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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hjorimir" data-source="post: 6978507" data-attributes="member: 5745">IlvanderCharity and Ilvander made their way through town when they noticed that the plaza in the center of town was in the process of being decorated. He stopped a man who was busily arranging some flowers.“Excuse me, sir,” Ilvander started.“Huh?” the florist responded as he paused his work.“We’re new in town and are not familiar with local events. May I ask what you all are planning on celebrating?”The man’s eyes lit up and he gave a smile. “Of course! Tis almost time for Breacher’s Day!” as if that explained everything.“I’m sorry, did you say Breacher’s Day?”The man nodded, “Yes. This will be the hundredth Anniversary Breacher’s Day too! It should be quite a party!”“Ah yes,” Ilvander said nodding. “One more question, what is Breacher’s Day?”“Oh, some time ago..” the man started.“A hundred years ago?” Ilvander suggested. The monk was something of a historian and dates mattered to him.“Err…right you are…a hundred years ago, there was a dark wizard…he ‘conjoindered’ a demon from the hells and really did a lot of bad things around these parts. Anyway, the way I hear it, he died a hundred years ago and there have been celebrations ever sense.”“Since,” Ilvander corrected.“Wha?”Ilvander shook his head as he attempted to decipher the man’s words. Nearly a hundred years ago a conjurer was operating in this area and had bound at least one demon. No, better generalize that to fiend. Demons and hell don’t go together. Interesting.Ilvander stopped just as he was about to leave, “I’m sorry, one last question. Do you know what the wizard’s name was?”“Sure do!” the man said gleefully. “The Breacher!”Ilvander sighed, bought some flowers, handed them to Charity (who immediately passed them off to a passing maiden) and thanked him one last time before leaving.~CharityCharity and Ilvander found their way to the Archon’s shrine in town. It was a circular dome with heavy wooden doors.“Interesting architecture,” the paladin noted.“It’s from an older time, before the Chantry was founded. Shrines such as these were built during the birth of Archonity. There should be four entrances though – one for each of the cardinal directions,” Ilvander shared. “It’s been modified from its original design.”“Easier to defend a single point of entry,” Charity said, “but also easier to be trapped.”“According to my tutors, the four entrances were meant to be representative of the worship of the Archons was open to all of mankind,” the monk continued.Charity winced a little at the last statement.“Charity, I didn’t mean to suggest…” Ilvander started.“No, I know that. It’s okay,” she stopped him. “I can’t help that I was born a tiefling, but I can decide what I am and that’s what got me here. I’m a Sentinel of the Chantry, a Watcher, for which I would gladly give my life to defend.”“I know Charity. I know,” he as he put his hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry though, I don’t think it will come to that.”Unlike the Chantry in Akylon, which held a single altar for worship of the gods, there were fourteen small worship altars within. The altars, along with a donation box, were interspaced evenly about the room. The Archons were all respected equally within the eyes of the faithful and no Archon stood above another as each had their role to play.Choosing which of the Archon’s altars to pray at was an issue for Charity. She was a paladin, but had not yet formed a bond of servitude with any one of the Archons as was tradition. This left her biting her lip as she stood awkwardly near the donation box while considering how to proceed.“Perhaps Kyon?” Ilvander suggested nodding at one of the altars.The Aegis, a logical choice for a paladin. Charity shook her head. “I’ve prayed to Kyon more than any of the others. I’ve never had a sense that was the right path for me. I’ll try Avina again,” she said and made her way to the altar of the Earthmother where she kneeled and bowed her head.Ilvander spent some time before the altar of Lokela, who is the Gracegiver, the Merciful One. She had provided him comfort and direction for as long as he could remember. He took solace in her grace.A short while later, Ilvander noticed a man enter the chamber from a doorway in the back. He was an older man with a snowy beard, but looked like he may have just prematurely grayed as he otherwise seemed younger. He straightened his robes as he patiently waited for Ilvander to be available. The monk completed his prayers and went to him.“Welcome to Traveler’s Rest,” he said with a smile, “I am Pryor Valmay.”The title of Pryor, rank within the Chosen, indicated that he had been blessed with a partial Awakening. He could channel the will of the archons and produce miracles from sacred scrolls, but was unable to call on their power direct and cast spells of his own. The town was fortunate to have one so blessed.“Father Valmay,” the monk said as he bowed. “I am Initiate Ilvander. My companions and I have come to answer the town’s request for aid on behalf of the Chantry of the Lantern.”The priest straightened his back just a bit at mention of the Chantry of the Lantern, the center of Archonianism and the See of the Exarch. “Are you traveling with a Prestor or Sentinel?” Valmay asked. “I don’t want to seem disrespectful Brother Ilvander, but we were led to believe that the matter was being given a proper amount of attention.”“Of course, no offense is taken,” Ilvander replied. “The Chantry has sent a Sentinel to deal with the situation.” He gestured towards Charity who was in the process of completing her own prayers.Valmay smiled and nodded approvingly. Then Charity stood up and turned around and the priest’s smile melted like snow in the desert.Charity saw the pryor’s smile go flat. Something that she’s seen countless times. Here we go. She put on her best smile, which was one that hid her teeth that others found overly sharp. She bowed in deference when she joined the others, “Father,” she started, “I am Watcher Charity, and we have-“Valmay held up a hand and cut her short, “Yes, I’ve already been informed of why you are here. Let us all just hope we can get this taken care of as quickly as possible.”So you’ll be rid of me. Understood.“Yes, that would probably be best…for the people,” she replied.Ilvander wore his disapproval of Valmay’s attitude on his face. The pryor noticed this.“Initiate?” Valmay asked, “Something to add?”It wouldn’t be appropriate for an initiate to confront one of the Chosen in such a manner. Ilvander shook his, “No father. Only that we seek shelter here at the shrine tonight.”Valmay couldn’t properly decline their request, so he saw to it that they were both given cells beneath the shrine and took his leave.Tuesday, July 12 – THEN The next morning, when Charity came upstairs so that she and Ilvander could make their way back to the Lion’s Yawn to rejoin the Companions, she found Ilvander standing there at the top of the stairs…staring.The Brakari were at the shrine. At least some of them. Four of the Chained, soldiers of Nam Brakar, and the man in the resplendent armor of silver and gold were kneeled in prayer. They were kneeling at the altar of Meros the Tormentor, the Father of Fear. Each of them had longswords in hand, head pressed to the hilt. Something that would never be allowed in the great chantries, but here at the shrine in Traveler’s Rest, nobody would challenge them.Charity stopped cold, alarm written on her face. They’ve come for me!The Brakari didn’t move. There was no sense that they cared about the paladin. Not a one of them so much as glanced in her direction.“We should be going,” Ilvander suggested softly.Charity nodded and the two left the Brakari behind to rejoin the others and hopefully see about getting that audience with Lord Sannis, the town’s reeve.~Some guards had arrived at the inn that morning to escort the survivors of Roundtree to their kin already in town. Along with them came word that the reeve was available to see the Companions immediately.~VechThe lord’s manor was on a squat hill that overlooked the rest of Traveler’s Rest. Like the town, it boasted a new palisade of its own. Once the Companions arrived, they were taken to the main hall within the manner in short order. There they met with Sannis and a small assembly of guards and advisors.“My lord,” Ilvander started. “We have come from Akylon at the behest of the Chantry to investigate rumors of hauntings in the area. Forgive us, but we were delayed by the happenings at Roundtree.”“I’m told your group managed to track down the dogmen and rescue some of the villagers.”“Yes, m’lord,” the monk replied. “They have already rejoined the others here in town.”“And Sondiul’s Dogs?” the reeve left the question hanging.“Dispatched,” Dazen answered. Orsik quietly patted his belly and smiled at the memory, which caused the elf to slightly shudder in disgust. “Dwarves,” he said flatly.“Hrm?” Sannis asked.“Sorry, nothing m’lord,” he answered.“Well then, I expect you have a letter of introduction,” the man to his left asked extending his hand impatiently.“Of course,” answered Charity, who had until this point been standing discreetly in the back of the group. She strode forward slowly, pulling down the hood of her cloak to reveal her heritage to all in attendance. Lord Sannis recoiled within his chair, taking in an audible breath. A large, muscular woman, clad in breastplate and with a greatsword strapped across her back, took a protective step forward. The reeve quickly waived her back once he recomposed himself. Another woman, this one a striking beauty, sitting in a chair to the reeve’s right and the man with the outstretched hand seemed unconcerned.Charity strode with dignity, pulling a scrollcase from her belt as she closed the distance before finally handing it to the man. He proceeded to remove the scroll within and examine the seal. Lord Sannis looked at him, “Auvier?”Auvier nodded once and handed him the scroll. He turned his attention to the group before him as the reeve read its contents. His eyes lingered on each of them in turn, just long enough to be uncomfortable. His eyes narrowed as he settled on Vech who standing in back, looking at the ceiling, muttering to himself.“Everything seems to be in order,” Sannis said with approval before handing it to the woman seated to his right. She quickly read it as well before tucking it into a book she held in her lap.“A lie.” Glyph said.Vech had been looking at the ceiling doing his best to be inconspicuous (and failing). He had never trusted those in power. He’d seen their idea of justice too many times already in his young life.“What?” he said quietly to nobody.“A lie.” Glyph repeated.Vech dropped his gaze to the floor where the runic string of characters slithered about. At least that is how he perceived Glyph to be.“What lie? Nobody has lied. At least not yet,” Vech said softly. The strangely enigmatic – creature? – was frustratingly hard to comprehend. The warlock could understand the words it spoke easily enough, but trying to comprehend anything resembling sensible meaning often led to frustration.Glyph formed a complex pattern of indecipherable symbols on the ground as if it explained everything. It probably did, but Vech felt the tickle of a nosebleed begin as he studied the forms. He turned away with a sigh and wiped the blood from his nose on the back of his sleeve.Ever since Glyph had come to him they had a connection. A bond. A chain, if you will. With that bond came power. What power? Magic powers that he didn’t fully understand. Such is the life of those who dabble in powers without the toil of study. Unfortunately, this often to disastrous ends.Sorcerers came to their power through the blood in their veins; they literally inherited their powers. A warlock’s power came through a pact forged with fiends, or other strange entities, whose aims were not to be understood by mere mortals. For this reason, wizards, and those who knew anything of magicians, watched warlocks with a leery eye. Speaking of which…“Let us start with everybody’s name. An introduction seems appropriate, no?” Auvier said. “Obviously, this is Lord Sannis of Traveler’s Rest. Appointed lord of these lands by His Majesty, King Erevekk.” The Companions, minus Vech in the back, all nodded in deference. Auvier extended his hand towards the woman sitting to the reeve’s right. “This is the sorceress, Khellerra, who advises on all things magical and strange.” Shifting his upturned hand to the woman with the greatsword, “Sherriff Skanodra.” The Vettral woman gave a hard look of distrust to the Companions. “I am Auvier, the Lord’s Chancellor.”“I am Initiate Ilvander.” Ilvander answered with a perfunctory bow. “This is Watcher Charity, an ordained paladin of the Chantry in Akylon.” The monk stressed the word ‘ordained’ as an attempt to underline her official status in the eyes of the faith hoping that it would lead to a smoother audience. “This is the druid, Orsik, son of Vondal.”“The Goblin-Eater?” Khellerra piqued with a half-smile.“Umm, yes, as the story goes,” Ilvander coughed uncomfortably before continuing. “Dazen Selhariel,” gesturing to the elf. “Tenoch of the Nephti,” gesturing to the Arumanji huntsman. “And Vech,” gesturing at last to the warlock.“Vech of…” Auvier pressed.“Just Vech,” the warlock answered with a shrug. He then wiped with his sleeve once more to get the last traces of blood, gave a quick scratch of his short beard, and turned back to the ceiling to continue his very important conversation. The others could deal with the reeve.Vech sent a thought to Ilvander, which hit the monk like a waft of curdled milk. I am busy! No more interruptions!“Who lied?” Vech continued with Glyph.“None.” Glyph answered as it slid around in circles at the warlock’s feet.Vech sighed. “I don’t understand.”“Yes.” Vech fought down an urge to throttle Glyph. Something he had attempted once, but it just slid around in his fingers like oil, which was not nearly has satisfactory has he had originally hoped it would be. This time he stomped on it, but it just slid out from under his foot as if it didn’t exist. “Then why did you say that somebody lied?!” Vech hissed.“No.” It was all Vech could to do not start screaming at the thing, but the distraction would force him to apologize to his ‘betters’ and he would prefer not to give them that satisfaction. The warlock took a long, slow breath to steady himself.“Maybe you could say more?” Vech said almost pleading now.“Yes.” Vech wasn’t going to be fooled again! This time just waited for Glyph to continue.“It is a lie.” “Ah, yes, much better! It is a lie! Perfectly clear.” Vech frowned. “Wait, what?”“It is a lie.”Vech turned his back on Glyph and crossed his arms in a huff. “I’m not talking to you anymore!”Glyph made a strange sound that sent shivers up the warlock’s back. Was that a laugh?Meanwhile it was agreed upon that the Companions would take their rest at the manor before setting out for the village of Noor’s Meadow to the north of town, where the rumors had all begun.</blockquote>

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