2020-02-11 - What's in a Name? - Arkadius Hogg
Feb 12, 2020 13:53:32 GMT
Markas Virnala and Queen Merla, the Sun-Blessed like this
Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2020 13:53:32 GMT
Arkadius has, by all possible definitions of the word, never considered himself special. He grew up in an idyllic, peaceful town. He left said town for adventure, under the tutelage and guidance of Jornos. And inevitably, thought Arkadius, much like everyone else in his life Jornos left him to his own devices, to his own destiny. But he wasn’t bitter, not angry, not sad or remorseful. He had come to expect it. Besides, he had other things on his mind.
“Am I a good person?” he asked his office absent-mindedly from where he was sitting at his desk, knowing Ida was shuffling around somewhere in the room. The suddenness of the question after a long period of silence from Arkadius surprised her. Why do you ask, Arkadius? came her response, through their mental link as always.
“You saw it yourself, heard it yourself, when we were in K’ul Goran. We found out more about the Vanguard, they have an Infernal heritage and background, I have an Infernal heritage and background, I…”, he faltered for a moment. “When I was a kid, I was bullied and belittled purely because of who I am. I can’t help what I was born as, I didn’t ask to be a tiefling. I presume, anyway.
“I sat alone and had no friends because everyone was taught that the red family in the corner of the town were pure evil. They only gave my dad the job in the blacksmithy because he could withstand the fire and the heat in there better than anyone else could.
“You’ve been around long enough to see what’s been going on lately. The war in K’ul Goran, the stuff in the Plane of Air, whatever we let loose. I think I just need reassurance that I am doing the right thing in life, and that…”
I think you’re a good person, came her simple, interrupting response, and surely my opinion counts for something.
Journal entry dated 11th of Alturiak, 1497
I think, to avoid the awkwardness of writing letters (that I still have no idea that She actually witnesses or not) and to improve on my own recollection of events as I continue my adventures in Kantas, I shall try keeping a journal instead. If indeed Swan does receive my letters and wants to complain about this then She is more than entitled to make Her appearance here to me at Kantas and make Her opinion actually known. I’ll more than happily follow Her guidance, if She makes it clear and known. Right now, I still do not understand why I was invited to be Her follower.
Yesterday, I was working and doing my usual trek up to Daring Heights to deliver the mail on behalf of Ffirst Airmail and do the drop to Wendy, when she surprised me with a letter of my own, addressed to me. I thought it weird, I don’t usually receive mail, so I thanked her, made my leave and went to leave Daring Heights back to Port Ffirst as usual.
As I reached the city gates, I opened the letter and this changed my plans for the day. I flew upwards, into the sky above the city, looking down trying to find a hint of where my target might be. I didn’t spot Rama, but I did spot Sheryl walking through the streets, so flew down to meet her. She’d received one of the letters too and wasn’t sure where Rama lived either, but was able to ping him via Sending.
(Side note: I still find it amusing that spellcasters can’t mentally count the number of words they say, I haven’t met a single spellcaster who doesn’t count on their fingers as they speak! It’s so funny.)
This led us in the right direction. As we approached however, we saw that the front door was… no longer attached. Given that we’d received letters saying Rama needed help, this made us immediately suspicious. Sheryl lept straight in, and I hung back for a few moments, having a clear line-of-sight of the danger from outside. I threw in a firebolt as the hooded, cloaked huge figure attacked. Greebo and Bones arrived after a very short, tense few moments to contribute too. Rama attacked the figure, and threw him at the wall. Unfortunately, this restricted my line of sight, so I had to move into the house, it was tactically the best thing to do.
The combined efforts of all five of us (Rama, myself, Sheryl, Bones and Greebo) was enough to send the enrobed person to the floor. It became clear at this point that some of us, specifically myself, Sheryl and Bones recognised the style of mask that this being was wearing. We’d encountered it not but a week ago, in the hands of Torval in the Plane of Air. The Vanguard are putting their efforts into a lot of operations, it would seem.
After a short interrogation, which I have to note that Sheryl performed quite admirably and inspirationally via Detect Thoughts magic (I’ll need to remember that tactic and learn that in time), we found out that indeed he was sent by the Vanguard. This confirmed our suspicion that this wasn’t going to be as clear-cut and sailing as I had originally hoped. My stay in Daring Heights had just lengthened, or so it would seem.
We found Wendy, Rama wanted to know more about the letters that we had all been sent, given he also received one advising him to “Run”. We didn’t gleam much information, for we both serve our roles professionally and admirably: Unless a Sender clearly marks their post with a return address and makes it clear they wish to be known, we won’t divulge that information willingly. It’s part of the Postmaster Ethics. (Note to self: possibly document Postmaster Ethics in future, to pass on to staff of Ffirst Airmail.)
Our path then led us to Rivan’s estate, where Rama took me before when I was a bit of an idiot and making my intentions for Kundar a little too publicly known. I still have a desire for vengeance against Lady Khaosborne and will one day track her down and put an end to her. I still need to track down Jian Marco and Sil, her cousins that we bumped into in the swamp with Caex, who did not seem especially fond of her and advised us there were others in the family that were feeling similar. But that is a Rivalry story that I will chase up another time.
We followed the trail to K’ul Goran, where we went to meet Babis Farstep, a minotaur who runs a bookstore. We enquired as to whether he knew of any references to the Vanguard, and this is where we learned that references to the Vanguard are likely to an ancient, infernal cult. We gained this knowledge from a small, short reference in a book entitled “The History of K’Ul Goran”, which I thought may be of use however short and undefining the reference may be.
The other folks who are paving the path on this investigation may appreciate seeing this first hand, so I bought the book. It’s still sitting on the desk here beside me, I haven’t had the heart to take it to Markas yet. Even though Sheryl didn’t seem to harbour any ill-will towards me and my infernal heritage when she learned that the cult had similar, I have no doubt that she doesn’t see me differently because we are good friends. Perhaps I am reading too much into this? Maybe.
Our adventure in the book shop over, we proceeded to make our way through the city to our next destination, not yet known. We wouldn’t reach it however, as Ida (curiously sitting on my shoulder for once) and Rama both spotted that we were being tailed. We planned an ambush, thankfully more than one of us had the capability of communicating mentally, and caught up with our “follower” in a fairly-empty alleyway. That was where they advised us that they weren’t actually there to attack us, and instead were there to guide Rama to something of interest.
The thing of interest turned out to be a circle of stones with internal sigils placed in them. I was very careful to stand outside of the circle at all times, I’m not a fan of being spirited away by any kind of portal without having time to prepare first. Thankfully, we worked out that it would take all five of us to touch a stone each in turn. The sigils represented syllables of Rama’s… Other name? When we spelled out the other name by touching the sigil stones in the right order, a portal appeared. The others were less hesitant than me, and stepped through. I followed on afterwards, taking up the rear.
Through the portal it was immediately clear we were still in K’ul Goran, it was still windy as hell. In the distance was a church, where we witnessed another enrobed figure heading inside. Well, I guess we found our new target. Some of us made an effort to sneak into the church a while back behind the figure, and others made less of an effort. And then there’s Rama, who strode in as if he owned the place.
The hooded, enrobed and masked figure (oh look, another red mask with gold lines, this is becoming a regular thing now), began some kind of ritual, what I assumed to be summoning something, but over time it became clear that it was more opening up a portal or hole into another plane, allowing things through both ways rather than summoning it here. That was made clear when the hellhounds climbed into our plane, and Rama climbed into theirs.
Not before a javelin knocked off the mask of the figure, who we discovered to be Babis. I don’t know why I wasn’t able to pick up on his Warlocky nature when we were in his store earlier. But alas, he has signed a pact with a Fiendish being rather like me, and I’m sure that it would be a disservice to Swan if I didn’t follow up on this. Rather like Lady Khaosborn, Babis Farstep has added himself to my list of rivals. The list, rather like last week, has doubled in size.
Rama stepped through the portal to the other Plane, and… closed it on himself, preventing whatever was the other side from coming through. No doubt this would in time be rather disastrous for the material plane, and Rama has no doubt either stopped or delayed whatever was coming. We have time to prepare now, at least, should that danger ever reappear. We’ve also identified a new line of investigation to find leads on the Vanguard, what their existence means to the material plane, and who one of their… members are.
I am holding off passing this new information off to Markas, and delivering him the book of history. I want to find a way to make it clear that I do not put stock in my infernal heritage, and that I can be trusted.
I am not who I was born as, I’ve transcended beyond my own heritage.
“Am I a good person?” he asked his office absent-mindedly from where he was sitting at his desk, knowing Ida was shuffling around somewhere in the room. The suddenness of the question after a long period of silence from Arkadius surprised her. Why do you ask, Arkadius? came her response, through their mental link as always.
“You saw it yourself, heard it yourself, when we were in K’ul Goran. We found out more about the Vanguard, they have an Infernal heritage and background, I have an Infernal heritage and background, I…”, he faltered for a moment. “When I was a kid, I was bullied and belittled purely because of who I am. I can’t help what I was born as, I didn’t ask to be a tiefling. I presume, anyway.
“I sat alone and had no friends because everyone was taught that the red family in the corner of the town were pure evil. They only gave my dad the job in the blacksmithy because he could withstand the fire and the heat in there better than anyone else could.
“You’ve been around long enough to see what’s been going on lately. The war in K’ul Goran, the stuff in the Plane of Air, whatever we let loose. I think I just need reassurance that I am doing the right thing in life, and that…”
I think you’re a good person, came her simple, interrupting response, and surely my opinion counts for something.
Journal entry dated 11th of Alturiak, 1497
I think, to avoid the awkwardness of writing letters (that I still have no idea that She actually witnesses or not) and to improve on my own recollection of events as I continue my adventures in Kantas, I shall try keeping a journal instead. If indeed Swan does receive my letters and wants to complain about this then She is more than entitled to make Her appearance here to me at Kantas and make Her opinion actually known. I’ll more than happily follow Her guidance, if She makes it clear and known. Right now, I still do not understand why I was invited to be Her follower.
Yesterday, I was working and doing my usual trek up to Daring Heights to deliver the mail on behalf of Ffirst Airmail and do the drop to Wendy, when she surprised me with a letter of my own, addressed to me. I thought it weird, I don’t usually receive mail, so I thanked her, made my leave and went to leave Daring Heights back to Port Ffirst as usual.
As I reached the city gates, I opened the letter and this changed my plans for the day. I flew upwards, into the sky above the city, looking down trying to find a hint of where my target might be. I didn’t spot Rama, but I did spot Sheryl walking through the streets, so flew down to meet her. She’d received one of the letters too and wasn’t sure where Rama lived either, but was able to ping him via Sending.
(Side note: I still find it amusing that spellcasters can’t mentally count the number of words they say, I haven’t met a single spellcaster who doesn’t count on their fingers as they speak! It’s so funny.)
This led us in the right direction. As we approached however, we saw that the front door was… no longer attached. Given that we’d received letters saying Rama needed help, this made us immediately suspicious. Sheryl lept straight in, and I hung back for a few moments, having a clear line-of-sight of the danger from outside. I threw in a firebolt as the hooded, cloaked huge figure attacked. Greebo and Bones arrived after a very short, tense few moments to contribute too. Rama attacked the figure, and threw him at the wall. Unfortunately, this restricted my line of sight, so I had to move into the house, it was tactically the best thing to do.
The combined efforts of all five of us (Rama, myself, Sheryl, Bones and Greebo) was enough to send the enrobed person to the floor. It became clear at this point that some of us, specifically myself, Sheryl and Bones recognised the style of mask that this being was wearing. We’d encountered it not but a week ago, in the hands of Torval in the Plane of Air. The Vanguard are putting their efforts into a lot of operations, it would seem.
After a short interrogation, which I have to note that Sheryl performed quite admirably and inspirationally via Detect Thoughts magic (I’ll need to remember that tactic and learn that in time), we found out that indeed he was sent by the Vanguard. This confirmed our suspicion that this wasn’t going to be as clear-cut and sailing as I had originally hoped. My stay in Daring Heights had just lengthened, or so it would seem.
We found Wendy, Rama wanted to know more about the letters that we had all been sent, given he also received one advising him to “Run”. We didn’t gleam much information, for we both serve our roles professionally and admirably: Unless a Sender clearly marks their post with a return address and makes it clear they wish to be known, we won’t divulge that information willingly. It’s part of the Postmaster Ethics. (Note to self: possibly document Postmaster Ethics in future, to pass on to staff of Ffirst Airmail.)
Our path then led us to Rivan’s estate, where Rama took me before when I was a bit of an idiot and making my intentions for Kundar a little too publicly known. I still have a desire for vengeance against Lady Khaosborne and will one day track her down and put an end to her. I still need to track down Jian Marco and Sil, her cousins that we bumped into in the swamp with Caex, who did not seem especially fond of her and advised us there were others in the family that were feeling similar. But that is a Rivalry story that I will chase up another time.
We followed the trail to K’ul Goran, where we went to meet Babis Farstep, a minotaur who runs a bookstore. We enquired as to whether he knew of any references to the Vanguard, and this is where we learned that references to the Vanguard are likely to an ancient, infernal cult. We gained this knowledge from a small, short reference in a book entitled “The History of K’Ul Goran”, which I thought may be of use however short and undefining the reference may be.
The other folks who are paving the path on this investigation may appreciate seeing this first hand, so I bought the book. It’s still sitting on the desk here beside me, I haven’t had the heart to take it to Markas yet. Even though Sheryl didn’t seem to harbour any ill-will towards me and my infernal heritage when she learned that the cult had similar, I have no doubt that she doesn’t see me differently because we are good friends. Perhaps I am reading too much into this? Maybe.
Our adventure in the book shop over, we proceeded to make our way through the city to our next destination, not yet known. We wouldn’t reach it however, as Ida (curiously sitting on my shoulder for once) and Rama both spotted that we were being tailed. We planned an ambush, thankfully more than one of us had the capability of communicating mentally, and caught up with our “follower” in a fairly-empty alleyway. That was where they advised us that they weren’t actually there to attack us, and instead were there to guide Rama to something of interest.
The thing of interest turned out to be a circle of stones with internal sigils placed in them. I was very careful to stand outside of the circle at all times, I’m not a fan of being spirited away by any kind of portal without having time to prepare first. Thankfully, we worked out that it would take all five of us to touch a stone each in turn. The sigils represented syllables of Rama’s… Other name? When we spelled out the other name by touching the sigil stones in the right order, a portal appeared. The others were less hesitant than me, and stepped through. I followed on afterwards, taking up the rear.
Through the portal it was immediately clear we were still in K’ul Goran, it was still windy as hell. In the distance was a church, where we witnessed another enrobed figure heading inside. Well, I guess we found our new target. Some of us made an effort to sneak into the church a while back behind the figure, and others made less of an effort. And then there’s Rama, who strode in as if he owned the place.
The hooded, enrobed and masked figure (oh look, another red mask with gold lines, this is becoming a regular thing now), began some kind of ritual, what I assumed to be summoning something, but over time it became clear that it was more opening up a portal or hole into another plane, allowing things through both ways rather than summoning it here. That was made clear when the hellhounds climbed into our plane, and Rama climbed into theirs.
Not before a javelin knocked off the mask of the figure, who we discovered to be Babis. I don’t know why I wasn’t able to pick up on his Warlocky nature when we were in his store earlier. But alas, he has signed a pact with a Fiendish being rather like me, and I’m sure that it would be a disservice to Swan if I didn’t follow up on this. Rather like Lady Khaosborn, Babis Farstep has added himself to my list of rivals. The list, rather like last week, has doubled in size.
Rama stepped through the portal to the other Plane, and… closed it on himself, preventing whatever was the other side from coming through. No doubt this would in time be rather disastrous for the material plane, and Rama has no doubt either stopped or delayed whatever was coming. We have time to prepare now, at least, should that danger ever reappear. We’ve also identified a new line of investigation to find leads on the Vanguard, what their existence means to the material plane, and who one of their… members are.
I am holding off passing this new information off to Markas, and delivering him the book of history. I want to find a way to make it clear that I do not put stock in my infernal heritage, and that I can be trusted.
I am not who I was born as, I’ve transcended beyond my own heritage.
