man was clad in brilliant battle armor, shined to a silvery sheen.  From his hip hung a large, beautifully gilt sword.  For a second Vintressa was perplexed as to why someone so armored was allowed into the Throne Room... until she saw the small gilt motifs of a hand clenching a bolt of lightning emblazoned on the man’s breastplate.She smiled slightly at the High Righteous Commander, the highest officer in the Church of Hieroneous.  There is someone we can count as a friend... or can we?Since her parents’ ascension to the throne, the Church of Hieroneous had gained much influence and strength.  In some quarters, it was openly talked that Hieroneous was starting to replace Tarantor as the state religion... talk that the Emperor and Empress did not back.  However, they did not discourage such talk either.The religious disagreements between a Hieroneous loyal Imperial family and a Tarantor loyal nobility was one of the disagreements that helped drive the first rebellions early on... and even as this latest attempted coup played out, Vintressa would normally think that Hieroneous’ followers would be a steadfast ally.Until she found out about the rogue paladin Evermyn.   Hieroneous paladins were famed for their dedication to their order, and whatever promises or oaths they had taken.  Yet Evermyn had broken oaths she had given to Tess’ organization, and vanished after that drow and the Erelion children.  It was not like a paladin to suddenly turn rogue......unless she had recieved orders from the Church of Hieroneous to do so.  At least that is what Vintressa was reasoning.“The followers of the Valorous Might shall always be loyal to the throne,” the armor clad man bowed graciously, taking Vintressa’s proffed hand.  She gently touched his hand, a gesture asking him to look up.“High Commander,” she said quietly, hoping it was the correct title, “my family has always counted on you for support.  And in this time of need, we shall need your backing even more,” she flashed her eyes towards one of the side doors.  The war priest nodded at her unspoken message, and disappeared off to the right with the other dignitaries that were leaving.About an hour later, Vintressa walked into one of the private side drawing rooms, where the same priest now sat cross-legged on the floor, despite the plethora of comfortable chairs around him.  Despite being an honored guest who could ask for any food or drink he desired, no plate or cup was in sight.“High Commander, I am pleased to see you understood my message,” Vintressa smiled, offering a hand to lift him from his apparently uncomfortable position.  To her surprise, the holy warrior merely looked up, and spoke, not even recognizing her gesture.“I understand in this dark hour House Caladron needs as many allies as possible,” he bowed his head slightly.  “Your family has done many things for our cause, and we consider it the least of our abilities to offer to repay your kindness in whatever way possible.”“Well,” Vintressa took a seat in a chair opposite the kneeling priest.  How do I ask about this Evermyn?  Its not normal for someone to pry as to who is and who is not in the ranks of Hieroneous’ holy warriors...“Tell me about the paladin named Evermyn,” she said evenly, borrowing a page from Valaron’s book.  If all else fails... blunt and direct speech can sometimes work...She saw the high priest in front of her shift ever so slightly... a movement made in unease.  “Why does Your Excellent Highness inquire about our ranks?  Your Excellent Highness knows it is traditional that the Empire does not meddle into the internal affairs of the major religions within her...” the man recited respectfully, verbatim, the dogma of Emperors for hundreds of years.  Don’t meddle with the religions, unless they meddle excessively in politics.“One of your paladins, named Evermyn, has information closely relating to the conspiracy to attack the Empress.  She is missing,” Vintressa launched onward.  If I’m going to start blunt, I should just keep going...At this, the high priest twitched slightly.  He has heard of her, Vintressa reasoned.“Evermyn,” the High Commander started slowly, “was not a full part of the Brotherhood of the Valiant.”  The man’s eyes looked up towards Vintressa slightly, before suddenly resuming their previous position of looking to the ground.“Continue, High Commander,” Vintressa said briefly.“She was not admitted,” the priest guessed her unspoken question, “because she still had... issues.”“What kind of issues?” Vintressa said, allowing some exasperation to get into her voice.  Drawing this out of him is almost as tedious as trying to study for one of Aegrifyr’s examinations...“She had a great deal of anger... anger which she could not control.  The Path of the Valiant requires one to control one’s emotions, to use anger in a righteous manner for the betterment of all,” the priest said uncertainly.  “She showed all the combat prowess needed to be part of The Brotherhood, but not the mental prowess.  She was no paladin... merely a priest.”“Where is she now?”“She announced a few days ago to the others in the Temple that she was off on a mission to prove her worthiness, to show her capability at being a member of the Brotherhood.  A quest,” the High Commander explained.  “Adepts and Priests usually undertake one of their own choosing before being admitted to the brotherhood of paladins.  We have heard nothing of her since.”Vintressa’s mind, eyes, ears, and even nose attempted to find some trace of untruth in the man’s movements, his eyes, his body language.  His eyes were filled with confusion, and most importantly, no deception.  He tells the truth, she decided.  So it is apparent she DID go rogue... something that can be explained because she wasn’t a full paladin.  So she also lied to Aunt Tess’ people.  Could she be that dedicated to anger or vengeance?  And if so... how did she get so far as to be a priest of Hieroneous with that much unchecked anger and fury in her heart?“Are you aware of Evermyn’s background?” Vintressa asked quietly.“Of course,” the High Commander gave a short laugh of shock at being asked such a question.  “She was born to parents who died in a disease outbreak.  She was saved by several of our healers, and raised in the Temple!”Disease outbreak? Vintressa asked, her mind confused.  Then, she realized something.   It would be an easy way to explain away bodies who looked to have been boiled alive.  Such a death to the uninitiated could easily appear to be one caused by one of the many diseases that consume the flesh.  But why would the Church keep a public story of her background?  Why would they not say outright where she came from... what happened to her parents?“That is not the background I heard,” Vintressa responded coolly.  “Her parents were boiled alive by a priest of Vecna.”  Vintressa watched the High Commander shift uneasily yet again... a sign she’d hit a nerve.“How did Your Excellent Highness know such information?” the priest asked quietly.“Evermyn told an associate of mine,” Vintressa did not mention Tess or her organization at all. At that statement, a small gasp came from the priest.“She was not supposed to know...” he said, his voice trailing off.  After a few seconds, when his eyes nervously looked up at her, he saw she was still glaring down at him.  “We felt that she had great potential to do good... potential that might not be realized if she knew her true background.  If she knew what happened to her parents, she, like most people, would have become enraged, and focused on vengeance...”“Which is what appears to have happened, High Commander,” Vintressa replied.  “Someone told her the true story of her background, and now she has run amok!”  the princess snapped.She then looked down, and saw the priest of Hieroneous looking up at her, concern and worry in his eyes.  Concern for his errant sister, concern at what the Regent’s anger would portend for his faith.  Reading this, Vintressa gave a deep breath, and let her face relax.“Be at ease, High Commander.  I did not ask you here to castigate you.  I asked you here to find out more information, and ask for your assistance in tracking down your wayward sister.”</blockquote>

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