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Message: <blockquote data-quote="James McMurray" data-source="post: 281734" data-attributes="member: 743">It was 1487 according to the human calendar, and Gregory Seraph moved through the streets of Greyhawk city. Two weeks ago a mysterious note had appeared outside the door to his home in Dianartia, deep in the heart of Bytopia. “Come to Greyhawk City on Oerth for the answers that you seek.” Having searched for years to learn the true identity of his father, Gregory wondered if this was perhaps a clue.He spent the next two weeks in his arcane library and labs, learning everything he could about Oerth in general and Greyhawk specifically. The next week he spent in divinations. When his magic told him to beware a trap, he almost changed his mind completely and elected to forego the trip. But the next divination told him that if he went he would finally learn his father’s name, and maybe even get to meet him. The next day he began to pack.His wings folded under a cloak and hidden within a hollow backpack, he strode through the streets of the garment district. His magics had told him to “seek where the sewn and shorn are sold.” “I am here.” Gregory looked around for the source of the voice, which somehow carried itself over the noise of the throngs of people. “Up above.” Looking up, Gregory saw a robed man standing in a balcony two stories up. The man spoke again, and his voice carried through the crowds, “Come up and learn your father’s name.”Instantly alert to any sings of a trap, Gregory scanned the crowds. Everything seemed normal and he cautiously worked his way towards the building, which seemed to be a manufacturer. As he entered the first floor, he was greeted with the sight of almost 40 children and young adults, all working to sew clothing. Past the rows of stitching were two more rows of at least 20 more children. These last were dipping finished clothes into large vats of dye, their arms stained rainbow colors by the oils.Gregory moved cautiously deeper into the room, to the stairs on the far side. A few of the children looked up and smiled to him, but most of them worked without noticing. Up the stairs Gregory came to a hallway. Only one of the five doorways was open, and when he moved into the room he saw the speaker sitting behind a large mahogany desk. “Welcome Mr. Seraph. It has come to my attention that I may be aware of a name you have searched for.”The words made Gregory’s heart skip. Finally he would learn his father’s name. But the divinations also gave warning. “Bearers of truth are not all good.” The warning echoed in his head and he reached out with his celestial heritage. His eyes shifted from blue to gold, and the aura he saw about the man was most assuredly too evil to be human.Conrad spoke again. “I can see by your expression that your eyes have given you a glimpse into my soul. Yes, I am indeed a devil. It is my heritage which you see.“I too never met my father.” Conrad stood slowly and without menace. As he did so, he shrugged his shoulders and his robe fell back to reveal a large pair of bat-like wings. “You and I are alike in so many ways. And yet so different.“You see, all across the cosmos there are fathers abandoning their children. To most, those. . . ‘men’ . . . are but hollow voids in the hearts of their children.” The anger in his voice flared at the word men, but he calmed again momentarily. “In your case, the father is much more than a void.” Conrad raised his hand and made an unclasping motion. Gregory’s backpack fell away, and his cloak moved aside. The golden feathered eagle’s wings which have for years been the only tie between the half-celestial and his father stretched and furled, instinctively loosening themselves after the captivity of the disguise.“There is no reason for you to hide your gift. Although the man who gave those to you has been lost to you, it is a proud legacy you come from.” Conrad’s own bat wings flex and curl. “You are the luckiest of the orphans. Some of us forsaken children have only the curse of their paternity to drag them down.”Gregory interrupted Conrad, “Very pretty speech, but my divinations have warned me against you. What kind of a creature would run a business like this and then expect me to deal with them?”“No good sir. You are mistaken,” Conrad continued. “I just recently ‘acquired’ this establishment. I can assure you that the man who once ran the place is receiving his just rewards. These children will be given a new home as soon as our business is concluded.”“Business?” Gregory replied.“Yes. You see. I have long since given up hope of being able to turn my back on my heritage. Every good act I have attempted has been misconstrued. Every grace extended has been thought a lie because of these damnable wings and the devil who gave them to me. But now, with you, I have a chance to redeem myself.“If I were to convince you of my goodness, you could take me with you back to Bytopia. Perhaps with time I could convince people that the sins of the father do not always repeat themselves in the child.” Conrad trailed off into thought. “You say your divinations warned you of me. Isn’t it possible that they were incorrect? As you know, the future is not a tale already told, it is a tapestry being constantly woven. Perhaps the blood in my veins misguided your magics.”Gregory thought a moment. “That is possible, but I hope you won’t mind if I wait before passing judgment on that.”Conrad laughed a bitter laugh. “Good sir, it is my fondest wish that people wait before passing judgment. But I digress.”“I would like to take you to meet your father. When I found mine he was already dead, and there was no way for me to ask him why he had cursed me so. But perhaps I can make up for that by giving you the chance to ask your questions.”“Forty years ago, just shortly after your birth, your father was defending a village I Celestia. As a result of that raid, he was captured. My heritage may generally be a curse, but it does let me go places and see things others would not be privy to. I know where your father is held, and can take you there.”Gregory’s heart soared again, partially outstripping his caution. “Where is this place? Who has captured him?”“It is not far, in this very city. The fiend that controls him is very powerful, and very intelligent, but the two of us would surely be a match for him. Together you and I could free Striker Michaelson from his prison.”Gregory thought for a moment. “I will take you at your word for now. But be forewarned, I am not without resources of my own, and I will keep my eye on you. Take me there.”“I have the location right here.” Conrad reached into his robes and pulled forth the Tome. Opening to a page as if thumbing for an address, he opened it to show Gregory. “Ah yes, here he is.” As the book turned towards the wizard, he saw figures writhing and moaning across its surface. One of them caught his eye. It was a tiny man, twisting and crying out in pain. The man’s wings were held down by the pages, which flowed like tar around him. “Your father awaits you.”Much like his father before him, Gregory was drawn into the tome. Whistling a cheery tune, Conrad closed the book and patted it. “Like father like son I always say, isn’t that right dad?” Asmodeus, being several planes away, did not hear the statement, but would have laughed in appreciation if he had. “Just one more small bit of business to attend to.” Conrad strode downstairs, drawing his wings close and back under his robes.“Kids?” He called out. The work around him stopped. “As I promised you, Mr. Kirkpatrick is no longer running this business. You may all come with me now, and see your new home. As promised, there will be no beatings, and you will be given all the food you need.” Conrad reopened the book, and the youths around him were drawn in one by one. All except for one child in the back.“Well now little George, are you sure you won’t reconsider?” The lanky little brown haired boy looked up at the fiend in horror. “N-n-no.”“Good thinking, lad. You are much wiser than you look. In appreciation for you avoiding my snare today, I’ll tell you the first three rules of business. . .”“Always do your dealings in writing, the terms are much clearer that way.”</blockquote>

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