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[Kaladis Anar]

A Tale of Two Jewels, Meet your Makers [Part 1]

The Makers Hall

30th of Cylus
The Makers Hall
The Scrolls of Anar Verse One, The Makers, #11 The Judgement, in perpetuum.
Consequences From Here

A

fter the disaster at the digsite, and losing the researchers, they’d been unwelcome or unable to attend the hall of the makers for many trials. The door past the healing garden simply didn’t open, and nobody had told them why or spoken to them.

It was a surprise when two bronze armored individuals showed up at solace inn, and all too convenient when they arrived on a trial to find Kaladis and Ralari both together. They hadn’t gone inside, waiting until both Eidisi had walked into the street. Not exactly an ambush but they were heavily encouraged to come back to state their cases as to what had happened. It had been two dozen trials since the incident, making Kaladis wonder why as to the wait.

This wasn’t the first time they’d explained what had happened to others, the guards at the digsite having had plenty to ask them, with a night’s stay in a cell before they’d mysteriously been let out without a word. Kaladis only now realised, with four armed men around them, exactly why they had been released. There was also the council agent at the festival that questioned them briefly, if indeed he had been an agent of the council.

The stone door to the Maker’s hall was opened and in they walked again, the same pristine hallway they had found beforehand, again shoes were taken off, for a reason nobody wanted to speak about or inform him of. The rough feel of stone under his feet made the apprehensive walk to this meeting more unnerving. Ralari was calm, maybe he knew something Kaladis didn’t, Kaladis doubted his old friend would be without an edge if his survival was on the line.

Rounding the corner into the main hall, slightly dusty as before, with the same extravagant carvings of stone and other sturdy craftsmanships upon the walls. They replaced their shoes and waited in an empty room, the four Makers who had escorted them standing at the rear.

Their contact here, the Qi'ora swordsmaster Aaranius, entered from a side door. This was not the same informal setting the council agent had questioned them in, not with wine and celebration, here it was distant and impassionate. Upon balconies above, three walked in one side, and four the other, with all eyes upon Aaranius at the symbolic center. It was hard to make out those watching, the downstairs was lit, the upper balconies darker, and many were hooded or had their faces obscured.

With four guards either side of the room, the doors were closed and the faint singing this place seemed to always rise up in the background, helping mask any sound. A singing Kaladis had yet to find the source of, but he realised at this moment it also helped to insulate the sealed room in a further layer of noise around them.

~

[Kaladis Anar]

“Do you know why you are here?” Aaranius said plainly to the two Eidisi.

R

alari raised an eyebrow, and Kaladis’s could feel his forehead tense, brow furrowed. Neither expected such an obvious statement from Aaranius here, and so none of them took the bait. Silence was the only measuring stick, and equally the weapon to see who would speak first.

After a well-placed cough from a balcony above, Aaranius would be the one to break that silence first. Having made them reveal nothing, for a time the Qi’ora instructor seemed frustrated by his pacing back and forth. “Let me be more specific,” he continued, “where is the real research?”

Their bargaining chip to gain favour here, Kaladis glad he had held onto it from the festival. Taking off his rucksack and slowly opening it up, Kaladis got out the real tracings he had taken, copied by now of course onto his own parchment. Symbols which showed the ancient language’s derivative, minus the ones that had disappeared off the wall, those he had kept.

Ralari caught something here that Kaladis didn’t, because he was free to contemplate, senses sharp with his well-being on the line. “So the fake research came into your possession also?” The fake research that Kaladis had given the so called council agent at the festival, nobody answered him.

“I had been trying to return these,” Kaladis stated bluntly, he’d tried this door three times since the incident. “We are aware,” Aaranius added, still speaking impartially and remaining distant. This was every bit a trial, but what sort of trial Kaladis had no idea. Ralari played it safe, as usual, adding, “the rest of our material was taken by Laventia.”

Another cough came from above, “all of this we are aware of, Laventia has been tracked,” Aaranius stated, “she will be detained before winter is ended.” Aaranius seem less interested in questioning the pair further, the figures above filtered out, all but two anyway, who stayed to watch.

“Your honesty is appreciated and recognized,” Aaranius's tone had improved. Singing and melody in the background reduced in volume, but was an ever present distraction here in the hall. They were letting this go easily, too easily, what was the catch? The hall seemed less tense, but the atmosphere was not friendly, and there was a readiness in the air that was hard to explain.

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~

[Kaladis Anar]

“Our business is done,” Aaranius concluded. The swordmaster owed Kaladis two more training sessions in the longsword, with the death of the researchers perhaps he considered them void. Aaranius bowed and turned, the guards turning to leave also.

“Let us bring Laventia to you,” Kaladis offered. He didn’t want to lose favour here, and needed a way to regain his position. Ralari naturally was disgusted to be putting himself in harms way, but clever enough to keep his anger private, only twitching slightly, and turning toward his student.

“It is in hand,” Aaranius stated.

“I will bring her and the missing research here,” Research Kaladis already had some of in case they didn't recover Laventia's notes. This halted Aaranius and his guards from leaving at the door, “we will talk more if you bring both here.” A man who liked to keep his options open.

Quiet in the hall, they were not stupid enough to speak openly here even with quiet, waiting until they’d crossed the hallway, exited through the door and had taken the long trip back to Solace Inn. Ralari was in a foul mood the entire way back, the street hagglers and merchants seemed to sense it in how the two walked, avoiding them. It was only when the inn door shut, and they were packed tightly away in their box of a room that he finally unwound.

“Now we are chasing AFTER mages. Why not put a sign on ourselves that says shoot here, arcanists?” Ralari didn’t shout, instead he had this jabbing tone which rose and fell when he was angry, which wasn’t often. Kaladis didn’t answer his baiting at first, Ralari was the one that had got them into this mess as far as he was concerned.

Beyond the immediate situation of gaining favour and keeping alliances, there was also the matter that Laventia knew they were necromancers, which he was keen to remind Ralari of, “she knows.” That was the deciding factor in gaining his mentors assistance, who pouring a sip of firewine from a nearby bottle, half-heartedly agreed. Given their exchange of looks, neither had any intention of bringing the defiance mage back alive.

“Where do we begin?”

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~

[Kaladis Anar]

“I have learned the nature of the snake tattoo from the other prisoner, given to those who study music under a man named Gavalis, and marked on his graduating students. He will only come to those who play for him.” Kaladis had planned this out step by step and Ralari wasn’t surprised, he knew his student planned a long way ahead, Eidisi often did generally given their lifespans and Kaladis went further still. It was fitting for them to be working with Qi’ora who lived twice as long again as either of them. Both of them remained thinking things over, planning out what they’d do, by how Kaladis’s attention drifted he had less patience for waiting, but not by much.

It was a lead, not the most obvious to follow up which is why Kaladis thought Laventia might have missed it. The obviously problem of getting an instrument or the skill needed to do so was bypassed by Ralari, “we will use an up and coming hopeful.” Kaladis hadn’t thought of that, he’d been practicing the horn but was nowhere near good enough to perform publicly. “I know a place,” Kaladis answered.

After freshening themselves up, which amounted to Kaladis cleaning his boots and Ralari finishing off his wine, they made the journey to Bombast’s shop and study rooms. A location Kaladis had visited a few days prior to learn the horn and frame drum. Bombast was as usual dressed in his wealthy fabrics, not silk but expensive enough, while around him his small store front looked dusty and meek by comparison. Kaladis engaged Bombast in banter, which didn’t interest him in the slightest but kept him occupied, giving Ralari a distraction to look around the shop.

Sadly Kaladis was no genius at distraction or deception yet, Bombast soon bored and saw Ralari wandering around, about to say something. “Do I get a discount for two lessons at once?” Kaladis interrupted, stalling him from commenting. “Two no,” Bombast sniffed, “Three.”

By that point Ralari had disappeared inside a room, and as the two men at the desk haggled a simple transaction, he’d pulled out a young human adult with a flute. “The best I could find,” which wasn’t saying much, as he didn’t have much choice in the three or four rooms here. “I told him we intended to sponsor his performances,” a bald faced lie from Ralari, somewhat crude for him, “if he can gains Gavalis’s acceptance.” Kaladis nodded, that was the scheme, if this hopeful didn’t make it Gavalis would still be present to question; if he did become one of Gavalis’s protégé’s and the rumours were true, he wouldn’t need either Eidisis’s help or coin, a clever arrangement.

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~

[Kaladis Anar]

T

he walk to find Gavalis was uneventful and free of distraction, all three men had a purpose and were eager for their own reason to find the legendary musical savant. Their young naive musician in tow thought his dream was coming true, Kaladis needed to regain his favour with the Makers and Ralari wanted Laventia silenced to save his own neck, reason enough for each.

Coming to the first really impressive building he had cause to enter since arriving in Nashaki, the musical atrium was devoid of music, but was an impressive stone structure nonetheless. Open topped as the name suggested, with white limestone pillars holding up decorative arches around the sides, and steps which led up to a raised bed of sand in the center, decorated with semi-precious stones at the heart. While the atrium was busy, Kaladis could see no guards but given the semi-precious stones he doubted they were too far away.

Artists and craftsmen milled about engaged in casual conversation, most people here wore clothing considered at least comfortable if not wealthy, a middle class if the city were to define such things. Being artists nobody seemed to care that three strangers had wandered in from the streets, the flute their companion carried might have had something to do with it. In truth though Kaladis would never know it, people wanted the chance to gossip about two Eidisi in the city, rarely seeing them here. Many warm torches were burning, with two roaring fires either end of the courtyard, providing light and heat.

“Where can we find Gavalis?” Kaladis asked the first man who turned their way, the man turned away without answering. Ralari asked a second, and this time all he got was a laugh. After they’d asked a third woman, Kaladis sighed, he must be missing something, that or, “are you sure this is the place?” Ralari asked, raising an eyebrow.

Thankfully a less dismissive female Qi’ora extended her hand, “we are all Gavalis,” she smiled and before Ralari could ask how do we proceed from here then, she’d turned to walk away. Resolving to act, Kaladis stood beside their flute player. “Play” he said to him, “this is your moment.” After nervous look around them, their young hopeful put his lips to his flute.

Not quite the plan Kaladis was expecting.

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~

[Kaladis Anar]

A

silent build up, a few people had turned to stop and watch the young hopeful, more joining in as was custom here, giving him his one big moment of glory in the limelight. If he was successful he had a career, probably patronage from some of those here, or a position to play for someone who took his fancy.

Kaladis waited also, keen to see how good the young performer they'd brought with them was. Ralari had acquired wine from somewhere, as always, and was sipping away thoughtfully.

"Ssssh Sssshh!" All quiet, here it was, the big moment.

And then.

...

He ran off.

Ralari put his palm to his face, Kaladis forehead tensed for a trill, and he sighed.

There was some laughter, obviously not the first young man to get stage fright, what an embarrassing place to get it though. Kaladis might have felt sorry for him, if his own pride was not stinging so directly. If there was one saving grace, striking up a conversation with this Gavalis group or man would now be strikingly easy, if irritatingly uncomfortable.

“Your friend has good legs,” the friendly female Qi’ora returned, not able to hide her laughter. Kaladis bit down on his own pride, which was a struggle. “Yes he will make a good athlete,” the Eidisi’s novice attempts at deception were not that successful because the woman saw right through him, “it’s okay, it happens.” Kaladis dropped the act, realising at that moment dropping the act sometimes was more beneficial than keeping it up, especially when he’d been caught out.

“Truthfully I wanted to come here and meet you all, I am beginning to learn music and I wanted inspiration from the best.” For the second time in his since he had come to the city, the truth of a sorts, worked. “That is flattering, you are not the first, just the first from so far away. Tell me about Viden.” She smiled happily, certainly more open than a lot of the artists were initially here. Kaladis smiled politely and nodded, turning on a small amount of persuasive charm.

The Eidisi began to describe Viden, a place he had grown up in and knew well, and occasionally Ralari would interrupt to help when his tales ran dry. Kaladis listed the academy, the smithies, some of the mountain ranges and mines, one named Hellertar was an especially prominent climb to his family, with one of his grandfathers having been among the first to scale it. A few other artists had gathered around, enjoying the tales of faraway ice lands and places that were completely different to a desert.

After their initial attention, his stories weren’t exactly enthralling and were a bit mundane, people started to lose interest and so he immediately asked his question, getting his timing right at least, “the truth also is I came looking for a friend,” Kaladis described the dead bronze prisoner who a few recognized as Olonak Villam. He talked about the blue snake tattoo, which many here showed him openly on their wrists. It was not a secret tattoo, but a mark of distinction among other musicians here in Nashaki. This could be a completely dead end.

So Kaladis ventured one further and described Laventia’s assistant, who had also had a silver mark of his own, hoping they were related. The sigil wasn't related to the snake and nobody at first had heard of him, until it rang a bell for a couple of the men at the back. “I remember him I think, what was his name?”

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~

[Kaladis Anar]

“Ilmeth, Ulman…”
“Ulmath, worked for Zantio the smith didn't he?”

“Yep that was it, Ulmath”

“Tathon Elmath,” a voice corrected, standing on the steps of the atrium’s highest point a distance away. “The man you killed was named Tathon Elmath,” everyone turned to see the speaker.

“And he was the love of my life.” There was Laventia the woman they were seeking, with two men in black at her side, silver markings adorning their clothing as before. Seems she was seeking them too, had the Makers known they would draw her out? Kaladis's suspicious mind was running around in circles, had he been played again! He was getting an education in deception the hard way. They must have known she'd want to find him.

One of those in black had a crossbow, much to the annoyance of Kaladis, and was now beginning to aim it toward them, thankfully the room was crowded. A few of the artists were obviously not happy for the disturbance. "Now look here, you said you wanted to talk to them! Your coin won’t pay for anything else.”

“I have,” Laventia said coldly, a woman well scorned.

“How’s the arm?” Ralari mocked in a cutting tone, still remembering his own bruises and captivity bitterly at her hand. She didn’t answer him, her burned arm covered in the leather, and probably disfigured now. Ralari however was already edging his way to the nearest doorway, it would take them further inside but that seemed preferable right now.

Kaladis couldn’t risk talking her down, he intelligently rationalised that the more they spoke, the more likely she would be to reveal the pairs own arcane talents, if she hadn't already. In fact he wanted her acting not talking, and he wanted to take this inside or out of sight. “Ralari the fire near her,” Kaladis whispered, employing not only tactics of the environment but also a clever twist of psychology on his opponent.

Subtly at first the fire nearest Laventia began to grow, building, and then in front of her blaze upward. She stepped back remembering her scarred arm, Kaladis was right, after her arm burning a few weeks ago, she had a small fear of the fire she so love to use. There was no time to gloat, “do you have a rear exit,” Kaladis asked the friendly Qi’ora, who suddenly seemed less friendly but provoked herself by this intrusion to her usually jovial atrium. “Follow me,” and the three of them began to run through the crowd to the nearest door.

Moving fast, by the shouting outside, they were almost certainly being followed. All they needed was a secluded spot to end this thorn in their side, and preferably some advantage!

Fin for Part One
Part 2 the Chase

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~

[Maltruism]

Come and get your Loot!

(There's plenty more where that came from)

KALADIS ANAR:

Rewards:

• Story: +5
• Collaboration: +0 (solo)
• Structure: +5

These points can NOT be used for magic

Knowledges:

• Bombast: Has Student to Use as Bait
• Bronze Prisoner: named Olonak Villam
• Deception: Hiding Your Real Agenda Behind a Love of Music
• Detection: Music and Tension in the Air at Makers' Hall
• Gavalis: A Cadre of Musical Elitists
• Gavalis: Give Blue Snake Tattoos to Their Graduates
• Intimidation: Triggering the Memory of Burning Pain
• Intelligence: When Secrets and Alliances are Worth a Risk
• Leventia: Always Has Black-Garbed Thugs with Silver Markings
• Location: Nashaki Musical Atrium
• NPC: Qi'Ora Gavalis Member: Friendlier Than the Rest
• NPC: Student Flautist: One of Bombast's Students
• Negotiation: Haggling Over Price Break Details
• Negotiation: Save Best Bargaining Chip for Last
• Persuasion: Hold Real Questions Until Establishing Rapport
• Psychology: Realizing You Were Used as Bait
• Story Telling: Tales and Descriptions of City of Viden
• Story Telling: Tales and Descriptions of Land Around Viden
• Student Flautist: Ran Fast From Stage Fright
• Tactics: Even False Evidence Can Reveal True Contacts
• Tactics: Recalling One Tattoo May Help Remember Others
• Tathon: May Have Worked for a Smith Named Zantio

Loot:

Nothing to speak of

Loss:

Your original tracings

Injuries:

Nothing yet

Fame:-9

Unpopular cause (-3)
General bad deed x4 - deceiving several Gavalis members (-4)
Breaking city law (-2)

Devotion:

Nothing to speak of

Comments:

Very well done. There were a few spots where a word was left out here and there. But the complete phrases that would have been there if not for their lack, were consistently well structured.
Ralari using magic does not allow you to spend xp when you did not use yours.
Even though Kal and Ral were probably led into doing it, they still caused a scene in the atrium, and were perceived to have been dishonest in their approach to the musicians there.
But you already knew that
PM me with any comments or concerns