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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nonlethal Force" data-source="post: 3453171" data-attributes="member: 35788">Darkbringer had been awakened out of a deep sleep early in the morning.  Guards had come to her and secured her in shackles that prevented the use of her magic.  The cell that she had been given was already warded against magic, but the prison guards knew that once she left the confines of the cell her powers would return.  By using the warded shackles, they could prevent her from using magic upon them in transit.She arrived and was placed in a room with no windows.  In fact, within the perfect eight foot cubical room were two simple chairs, a very small square table, and a solid iron reinforced wooden door leading out of the room.  The walls had been painted a light gray to match the color of the cellblock below.  This room was no escape from her daily tradition of imprisonment.She was only present for five minutes before Semeion and the warden entered the interrogation room.  The warden looked to Darkbringer and smiled as if he derived some sort of pleasure in the proceedings.  “You received a visitor today, inmate.  I expect you to play nicely and answer all of this mage’s questions.”Darkbringer sneered, but she knew enough to not respond.  She looked upon Semeion with disgust.  He was one of the ones that had gotten her imprisoned here.  She knew that if she didn’t have the warding shackles around her wrists and feet that she could take him in a duel.  But that was unlikely.Semeion turned to the Warden and nodded in a common act of dismissal.  “I think you have made your point clear, warden.  With those shackles, I don’t think she has much choice but to play nicely.  So it is merely up to her to answer my questions.  Besides, if she chooses not to answer my questions I am sure that the priests of Reah, who handled her prior interrogation, would be more than willing to convince her to change her tone.”Darkbringer’s words lashed out in anger.  “I have told you all that I know!  If you think you can do more to me than the magical aura of truth that the priests used on me weeks ago, then you are welcome to try.  But they got all that they could get out of me then.  Do not expect anything else to come out of me, mage.  Your power is not as great as theirs.”  The statement was more than a threat.  It was a confession of truth.  Darkbringer had responded in honesty regarding everything the priest had asked; and Semeion’s powers were nowhere near as powerful as the priests upon whom Brandt had called.The warden smiled and put his back to Darkbringer.  “Have fun with her.  There will be three guards posted in the hallway.  The door will be locked from the outside.  Inform them when you are done and they will unlock the door.”Semeion nodded and waited for the warden to leave.  As he stood in silence, Darkbringer once more lashed out in irritation.  “What have you got for me today, mage?  Let’s get this over with.  Even without my magic there is little you can do to me without your friends.  I have felt your power already and you are nothing without them.”Semeion smiled as Darkbringer finished her sentence and he heard the locks click shut.  “I personally wouldn’t know, Darkbringer.  For you see, I am not who you think I am.  Your eyes have already deceived you.  Be silent and watch.”He turned his head to look into all the corners of the ceiling before smiling broadly.  Once he was sure that he had Darkbringer’s attention, he smiled and waved his hands in front of his face.  “Parzuhs Egro.”Darkbringer’s face took on an aspect of confusion as Semeion changed from his own appearance to match that of Ophee.  He had enough experience around Ophee to be able to make a considerably accurate representation.  Semeion smiled at Darkbringer and spoke quietly.  “You see, they needed to be deceived in order to come and visit you.  If you would like, I can return my voice to normal as well.”Darkbringer looked upon the image of Opheiluka with suspicion.  “No, this is strange enough.  Just tell me what you have come to say and let me return to my cell.  I could care less about what your voice sounds like.”Semeion sat down in the chair opposite Darkbringer.  He wasn’t sure if it mattered or not, but he was sure to mimic Ophee’s speech pattern as best as he could.  “My master has sent me to inform you that the time for Phoenix has come.”Darkbringer’s eyes glazed over at the mention of the code word.  Her bitter grimace vanished entirely.  “Phoenix?  It has come to that already?  Very well, I’ll give you want you request.”Her tone changed from resentment and anger to that of simplicity.  Between her change in tone and the change in her facial expressions Darkbringer looked as one under a charm spell.  It appeared and sounded as if she was no longer under her own control.  “If the time has come for the Phoenix command, then the one you now seek is called the Whetting One.”A look of simple confusion crossed over Semeion’s face.  He misheard Darkbringer’s words based on his own experiences over the course of the last week.  “Wedding One?  Is that some kind of riddle based upon the fact that the villa was commanded to be destroyed over the time when it was vacated due to the weddings of the four?”Darkbringer shook her head slowly from side to side, but continued to show no emotion.  She did not even smile with Semeion’s mix-up of words.  “Not wedding, you imbecile.  I said, ‘Whetting.’”Semeion moved from intellectual misunderstanding to being perplexed.  “The Whetting One, then.  That is most interesting.  And do you have any instructions for me regarding this Whetting One?”Darkbringer blinked slowly, as if to recall more information.  “The Whetting One is simply found.  At noon on any given day, you will need to stand beside the statue of the first Lord Ironblood.  The statue of which I speak is the one found in the town square.  When you stand beside the statue, you will need to send out a magical or telepathic message.  The message is simply the name, ‘Whetting One.’  Once you have sent the message, you are to stand beside the statue in the exact place from which you sent the message for five minutes.  Once the five minutes are expired, you are free to leave and go about your business.  Assuming that you follow these directions perfectly, you are halfway to finding the Whetting One.”Darkbringer breathed in slowly and closed her eyes as if to retrieve more hidden information.  After a few moments her eyes opened once more and she began to speak again.  “There is a white barn exactly two miles south of Fingerdale.  The Whetting One will meet you in that barn at noon on the third day from when you sent the message.  To indicate that you are ready, you are to speak the name of the Whetting One once more.”Semeion frowned.  “Sounds like a chase full of hocus pocus to me.  What are we, summoning some kind of demonic presence?”  His immediate dismissal of the Phoenix command was intended to throw Darkbringer off, but it failed.Darkbringer continued to answer in her flat tone.  “I assure you, the Whetting One is indeed quite real – and as personable as you or I.  But there are two more instructions that must be followed completely once you have said the name by the statue.”Semeion sighed.  He felt like the already convoluted plot was about to get even deeper.  His fears were confirmed as Darkbringer spoke again.  “Once you have sent out the message from the statue, you must be careful that nobody speaks the name of the Whetting One until noon on the third day.  To speak it early will immediately break the agreement and the Phoenix order will be permanently countermanded.”Semeion nodded.  “Understood.  And the second order?”Darkbringer closed her eyes once more.  “The Phoenix order is given, and it is not without suspicion.  The one who taught me these commands also instructed me to inform you that you are welcome to lay any kind of protective measures in the white barn as you feel necessary.  The presence of protection, magical or physical, will not hinder the Whetting One’s coming.”When Darkbringer had finished speaking, her eyes closed and the scowl once more appeared on her face.  “So, are you going to just sit there or are you going to ask me something?  I told you that I don’t have anything else that the priests couldn’t get out of me!  So let’s get this over with.”Semeion stood from the chair.  It was clear that the Darkbringer had now told all her secrets about the Phoenix command, and she apparently didn’t remember doing so.  His eyes darted left and right as he tried to ensure that he remembered all of the conditions regarding the Whetting One.  The experience was not at all what he had anticipated.  “Actually, I believe you.  My master needed me to hear it from you directly.  You have confirmed his thoughts, and he will be dealing with the situation accordingly.  Now if you don’t mind, I need to disguise myself once more so that I can leave without drawing attention to myself.”Darkbringer shook her head in disbelief.  “You disturbed me and brought me up here for this?  And you aren’t even going to ask me anything?  Tell your master to not even bother anymore!  Just let me rot in this jail for all I care!”Semeion muttered a few nonsensical words as a cover for the dismissal of the spell that had made him appear as Ophee.  He gestured again with his hands as his appearance changed.  He called for the guards and indicated that he was finished in the room.  As he left the room, he saw Warden Farette approaching him from down the hallway.  Both Semeion and the warden carried looks of confusion on their faces.[Sblock=Color-Free Speech Section]Darkbringer had been awakened out of a deep sleep early in the morning. Guards had come to her and secured her in shackles that prevented the use of her magic. The cell that she had been given was already warded against magic, but the prison guards knew that once she left the confines of the cell her powers would return. By using the warded shackles, they could prevent her from using magic upon them in transit.She arrived and was placed in a room with no windows. In fact, within the perfect eight foot cubical room were two simple chairs, a very small square table, and a solid iron reinforced wooden door leading out of the room. The walls had been painted a light gray to match the color of the cellblock below. This room was no escape from her daily tradition of imprisonment.She was only present for five minutes before Semeion and the warden entered the interrogation room. The warden looked to Darkbringer and smiled as if he derived some sort of pleasure in the proceedings. “You received a visitor today, inmate. I expect you to play nicely and answer all of this mage’s questions.”Darkbringer sneered, but she knew enough to not respond. She looked upon Semeion with disgust. He was one of the ones that had gotten her imprisoned here. She knew that if she didn’t have the warding shackles around her wrists and feet that she could take him in a duel. But that was unlikely.Semeion turned to the Warden and nodded in a common act of dismissal. “I think you have made your point clear, warden. With those shackles, I don’t think she has much choice but to play nicely. So it is merely up to her to answer my questions. Besides, if she chooses not to answer my questions I am sure that the priests of Reah, who handled her prior interrogation, would be more than willing to convince her to change her tone.”Darkbringer’s words lashed out in anger. “I have told you all that I know! If you think you can do more to me than the magical aura of truth that the priests used on me weeks ago, then you are welcome to try. But they got all that they could get out of me then. Do not expect anything else to come out of me, mage. Your power is not as great as theirs.” The statement was more than a threat. It was a confession of truth. Darkbringer had responded in honesty regarding everything the priest had asked; and Semeion’s powers were nowhere near as powerful as the priests upon whom Brandt had called.The warden smiled and put his back to Darkbringer. “Have fun with her. There will be three guards posted in the hallway. The door will be locked from the outside. Inform them when you are done and they will unlock the door.”Semeion nodded and waited for the warden to leave. As he stood in silence, Darkbringer once more lashed out in irritation. “What have you got for me today, mage? Let’s get this over with. Even without my magic there is little you can do to me without your friends. I have felt your power already and you are nothing without them.”Semeion smiled as Darkbringer finished her sentence and he heard the locks click shut. “I personally wouldn’t know, Darkbringer. For you see, I am not who you think I am. Your eyes have already deceived you. Be silent and watch.”He turned his head to look into all the corners of the ceiling before smiling broadly. Once he was sure that he had Darkbringer’s attention, he smiled and waved his hands in front of his face. “Parzuhs Egro.”Darkbringer’s face took on an aspect of confusion as Semeion changed from his own appearance to match that of Ophee. He had enough experience around Ophee to be able to make a considerably accurate representation. Semeion smiled at Darkbringer and spoke quietly. “You see, they needed to be deceived in order to come and visit you. If you would like, I can return my voice to normal as well.”Darkbringer looked upon the image of Opheiluka with suspicion. “No, this is strange enough. Just tell me what you have come to say and let me return to my cell. I could care less about what your voice sounds like.”Semeion sat down in the chair opposite Darkbringer. He wasn’t sure if it mattered or not, but he was sure to mimic Ophee’s speech pattern as best as he could. “My master has sent me to inform you that the time for Phoenix has come.”Darkbringer’s eyes glazed over at the mention of the code word. Her bitter grimace vanished entirely. “Phoenix? It has come to that already? Very well, I’ll give you want you request.”Her tone changed from resentment and anger to that of simplicity. Between her change in tone and the change in her facial expressions Darkbringer looked as one under a charm spell. It appeared and sounded as if she was no longer under her own control. “If the time has come for the Phoenix command, then the one you now seek is called the Whetting One.”A look of simple confusion crossed over Semeion’s face. He misheard Darkbringer’s words based on his own experiences over the course of the last week. “Wedding One? Is that some kind of riddle based upon the fact that the villa was commanded to be destroyed over the time when it was vacated due to the weddings of the four?”Darkbringer shook her head slowly from side to side, but continued to show no emotion. She did not even smile with Semeion’s mix-up of words. “Not wedding, you imbecile. I said, ‘Whetting.’”Semeion moved from intellectual misunderstanding to being perplexed. “The Whetting One, then. That is most interesting. And do you have any instructions for me regarding this Whetting One?”Darkbringer blinked slowly, as if to recall more information. “The Whetting One is simply found. At noon on any given day, you will need to stand beside the statue of the first Lord Ironblood. The statue of which I speak is the one found in the town square. When you stand beside the statue, you will need to send out a magical or telepathic message. The message is simply the name, ‘Whetting One.’ Once you have sent the message, you are to stand beside the statue in the exact place from which you sent the message for five minutes. Once the five minutes are expired, you are free to leave and go about your business. Assuming that you follow these directions perfectly, you are halfway to finding the Whetting One.”Darkbringer breathed in slowly and closed her eyes as if to retrieve more hidden information. After a few moments her eyes opened once more and she began to speak again. “There is a white barn exactly two miles south of Fingerdale. The Whetting One will meet you in that barn at noon on the third day from when you sent the message. To indicate that you are ready, you are to speak the name of the Whetting One once more.”Semeion frowned. “Sounds like a chase full of hocus pocus to me. What are we, summoning some kind of demonic presence?” His immediate dismissal of the Phoenix command was intended to throw Darkbringer off, but it failed.Darkbringer continued to answer in her flat tone. “I assure you, the Whetting One is indeed quite real – and as personable as you or I. But there are two more instructions that must be followed completely once you have said the name by the statue.”Semeion sighed. He felt like the already convoluted plot was about to get even deeper. His fears were confirmed as Darkbringer spoke again. “Once you have sent out the message from the statue, you must be careful that nobody speaks the name of the Whetting One until noon on the third day. To speak it early will immediately break the agreement and the Phoenix order will be permanently countermanded.”Semeion nodded. “Understood. And the second order?”Darkbringer closed her eyes once more. “The Phoenix order is given, and it is not without suspicion. The one who taught me these commands also instructed me to inform you that you are welcome to lay any kind of protective measures in the white barn as you feel necessary. The presence of protection, magical or physical, will not hinder the Whetting One’s coming.”When Darkbringer had finished speaking, her eyes closed and the scowl once more appeared on her face. “So, are you going to just sit there or are you going to ask me something? I told you that I don’t have anything else that the priests couldn’t get out of me! So let’s get this over with.”Semeion stood from the chair. It was clear that the Darkbringer had now told all her secrets about the Phoenix command, and she apparently didn’t remember doing so. His eyes darted left and right as he tried to ensure that he remembered all of the conditions regarding the Whetting One. The experience was not at all what he had anticipated. “Actually, I believe you. My master needed me to hear it from you directly. You have confirmed his thoughts, and he will be dealing with the situation accordingly. Now if you don’t mind, I need to disguise myself once more so that I can leave without drawing attention to myself.”Darkbringer shook her head in disbelief. “You disturbed me and brought me up here for this? And you aren’t even going to ask me anything? Tell your master to not even bother anymore! Just let me rot in this jail for all I care!”Semeion muttered a few nonsensical words as a cover for the dismissal of the spell that had made him appear as Ophee. He gestured again with his hands as his appearance changed. He called for the guards and indicated that he was finished in the room. As he left the room, he saw Warden Farette approaching him from down the hallway. Both Semeion and the warden carried looks of confusion on their faces.[/Sblock]</blockquote>

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