Post by Jaezred Vandree on Nov 11, 2022 15:37:54 GMT
Co-written with willjenkins.
As a dark cloud passes by the window in Aurelia’s home office, casting a shadow over the empty chair in front of her desk, Jaezred Vandree apparates into the room. His form had seemingly materialised out of the shadow, already seated in that very same chair and propping his head up with a fist. There is a brown messenger bag resting on his lap.
“It’s me, your favourite drow,” he says with a wide grin on his face.
Aurelia, in her fine robes of the archmage, hair perfectly arranged, sits in a fine, white wood chair behind the desk, sipping tea. “Fourth or fifth maybe… What do you want… May I offer you a cup? Silver tip. Quite good.”
“You know how I feel about tea. So yes, please.” He puts the bag on the desk and glances about the room. “Is the Duchess here?”
“I’m alone.” An invisible servant floats a delicate china cup into his hands. Aurelia starts looking through the documents within the bag. “Tell me why I’m looking at diagrams of the Academy and a couple of the flyers for the fair?”
“Found these in Tim’s secret lair near Port Ffirst,” Jaezred replies, sipping the tea and gesturing at the papers. “You’ll find lots of rantings of hatred towards the Academy and Daring Heights in general. There’s reason to believe that he might be directing the sphere of annihilation towards the festival.”
Aurelia stops, her cup hovering near her mouth. “Well, that is certainly sub-optimal.”
“You could say that. We killed him down there, but unfortunately, he had a clone. The good news is that since he did not get the money from the card-bombing stunt he tried to pull a few months ago, he probably can’t afford to cast clone again.”
“Yes indeed, the diamonds needed for that are not cheap, although the vessel can be reused indefinitely. Still, from what I hear, death was probably deserved. Anyone who decides to utilise a sphere of annihilation is clearly bent on ill ends. He was the one threatening the gamblers, was he?”
“I cannot say with absolute certainty, but the culprit and he do have a lot in common. The same skin tone, voice type, and magic… He’s a tricky one, Archmage. No resources should be spared on the security for this event.”
“I will be there myself, and I have sent invites to many of the most powerful members of the adventuring community. But thank you, we will be extremely cautious.”
“Oh, and it might be worth it to tighten security in Daring when the fair is going on as well. The flyers might be a ruse after all…”
“Practical. I’ll put something in place. Although I’d be keen for this to be out to bed before we get to the time of the fair. Can he not be found and the sphere neutralised before Nightall?”
“I’m afraid that’s very unlikely. He has some kind of anti-divination magic on him. We discovered his lair in Port Ffirst entirely by luck.”
“Hmmm, well, there are other ways of learning information other than divination, Lord Jaezred. I have a number of ‘friends’ who might be able to find something out. You’d be amazed how much such a network can discover…” A wry smile spreads over Aurelia’s face as she takes another sip of her tea.
Jaezred chuckles. “Ah, you assume I am not already acquainted with this network of yours… I’d be happy to work with the Duchess to find out more.”
“Excellent, so let me know what you have found.”
A knock comes at the door. Aurelia’s eyes flash momentarily and her grin is replaced by a flatter, tired expression. “Ah, the council requires my attendance. If you’ll excuse me.” She stands to show Jaezred out. “A pleasure as always.”
Jaezred gives her a look of pity before standing up and bowing slightly to her. Thank the gods I have not been burdened with the curse of responsibility. “Archmage.”
As a dark cloud passes by the window in Aurelia’s home office, casting a shadow over the empty chair in front of her desk, Jaezred Vandree apparates into the room. His form had seemingly materialised out of the shadow, already seated in that very same chair and propping his head up with a fist. There is a brown messenger bag resting on his lap.
“It’s me, your favourite drow,” he says with a wide grin on his face.
Aurelia, in her fine robes of the archmage, hair perfectly arranged, sits in a fine, white wood chair behind the desk, sipping tea. “Fourth or fifth maybe… What do you want… May I offer you a cup? Silver tip. Quite good.”
“You know how I feel about tea. So yes, please.” He puts the bag on the desk and glances about the room. “Is the Duchess here?”
“I’m alone.” An invisible servant floats a delicate china cup into his hands. Aurelia starts looking through the documents within the bag. “Tell me why I’m looking at diagrams of the Academy and a couple of the flyers for the fair?”
“Found these in Tim’s secret lair near Port Ffirst,” Jaezred replies, sipping the tea and gesturing at the papers. “You’ll find lots of rantings of hatred towards the Academy and Daring Heights in general. There’s reason to believe that he might be directing the sphere of annihilation towards the festival.”
Aurelia stops, her cup hovering near her mouth. “Well, that is certainly sub-optimal.”
“You could say that. We killed him down there, but unfortunately, he had a clone. The good news is that since he did not get the money from the card-bombing stunt he tried to pull a few months ago, he probably can’t afford to cast clone again.”
“Yes indeed, the diamonds needed for that are not cheap, although the vessel can be reused indefinitely. Still, from what I hear, death was probably deserved. Anyone who decides to utilise a sphere of annihilation is clearly bent on ill ends. He was the one threatening the gamblers, was he?”
“I cannot say with absolute certainty, but the culprit and he do have a lot in common. The same skin tone, voice type, and magic… He’s a tricky one, Archmage. No resources should be spared on the security for this event.”
“I will be there myself, and I have sent invites to many of the most powerful members of the adventuring community. But thank you, we will be extremely cautious.”
“Oh, and it might be worth it to tighten security in Daring when the fair is going on as well. The flyers might be a ruse after all…”
“Practical. I’ll put something in place. Although I’d be keen for this to be out to bed before we get to the time of the fair. Can he not be found and the sphere neutralised before Nightall?”
“I’m afraid that’s very unlikely. He has some kind of anti-divination magic on him. We discovered his lair in Port Ffirst entirely by luck.”
“Hmmm, well, there are other ways of learning information other than divination, Lord Jaezred. I have a number of ‘friends’ who might be able to find something out. You’d be amazed how much such a network can discover…” A wry smile spreads over Aurelia’s face as she takes another sip of her tea.
Jaezred chuckles. “Ah, you assume I am not already acquainted with this network of yours… I’d be happy to work with the Duchess to find out more.”
“Excellent, so let me know what you have found.”
A knock comes at the door. Aurelia’s eyes flash momentarily and her grin is replaced by a flatter, tired expression. “Ah, the council requires my attendance. If you’ll excuse me.” She stands to show Jaezred out. “A pleasure as always.”
Jaezred gives her a look of pity before standing up and bowing slightly to her. Thank the gods I have not been burdened with the curse of responsibility. “Archmage.”
