"The Price Of War"
Toril-Faerun-The Dragons Reach-Gregory Illdesserins Enclave
Gregory Illdesserin sat upright in his chair, his posture regal and powerful as he sat completely flat against the back of furniture. He dabbed a cloth over his bald head, soaking up the sweat from the heat as he regarded the man sitting on the other side of the desk. The man on the other side was a fat, puffing merchant whose face was a mix of sweat induced irritation and mental anguish as his eyes read over the lines of ink on the paper in his hand.
"This is preposterous! This is highway robbery! This is a trumped up veiled attempt at extortion! I won't sign it!" the fat man finally blurted out, slamming the paper on the desk, the impact causing several objects to chime and shimmer and the pitcher of ice water to spill some of its contents.
Gregory frowned and glanced to his left at the thin curtains covering the opening to the next room, he watched the sleeping form of his wife who was sprawled out on their bed, barely covered by the thin satin sheets and he smiled as he realized her position suggested she finally found a comfortable way to fall asleep. He then looked back to the man across from him, and carefully and slowly slid the paper back in his direction.
"First, lower your voice please because if you wake my wife who is seven months pregnant I can guarantee the details of my proposal will be the least of your worries" Gregory spoke softly as he sipped from his glass of cold water.
"I am sorry master Harold but the conditions of our agreement were very specific, and you agreed to the terms on the day we drew up this contract. I would supply you with one hundred swords, one hundred suits of full plate, one hundred shields a substantial amount of medical supplies and material for twenty siege engines and a list of other critical materials for a private war you swear was not going to and by your word, has not happened. You also agreed, in writing mind you that you would compensate me for the price of the provided goods in full at the end of a years time" the red wizard watched the mans reaction carefully.
"Y..yes but the amount your charging me is outrageous! I haven't even used the resources yet!" the fat man began to sweat even more, he picked up a glass of ice water and emptied it in one long drink.
"You should know war is expensive, besides....if you haven't done anything with the materials just return them all and we can consider the matter done with" Gregory said calmly.
The portly man locked gazes with the red wizard, knowing his feeble lie was futile,he had used the resources in fact he had used them all, one hundred men had died, their gear smashed beyond recovery. the medical supplies used up in a feeble attempt to save the lives of one hundred mercenaries and the siege engines? Smashed to bits in a private war that HAD indeed happened...and one he had lost.
"Fine, I agree to your terms master wizard, because I have failed to pay you for your goods and services in the agreed upon time I know agree to submit thirty percent of my villages income every tenday until the total sum of two hundred thousand gold is paid in full to you, however long that may be" master Harold said with a resigned voice as he signed his name to the document in front of him.
"See now, that wasn't so hard and i appreciate you being very reasonable" Gregory smiled as he took the document and tucked it away among his records, shaking hands with the master Harold before the fat man made his way from the red wizards office.
He sat in silence for a short time before moving into the next room and sitting down on the bed where a pair of arms snaked their way up to wrap around him, dragging him towards the body they were attached to, as if the arms were nothing but a pair of predators waiting for their prey to come within reach. He let himself get dragged down, and smiled as his wife molded herself into the crook of his arms.
"Waz at master Harold?" a sleepy voice queried.
"Aye, that it was...i thought you were asleep" he sighed as he realized the man had indeed awoken his pregnant wife.
"Ehh...it's okay love, i am kinda glad he yelled...i do so love watching you work" she whispered softly as she placed his hands on the swollen section of her body that held their child.
"I do so enjoy the occasional audiance" he admitted as he began to gently rub her stomach.
"You think he will keep up on his end of the contract?" She questioned.
"Well..if he doesn't then I wonder what the people of his village would be more interested in finding out, the fact that their mayor has agreed to give thirty percent of their income to a red wizard enclave, or maybe they would be more interested in finding out that their mayor is really a spy for the Zhentarim".
He physically shivered and pulled his wife in close for comfort.
"I've always wanted to have a Zhent in my pocket". he cooed.
Miranda Illdesserin
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*WhenWizardsWar
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- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
"Don't call forth that which you can't control"
Ten years ago.
Toril-Faerun-Spine Of The World Mountains-Ten Miles north of the Ten Towns.
"Are you sure the circle is complete?" Gregory Illdesserin asked as he looked towards the magic circle that sat glowing on the icy floor of the cave.
"I know your not questioning -my- protective circle oh loving husband of mine" Miranda replied calmly as she took her place on the southern portion of the arcane glyph on the ground.
The cave they were located in was comprised completely of ice and snow which the two wizards had no problem moving around on thanks to their many and powerful magics. The pair currently stood position within an arcane glyph carved into the floor of the cave, a simple magic circle with a single smaller circle drawn along its southern curve which Miranda stood within as she regarded her husband who stood in the middle of the larger of the two.
"We don't have to do this dear" Miranda said calmly to her husband though her facial features indicted she hoped he was willing to go through with the spell they were about to cast.
Gregory regarded the other feature that was within the cave, near the north end of the circle stood a construct of Mirandas design, a strange variant of the typical Iron Golem designed to operate in cold extremes. The construct stood easily twelve feet tall and right now, faced the pair and the circle with its chest compartment standing open as if ready and waiting for a vital organ to ensure its completion.
He shook his head and braced himself within the circle he narrowed his eyes and began to feel the air in front of him with his fingers out stretched.
"Where is the fracture....I don't...i think it...no wait...there it is" he whispered as he found what he was looking for. The air in front of him contained a tiny fracture, a rip between the fabric of existance that was invisible to the naked eye and could only be felt by physical proximity. He probed gently with his fingers and he knew he had found it when his fingers suddenly began to develop sudden frostbite on their tips.
"Activate the rune Miranda, I have the fracture in my line of focus and I'm going to begin widening it and let's hope to the gods it does not lead to a planar breach because this place is cold enough.
His wife nodded and held her arms out in front of her, her fingers crooking at impossible angles as she began to sweep her arms in intricate gestures. The circle in the ground flickered but once before flaring to life with a warm protective glow and a steady hum as she carefully plucked at the weave of magic present around them, using her powers to ward off the cold around them. When Gregory felt warmth over take him, the chill of the environment no longer bothering him he reached out with his own hands and his own understanding of the weave and let his fingers extend towards the fracture. He knew that normally even a few seconds in direct contact with this particular rift would turn ones fingers to solid ice, in fact the plane on the other side was so cold that if they were not careful even their very -thoughts- would freeze solid.
Miranda needed a source of cold to power her construct.
They were both Red Wizards Of Thay.
Nothing but the best would do.
So there they were, in a cave of ice on the roof of the world as Gregory both physically and magically grabbed two sides of the fracture and began to pull it apart, opening it wider and wider inch by inch. As they watched, several creatures gathered near the opening to the icy plane curious to find out what was occuring which is exactly what they were hoping would happen.
Miranda studied the now visible hole carefully and suddenly pointed a finger over her husbands shoulder.
"That one! The Mephit!" she cried out as she spotted a dark blue winged creature that appeared to be made of solid ice.
"I see it!" her husband responded as he reached out with his raw will power and ripped the creature from the other side calling it to the material plane. The mephit materialized in front of them and immediatly began to spit shards of sub zero ice at the couple which melted as soon as they came into contact with the barrier protecting them. The fact that that couple was sitting warm and cozy inside the magic circle only irritated the creature more as it ranted and raved in the elegant language of air creatures a language known as Auran.
Gregory did not care though as he used his power of will and his magical grasp on the creature to shove it inside the chest compartment of the golem which Miranda promptly sealed shut with a magic command word. Gregory watched in fascination as his wife began to cast a flurry of spells at the construct while manipulating this lever or that dial or push this button or turn that knob. He wasn't the artificer type when it came to constructs hell if he wanted a servant he just summoned one but as any wizard would he definitly appreciated the value of the wonderful creations. They listened to the ice mephit hiss, scream and cry out for sometime as the construct began the long process of draining and binding its essence into its central core. The process took sometime to complete but eventually the noise quieted down. The couple decided to finish the work on the construct in the morning, and retreated to the magically conjured cabin nestled outside the cave.
The next morning, Miranda found her husband standing in the center of the cave with a frown on is face, staring in the direction of still visible fracture.
"We have a problem...the fracture as you can see...remains...it isn't getting bigger but its not getting smaller" Gregory spoke softly.
"So?" Miranda questioned"
"Its always been there" she replied a moment later.
"Yes but we altered its dimensions and it -is- a portal to the para elemental plane of ice, if the breach gets any bigger it will turn the spine of the world mountains into a frozen apocolyptic wasteland". he retorted, his voice calm but worried.
"Son of bitch!" Miranda suddenly exclaimed, drawing his gaze to her.
"I'm glad to see you understand the severity of the situation" he said as he focused on her.
"My golem is gone!" she cried which caused her husband to frown deeply when he realized she wasn't talking about the rift at all. He walked to where she was standing at the mouth of the cave looking down a snowy trail dotted with heavy uniform foot shapes that could only come from her metal construct.
They both shook their heads at the same time and in perfect unison they uttered.
"Fecking Mephits"
Ten years ago.
Toril-Faerun-Spine Of The World Mountains-Ten Miles north of the Ten Towns.
"Are you sure the circle is complete?" Gregory Illdesserin asked as he looked towards the magic circle that sat glowing on the icy floor of the cave.
"I know your not questioning -my- protective circle oh loving husband of mine" Miranda replied calmly as she took her place on the southern portion of the arcane glyph on the ground.
The cave they were located in was comprised completely of ice and snow which the two wizards had no problem moving around on thanks to their many and powerful magics. The pair currently stood position within an arcane glyph carved into the floor of the cave, a simple magic circle with a single smaller circle drawn along its southern curve which Miranda stood within as she regarded her husband who stood in the middle of the larger of the two.
"We don't have to do this dear" Miranda said calmly to her husband though her facial features indicted she hoped he was willing to go through with the spell they were about to cast.
Gregory regarded the other feature that was within the cave, near the north end of the circle stood a construct of Mirandas design, a strange variant of the typical Iron Golem designed to operate in cold extremes. The construct stood easily twelve feet tall and right now, faced the pair and the circle with its chest compartment standing open as if ready and waiting for a vital organ to ensure its completion.
He shook his head and braced himself within the circle he narrowed his eyes and began to feel the air in front of him with his fingers out stretched.
"Where is the fracture....I don't...i think it...no wait...there it is" he whispered as he found what he was looking for. The air in front of him contained a tiny fracture, a rip between the fabric of existance that was invisible to the naked eye and could only be felt by physical proximity. He probed gently with his fingers and he knew he had found it when his fingers suddenly began to develop sudden frostbite on their tips.
"Activate the rune Miranda, I have the fracture in my line of focus and I'm going to begin widening it and let's hope to the gods it does not lead to a planar breach because this place is cold enough.
His wife nodded and held her arms out in front of her, her fingers crooking at impossible angles as she began to sweep her arms in intricate gestures. The circle in the ground flickered but once before flaring to life with a warm protective glow and a steady hum as she carefully plucked at the weave of magic present around them, using her powers to ward off the cold around them. When Gregory felt warmth over take him, the chill of the environment no longer bothering him he reached out with his own hands and his own understanding of the weave and let his fingers extend towards the fracture. He knew that normally even a few seconds in direct contact with this particular rift would turn ones fingers to solid ice, in fact the plane on the other side was so cold that if they were not careful even their very -thoughts- would freeze solid.
Miranda needed a source of cold to power her construct.
They were both Red Wizards Of Thay.
Nothing but the best would do.
So there they were, in a cave of ice on the roof of the world as Gregory both physically and magically grabbed two sides of the fracture and began to pull it apart, opening it wider and wider inch by inch. As they watched, several creatures gathered near the opening to the icy plane curious to find out what was occuring which is exactly what they were hoping would happen.
Miranda studied the now visible hole carefully and suddenly pointed a finger over her husbands shoulder.
"That one! The Mephit!" she cried out as she spotted a dark blue winged creature that appeared to be made of solid ice.
"I see it!" her husband responded as he reached out with his raw will power and ripped the creature from the other side calling it to the material plane. The mephit materialized in front of them and immediatly began to spit shards of sub zero ice at the couple which melted as soon as they came into contact with the barrier protecting them. The fact that that couple was sitting warm and cozy inside the magic circle only irritated the creature more as it ranted and raved in the elegant language of air creatures a language known as Auran.
Gregory did not care though as he used his power of will and his magical grasp on the creature to shove it inside the chest compartment of the golem which Miranda promptly sealed shut with a magic command word. Gregory watched in fascination as his wife began to cast a flurry of spells at the construct while manipulating this lever or that dial or push this button or turn that knob. He wasn't the artificer type when it came to constructs hell if he wanted a servant he just summoned one but as any wizard would he definitly appreciated the value of the wonderful creations. They listened to the ice mephit hiss, scream and cry out for sometime as the construct began the long process of draining and binding its essence into its central core. The process took sometime to complete but eventually the noise quieted down. The couple decided to finish the work on the construct in the morning, and retreated to the magically conjured cabin nestled outside the cave.
The next morning, Miranda found her husband standing in the center of the cave with a frown on is face, staring in the direction of still visible fracture.
"We have a problem...the fracture as you can see...remains...it isn't getting bigger but its not getting smaller" Gregory spoke softly.
"So?" Miranda questioned"
"Its always been there" she replied a moment later.
"Yes but we altered its dimensions and it -is- a portal to the para elemental plane of ice, if the breach gets any bigger it will turn the spine of the world mountains into a frozen apocolyptic wasteland". he retorted, his voice calm but worried.
"Son of bitch!" Miranda suddenly exclaimed, drawing his gaze to her.
"I'm glad to see you understand the severity of the situation" he said as he focused on her.
"My golem is gone!" she cried which caused her husband to frown deeply when he realized she wasn't talking about the rift at all. He walked to where she was standing at the mouth of the cave looking down a snowy trail dotted with heavy uniform foot shapes that could only come from her metal construct.
They both shook their heads at the same time and in perfect unison they uttered.
"Fecking Mephits"
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*WhenWizardsWar
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- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
"Siege"
Miranda sat in her bedroom on the third floor of her tower staring at a nearby table that was covered in books and research papers that were scattered haphazardly across its surface. She shivered and rubbed her arms with her hands as if trying to chase off a chill in her limbs with the friction. She has been a merchant of magic for almost twenty five some odd years with four of them being in Sigil where she sells everything from magic shoe laces to suits of armor fit for a dragons horde (and everything in between). As a merchant of weapons and armors has she had disgruntled custiomers? Sure, has she had people threaten her because of her trade? Yep, Has she ever pissed off organizations with out intending to? Right again.
She did nothing wrong, she merely offered people an informed way to protect themselves against the winter courts incursion and not once did she ever in anyway utter suggestions that her weapons be used to hunt down and slaughter and massacre fey. All she did was try and take advantage of a martially dangerous situation like any merchant would. She laughed at that thought when she realized that it was she who was barricaded inside her fairly new home, and that it was her who was now surrounded by creations of magic and metal that were now armed and armored with highly enchanted pieces of cold iron destruction.
"Well...as a merchant of weapons and armor I would hate to be the berk who gives you grief" someone had told her many years ago when she was still setting down roots in Sigil. She sighed and stood slowly, bracing her back and abdomen with one hand each and she carefully waddled over to one of the windows that over looked the front of her tower. She had enchanted the glass to be one way only, she could see out but none could see within. She had been keeping frequent eyes out of her windows, at all times one of her many homunculi were on observational perches to do so.
She felt her heart flutter as she noticed a plethora of people take a sudden interest in her tower and its apparent well being. She did not fail to notice the suddenly increase in Harmonium patrols, and more then once did she spot mercykiller colors looking in her direction, so too did she notice many of her friends, allies and even casual business customers who she didnt really know, she noticed the support that seemed to be coalesing around her.
As she watched support mount and she began to recieve messages from various powers urging her to make contact with them to prepare for the coming conflict, she suddenly felt herself emotionally overwhelmed but it was one of the Sigilians setting up an observational camp of sorts outside her tower that finally drove Miranda to a steady stream of tears. She had made associates, friends, and allies in her time in Sigil and now many of them were placing themselves in harms way because of her.
Such support for a Red Wizard of Thay, the hell's must be freezing over.
She knew it was not just her that was drawing such motion from the city, she knew the winter court was a threat to the cities well being and that she had merely gotten in the way, she knew it was not just about her completely but she did not lessen the value of those who were gathering in support of her well being.
Illdesserin Tower was never completely silent, it was a wizards tower after all and something was always simmering or boiling, or twinkling audibly with magic enchantment, and of course the creaking of the cadre of constructs she had through out the three floors. The structure she called home however, seemed utterly silent since she barricaded herself inside as if every sound was immediately sucked from the air before it could be heard. She began to pace around her room for a few moments before making a quick rip down to the first two floors to check on various things she was setting up for if and when the potentially hostile guests come knocking on her door. She found herself back in her room before to long, sitting back on her bed crying yet again. She wanted to go home, she wanted to flee to her husbands enclave in the dragons reach, let the fey try and rip her from the protective walls filled with powerful red wizards and all of their slaves, servants and magical powers arrayed against them.
The number of Fey deaths would be one for the history books, no one would deny that, however such a course would come with a very high cost and even she would be hesitant to pay such a price.
Still...she was going to keep that course of action open as a last resort.
She finally decided to ink several messages to the powers that had reached out to her, which she secured to squad of homunculi which she released from the top of her tower to carry the missives to the interested parties.
The missive simply states.
"As much as I am inclined to stand my ground and defend my home I have realized that the situation aligned before me is something that even I cannot deal with alone and I am deeply in debt to everyone who has reached out to offer assistance your care and concern have not gone unnoticed by any means. I will meet with those of you who have contacted me to discuss your ideas but understand that I will be taking my own precautions. My tower is off limits for now and anyone trying to set foot inside with out me will be violantly met with open arm and spell from my defenses. In addition, despite the urge to keep a low profile when setting out to meet with those in question, I will be accompanied by my personal guardians at all times, this is non negotiable.
Send your retinues to the tower when you are ready to meet with me".
The note is not signed.
Miranda sat in her bedroom on the third floor of her tower staring at a nearby table that was covered in books and research papers that were scattered haphazardly across its surface. She shivered and rubbed her arms with her hands as if trying to chase off a chill in her limbs with the friction. She has been a merchant of magic for almost twenty five some odd years with four of them being in Sigil where she sells everything from magic shoe laces to suits of armor fit for a dragons horde (and everything in between). As a merchant of weapons and armors has she had disgruntled custiomers? Sure, has she had people threaten her because of her trade? Yep, Has she ever pissed off organizations with out intending to? Right again.
She did nothing wrong, she merely offered people an informed way to protect themselves against the winter courts incursion and not once did she ever in anyway utter suggestions that her weapons be used to hunt down and slaughter and massacre fey. All she did was try and take advantage of a martially dangerous situation like any merchant would. She laughed at that thought when she realized that it was she who was barricaded inside her fairly new home, and that it was her who was now surrounded by creations of magic and metal that were now armed and armored with highly enchanted pieces of cold iron destruction.
"Well...as a merchant of weapons and armor I would hate to be the berk who gives you grief" someone had told her many years ago when she was still setting down roots in Sigil. She sighed and stood slowly, bracing her back and abdomen with one hand each and she carefully waddled over to one of the windows that over looked the front of her tower. She had enchanted the glass to be one way only, she could see out but none could see within. She had been keeping frequent eyes out of her windows, at all times one of her many homunculi were on observational perches to do so.
She felt her heart flutter as she noticed a plethora of people take a sudden interest in her tower and its apparent well being. She did not fail to notice the suddenly increase in Harmonium patrols, and more then once did she spot mercykiller colors looking in her direction, so too did she notice many of her friends, allies and even casual business customers who she didnt really know, she noticed the support that seemed to be coalesing around her.
As she watched support mount and she began to recieve messages from various powers urging her to make contact with them to prepare for the coming conflict, she suddenly felt herself emotionally overwhelmed but it was one of the Sigilians setting up an observational camp of sorts outside her tower that finally drove Miranda to a steady stream of tears. She had made associates, friends, and allies in her time in Sigil and now many of them were placing themselves in harms way because of her.
Such support for a Red Wizard of Thay, the hell's must be freezing over.
She knew it was not just her that was drawing such motion from the city, she knew the winter court was a threat to the cities well being and that she had merely gotten in the way, she knew it was not just about her completely but she did not lessen the value of those who were gathering in support of her well being.
Illdesserin Tower was never completely silent, it was a wizards tower after all and something was always simmering or boiling, or twinkling audibly with magic enchantment, and of course the creaking of the cadre of constructs she had through out the three floors. The structure she called home however, seemed utterly silent since she barricaded herself inside as if every sound was immediately sucked from the air before it could be heard. She began to pace around her room for a few moments before making a quick rip down to the first two floors to check on various things she was setting up for if and when the potentially hostile guests come knocking on her door. She found herself back in her room before to long, sitting back on her bed crying yet again. She wanted to go home, she wanted to flee to her husbands enclave in the dragons reach, let the fey try and rip her from the protective walls filled with powerful red wizards and all of their slaves, servants and magical powers arrayed against them.
The number of Fey deaths would be one for the history books, no one would deny that, however such a course would come with a very high cost and even she would be hesitant to pay such a price.
Still...she was going to keep that course of action open as a last resort.
She finally decided to ink several messages to the powers that had reached out to her, which she secured to squad of homunculi which she released from the top of her tower to carry the missives to the interested parties.
The missive simply states.
"As much as I am inclined to stand my ground and defend my home I have realized that the situation aligned before me is something that even I cannot deal with alone and I am deeply in debt to everyone who has reached out to offer assistance your care and concern have not gone unnoticed by any means. I will meet with those of you who have contacted me to discuss your ideas but understand that I will be taking my own precautions. My tower is off limits for now and anyone trying to set foot inside with out me will be violantly met with open arm and spell from my defenses. In addition, despite the urge to keep a low profile when setting out to meet with those in question, I will be accompanied by my personal guardians at all times, this is non negotiable.
Send your retinues to the tower when you are ready to meet with me".
The note is not signed.
-
*WhenWizardsWar
- Posts: 353
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
WARNING THE FOLLOWING BIOGRAPHICAL ENTRY CONTAINS A SCENE OF EVIL, A SINISTER ORGANIZATION AND A HIGH TECH TORTURE DEVICE AND ACCOMPANYING TORTURE AND A POPULAR CULTURAL MOVIE SPOOF.
Fifteen Years Ago
The prime of [Classified] on the continent of [Classified] five miles north of [Classified]
His eyes fluttered open and his vision was suddenly flooded with a painful amount of light and an accompanying headache that caused him to slam his eyes shut and wince in pain. He carefully opened them again much more slowly until his eyes could tolerate the illumination in the room. He carefully took stock of his situation while moving as little as possible, and his situation was not good. The first thing he felt was his arms at his side where the cold feel of metal around his wrists told him he was firmly secure to some kind of metalic surface, possibly a table or chair. The next thing he observed was a similar binding of his legs to the same metallic surface though his neck had no such bindings. He laid there for a moment and listened to the sounds of the room, or lack there of...except...the sounds of metal work and tinkering.
He looked to his left where he beheld a tall woman in flowing red robes who was currently kneeling down using a device to tighten a few nuts and bolts securing a metal plate onto this....thing. He labeled it a thing because it was hard to tell exactly what it was, all he could decipher was a series of crystals lined up along a strange metal relay, the crystals getting smaller and smaller as they finally ended up in a cone shaped metal object with all kinds of metal phlanges and tubes and crystal nodes on a device that could be, he guessed aimed around he room. The woman wiped her hands on a nearby rag and stood as she detected the faintest of movement behind her. She looked over at him and smiled and as she shuffled over to him her robes flowed just above the ground. When she got to his side she felt his forhead and pulled his eyelids open with two fingers and peered deep inside, oblivious to the pain and discomfort he clearly suffered.
"Hunny. he's awake" the woman said as she looked to her right, across the room.
"Good, good" a mans voice responded and the sound of footsteps began to make their way towards the imprisoned man. The footsteps seemed to drag on for ever but eventually a man in similiar attire to the woman with an equally bald head appeared in his view, looking down at him with a critical examining eye. The imprisoned man suddenly began to squirm as he recognized the red robed man and it was at that moment he realised, he had screwed up...big time.
"Do you know who I am?" asked the red man as he placed two hands on the metal surface the prisoner was secured on.
"Yes, your Gregory Illdesserin a Red Wizard Of Thay which means the lady must be your wife Miranda" the prisoner hissed through clenched teeth.
"Such a smart man, to smart for your own good dear" the woman said as she patted his arm.
"Around here, outsiders who know to much are very bad and unwelcome" Gregory said softly as he shook his head still looking down at his prisoner.
"It wont work you know, what your planning and there are two reasons why it wont work" the prisoner said calmly as he tested his restraints.
"Oh? And why is that?" the red wizard queried.
"First of all Waukeens Vault even if it does exist is rumored to be over one hundred feet thick on all sides and made of enchanted mithril which means your not getting into it and second of all my agency is ready to spring into action the moment you make your move" he responded.
"Really? Oh dear....one hundred feet of enchanted mithril...funny, the table your strapped to is made of enchanted mithril" Gregory responded as he looked to his wife and made his way to a nearby desk.
Miranda smiled and reached up to manipulate the cone shaped device, the narrow crystal lined edge pointing to the bottom of the table the prisoner is strapped to between the mans bound legs. She then moved over to a metal box attached to the rest of the machine and carefully began to run her hands over a series of crystal nodes and levers which somehow brought the strange metal contraption to life with a steadily growing hum. The machine didnt take long to show increased signs of life as one of the big crystals set into the relay began to shine a beam of magic energy to another crystal along the sequence, and then another, and then another and as the beam refracted from one crystal to another it became narrower and narrower until it entered the crystal cone shaped device and suddenly shot from the narrow end.
The prisoner lifted his head as much as he could and looked down, watching the focused beam of magic energy begin to melt and cut right through the mithril table with the minimalist of effort. He began to squirm and panic, sweat pouring from his forehead as the female red wizard twisted a knob and pulled a lever, causing the device to begin a slow precision ascent towards his body, cutting through the table with ease.
"You see once we open the vault which by the way we do know where it is, and we have access to all the near infinite wealth within, no one will be able to stop the Red Wizards. When we literally have more money then the gods all will make way for our invincible nation" Gregory stated as his wife came over to stand near him silently, but not before hugging her husband and giving him a very power hungry intimate kiss.
The red wizard took his wifes hand in his and they watched for a moment as the magical beam neared the prisoners crotch.
The prisoner tried to inch his way away from the beam but found he had no room to move, he looked over as the two red wizards began to ascend a series of steps out of the room, then back down to the beam about to start cutting him in half.
"Do you expect me to suddenly start talking illdesserin?" he pleaded with a shakey voice.
Gregory and Miranda stopped for a moment, looking at him.
"No my poor Harper spy, I expect you to die".
Fifteen Years Ago
The prime of [Classified] on the continent of [Classified] five miles north of [Classified]
His eyes fluttered open and his vision was suddenly flooded with a painful amount of light and an accompanying headache that caused him to slam his eyes shut and wince in pain. He carefully opened them again much more slowly until his eyes could tolerate the illumination in the room. He carefully took stock of his situation while moving as little as possible, and his situation was not good. The first thing he felt was his arms at his side where the cold feel of metal around his wrists told him he was firmly secure to some kind of metalic surface, possibly a table or chair. The next thing he observed was a similar binding of his legs to the same metallic surface though his neck had no such bindings. He laid there for a moment and listened to the sounds of the room, or lack there of...except...the sounds of metal work and tinkering.
He looked to his left where he beheld a tall woman in flowing red robes who was currently kneeling down using a device to tighten a few nuts and bolts securing a metal plate onto this....thing. He labeled it a thing because it was hard to tell exactly what it was, all he could decipher was a series of crystals lined up along a strange metal relay, the crystals getting smaller and smaller as they finally ended up in a cone shaped metal object with all kinds of metal phlanges and tubes and crystal nodes on a device that could be, he guessed aimed around he room. The woman wiped her hands on a nearby rag and stood as she detected the faintest of movement behind her. She looked over at him and smiled and as she shuffled over to him her robes flowed just above the ground. When she got to his side she felt his forhead and pulled his eyelids open with two fingers and peered deep inside, oblivious to the pain and discomfort he clearly suffered.
"Hunny. he's awake" the woman said as she looked to her right, across the room.
"Good, good" a mans voice responded and the sound of footsteps began to make their way towards the imprisoned man. The footsteps seemed to drag on for ever but eventually a man in similiar attire to the woman with an equally bald head appeared in his view, looking down at him with a critical examining eye. The imprisoned man suddenly began to squirm as he recognized the red robed man and it was at that moment he realised, he had screwed up...big time.
"Do you know who I am?" asked the red man as he placed two hands on the metal surface the prisoner was secured on.
"Yes, your Gregory Illdesserin a Red Wizard Of Thay which means the lady must be your wife Miranda" the prisoner hissed through clenched teeth.
"Such a smart man, to smart for your own good dear" the woman said as she patted his arm.
"Around here, outsiders who know to much are very bad and unwelcome" Gregory said softly as he shook his head still looking down at his prisoner.
"It wont work you know, what your planning and there are two reasons why it wont work" the prisoner said calmly as he tested his restraints.
"Oh? And why is that?" the red wizard queried.
"First of all Waukeens Vault even if it does exist is rumored to be over one hundred feet thick on all sides and made of enchanted mithril which means your not getting into it and second of all my agency is ready to spring into action the moment you make your move" he responded.
"Really? Oh dear....one hundred feet of enchanted mithril...funny, the table your strapped to is made of enchanted mithril" Gregory responded as he looked to his wife and made his way to a nearby desk.
Miranda smiled and reached up to manipulate the cone shaped device, the narrow crystal lined edge pointing to the bottom of the table the prisoner is strapped to between the mans bound legs. She then moved over to a metal box attached to the rest of the machine and carefully began to run her hands over a series of crystal nodes and levers which somehow brought the strange metal contraption to life with a steadily growing hum. The machine didnt take long to show increased signs of life as one of the big crystals set into the relay began to shine a beam of magic energy to another crystal along the sequence, and then another, and then another and as the beam refracted from one crystal to another it became narrower and narrower until it entered the crystal cone shaped device and suddenly shot from the narrow end.
The prisoner lifted his head as much as he could and looked down, watching the focused beam of magic energy begin to melt and cut right through the mithril table with the minimalist of effort. He began to squirm and panic, sweat pouring from his forehead as the female red wizard twisted a knob and pulled a lever, causing the device to begin a slow precision ascent towards his body, cutting through the table with ease.
"You see once we open the vault which by the way we do know where it is, and we have access to all the near infinite wealth within, no one will be able to stop the Red Wizards. When we literally have more money then the gods all will make way for our invincible nation" Gregory stated as his wife came over to stand near him silently, but not before hugging her husband and giving him a very power hungry intimate kiss.
The red wizard took his wifes hand in his and they watched for a moment as the magical beam neared the prisoners crotch.
The prisoner tried to inch his way away from the beam but found he had no room to move, he looked over as the two red wizards began to ascend a series of steps out of the room, then back down to the beam about to start cutting him in half.
"Do you expect me to suddenly start talking illdesserin?" he pleaded with a shakey voice.
Gregory and Miranda stopped for a moment, looking at him.
"No my poor Harper spy, I expect you to die".
-
*WhenWizardsWar
- Posts: 353
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
-Alpha and Omega Pt 1-
"The beginning and the end"
*Sigil, The City Of Doors*
*Gregory Illdesserins Thayan Enclave*
*Sigil, The City Of Doors*
Aquilla really has outdone himself Miranda thought for the fourth time this cycle as she regarded the masonry that was the ceiling above her bed. She had been laying in bed for what seemed to be an eternity which normally was not like her but this cycle she found herself at a crossroads. The child growing inside her womb, who was due to make an appearance any day now had suddenly decided to start doing what felt like extreme acrobatic sports which in turn caused her to suddenly become filled with an intense burst of energy and yet, began to cause her no small amount of discomfort. She sighed and looked down her chest and to her stomach and sighed deeply as she regarded the physical changes pregnancy had brought upon her.
First, Miranda had always had a pair of very attractive perky and ample breasts that her husband had always claimed were the perfect female proportions, not to big not to small but just enough for a man to get lost in between. She certainly didn't feel that way now as they had swollen and become engorged as they made ready to provide nourishment for the soon to be child. She giggled a few times when she looked down at them for balanced between said motherly producers lay a pair of feline eyes which regarded her with a lazy expression.
She tilted her head a moment and smirked to her life long companion and friend, her tabby cat familiar Sophia, "I'm glad at least someone is comfortable with those things".
She gazed further south to her abdomen which from her position laying on her back, suddenly reminded her of a very steep hill or dune with a near perfectly round and curved swell to it. She both of her hands on the "crest" of said "hill" and squirmed as the life form within continued its vigorous activity within.
She tried to gaze further south to the lower half of her body, both to the part of her anatomy where her child would soon make an appearance and to her legs and feet, but sighed in disappointment as she realized yet again that she apparently had no such spots on her body as she could not find them. She finally sighed in frustration and plucked Sophia from her chest and set the cat aside (which Sophia was clearly displeased with if her deep hiss was any indication) and then with a deep breath and an extreme force of will, kicked her legs over the side of her bed and stood upright. She wavered for a moment as she looked around and down at her barely clothed form, which consisted of a thin silk robe and naught but a loin cloth and bare feet and then shuffled from her bed chamber.
"Oi! No you don't, back to bed with you mum" came a voice of warm yet metal sounding tones from the left side of her doorway as she stepped from her bedroom into her personal library. She turned to regard the construct known as Byrnwyld, a beautiful and handsome dwarf-esque made with an incredible amount of love and care, he could stand in a hall of the celestial gods and would fit right in. She shook her head and kept on with her shuffle and waddle across the room to a table that was covered with a massive sheet of paper where she had been drawing designs for her next creation. She sat herself down to work on the drawing which thankfully managed to idle away a few hours of her time (even when she had to practically hurl Sophia back into the bedroom to stop her from using her paws to swipe at the feather of her ink quill).
She finally stood slowly, arched her back and shuffled over to a wide ladder leaning against one of her incredibly tall bookshelves and began to carefully ascend its rungs. She smirked as her various guardians and constructs actually tensed as she began her ascent, the sound of their various joints and body parts filled the room with a chorus of noise and she could feel their worry and concern. She stopped for a moment and looked around the room from her perch, regarding her protectors who were clearly watching her carefully.
"I'm bloody pregnant not a cripple!" she said defiantly.
She found the shelf she was looking for, and carefully ran her gaze along the bindings of the tomes on it until she found the one she was looking for, a theoretical book about elemental diffusion through micro planar fractures. As she reached for the book she paused for a moment as she felt a sudden rush of warmth soar through her body, she stared at the books on the shelf for a moment and then turned her head to the side as she began to feel a thumping pounding sensation in her temple. She closed her eyes and tried to will away the sensation but as she did so an incredibly uncomfortable cramp danced across her lower abdomen which she moved to place a hand on out of habit, cramps were nothing new to the pregnant woman after all.
She steadied herself for a moment until the sensation had passed and then finally plucked the book from its resting spot. She tucked the book under her arm and as she placed both hands back on the ladder for her descent she suddenly felt the room waver and the thudding in her ears returned as a burst of pain and agony soared through the lower half of her body, she grabbed the ladder so tight her knuckles quickly began to turn white. She stood there on the rungs for a moment, and took a deep breath or two until the pain had passed your fine Miranda, your going to be a mother soon this happens...you've climbed this latter hundreds of times, nothing to it. She nodded to herself as she comforted herself mentally and continued her perusing of the bookshelf.
That is until another much more intense burst of pain radiated out from her body and she gasped loudly, sucking in a deep breath to recover the wind that had just been knocked out of her. She knew at this point it was time to get down from the ladder but as she began her descent a lesser burst of pain and discomfort along her back caused her to gasp and arch her back involuntarily.
The resulting shift of pregnant weight caused the ladder and the soon to be mother who stood upon it to pull away from the wall and come crashing to the floor.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Gregory Illdesserins Thayan Enclave*
"Are you sure? This report is accurate?" Gregory Illdesserin regarded a missive in front of him with a frown, then he looked up at the man in red plate mail who had delivered it, one of his personal bodyguards.
"Yes sir, so far six caravans have failed to arrive today all of which should have been here hours ago" the thayan knight responded as he rubbed a hand over his salt and pepper beard which only grew in spots here or there due to the bodyguards numerous facial wounds.
Gregory sighed and rubbed a hand over his bald head in thought. He was not having a good morning, not by a long shot. The first matter of fact was that his wife was two days late for her visit which given the fact her pregnancy was nearing its culmination didn't surprise him but he knew she had set her mind and heart into giving birth here, with him and it was beginning to look like she wasn't going to make it. He sighed knowing she would be heart broken but they both knew it would be a disaster if he left right now because too many things were afoot and they couldn't afford to leave any holes in the infrastructure they had worked so hard to build.
"I want those caravans found, I want you to take three dozen slaves four of your fellow knights...oh and that mercenary company from Neverwinter that has been camped outside our walls for the last few days, they look bored enough and I'm sure they could use the money...pay them what ever they ask for within reason" he said and waved a dismissive hand towards the soldier who bowed and left the building.
He stood and moved across the room to a pinned up map of the area surrounding his enclave in the Dragons Reach. He took a half dozen push pins and regarded the six notes he had been given that morning, one for each missing caravan. He looked at the map and stuck each pin on the roads that each of those caravan used to get to the enclave. He pushed the last pin into the map and stood back with a frown as his worries and suspicions were confirmed.
A caravan route to the north, possibly compromised...
A caravan route to the north east and west, possibly compromised...
A caravan route the south, south east and west, possibly compromised...
He frowned and rubbed a hand over his head again as he began to plan and to his amazment, worry for the first time in many years.
What ever was going on and who ever was messing with his caravans...
They had his enclave surrounded...
"The beginning and the end"
*Sigil, The City Of Doors*
*Gregory Illdesserins Thayan Enclave*
*Sigil, The City Of Doors*
Aquilla really has outdone himself Miranda thought for the fourth time this cycle as she regarded the masonry that was the ceiling above her bed. She had been laying in bed for what seemed to be an eternity which normally was not like her but this cycle she found herself at a crossroads. The child growing inside her womb, who was due to make an appearance any day now had suddenly decided to start doing what felt like extreme acrobatic sports which in turn caused her to suddenly become filled with an intense burst of energy and yet, began to cause her no small amount of discomfort. She sighed and looked down her chest and to her stomach and sighed deeply as she regarded the physical changes pregnancy had brought upon her.
First, Miranda had always had a pair of very attractive perky and ample breasts that her husband had always claimed were the perfect female proportions, not to big not to small but just enough for a man to get lost in between. She certainly didn't feel that way now as they had swollen and become engorged as they made ready to provide nourishment for the soon to be child. She giggled a few times when she looked down at them for balanced between said motherly producers lay a pair of feline eyes which regarded her with a lazy expression.
She tilted her head a moment and smirked to her life long companion and friend, her tabby cat familiar Sophia, "I'm glad at least someone is comfortable with those things".
She gazed further south to her abdomen which from her position laying on her back, suddenly reminded her of a very steep hill or dune with a near perfectly round and curved swell to it. She both of her hands on the "crest" of said "hill" and squirmed as the life form within continued its vigorous activity within.
She tried to gaze further south to the lower half of her body, both to the part of her anatomy where her child would soon make an appearance and to her legs and feet, but sighed in disappointment as she realized yet again that she apparently had no such spots on her body as she could not find them. She finally sighed in frustration and plucked Sophia from her chest and set the cat aside (which Sophia was clearly displeased with if her deep hiss was any indication) and then with a deep breath and an extreme force of will, kicked her legs over the side of her bed and stood upright. She wavered for a moment as she looked around and down at her barely clothed form, which consisted of a thin silk robe and naught but a loin cloth and bare feet and then shuffled from her bed chamber.
"Oi! No you don't, back to bed with you mum" came a voice of warm yet metal sounding tones from the left side of her doorway as she stepped from her bedroom into her personal library. She turned to regard the construct known as Byrnwyld, a beautiful and handsome dwarf-esque made with an incredible amount of love and care, he could stand in a hall of the celestial gods and would fit right in. She shook her head and kept on with her shuffle and waddle across the room to a table that was covered with a massive sheet of paper where she had been drawing designs for her next creation. She sat herself down to work on the drawing which thankfully managed to idle away a few hours of her time (even when she had to practically hurl Sophia back into the bedroom to stop her from using her paws to swipe at the feather of her ink quill).
She finally stood slowly, arched her back and shuffled over to a wide ladder leaning against one of her incredibly tall bookshelves and began to carefully ascend its rungs. She smirked as her various guardians and constructs actually tensed as she began her ascent, the sound of their various joints and body parts filled the room with a chorus of noise and she could feel their worry and concern. She stopped for a moment and looked around the room from her perch, regarding her protectors who were clearly watching her carefully.
"I'm bloody pregnant not a cripple!" she said defiantly.
She found the shelf she was looking for, and carefully ran her gaze along the bindings of the tomes on it until she found the one she was looking for, a theoretical book about elemental diffusion through micro planar fractures. As she reached for the book she paused for a moment as she felt a sudden rush of warmth soar through her body, she stared at the books on the shelf for a moment and then turned her head to the side as she began to feel a thumping pounding sensation in her temple. She closed her eyes and tried to will away the sensation but as she did so an incredibly uncomfortable cramp danced across her lower abdomen which she moved to place a hand on out of habit, cramps were nothing new to the pregnant woman after all.
She steadied herself for a moment until the sensation had passed and then finally plucked the book from its resting spot. She tucked the book under her arm and as she placed both hands back on the ladder for her descent she suddenly felt the room waver and the thudding in her ears returned as a burst of pain and agony soared through the lower half of her body, she grabbed the ladder so tight her knuckles quickly began to turn white. She stood there on the rungs for a moment, and took a deep breath or two until the pain had passed your fine Miranda, your going to be a mother soon this happens...you've climbed this latter hundreds of times, nothing to it. She nodded to herself as she comforted herself mentally and continued her perusing of the bookshelf.
That is until another much more intense burst of pain radiated out from her body and she gasped loudly, sucking in a deep breath to recover the wind that had just been knocked out of her. She knew at this point it was time to get down from the ladder but as she began her descent a lesser burst of pain and discomfort along her back caused her to gasp and arch her back involuntarily.
The resulting shift of pregnant weight caused the ladder and the soon to be mother who stood upon it to pull away from the wall and come crashing to the floor.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Gregory Illdesserins Thayan Enclave*
"Are you sure? This report is accurate?" Gregory Illdesserin regarded a missive in front of him with a frown, then he looked up at the man in red plate mail who had delivered it, one of his personal bodyguards.
"Yes sir, so far six caravans have failed to arrive today all of which should have been here hours ago" the thayan knight responded as he rubbed a hand over his salt and pepper beard which only grew in spots here or there due to the bodyguards numerous facial wounds.
Gregory sighed and rubbed a hand over his bald head in thought. He was not having a good morning, not by a long shot. The first matter of fact was that his wife was two days late for her visit which given the fact her pregnancy was nearing its culmination didn't surprise him but he knew she had set her mind and heart into giving birth here, with him and it was beginning to look like she wasn't going to make it. He sighed knowing she would be heart broken but they both knew it would be a disaster if he left right now because too many things were afoot and they couldn't afford to leave any holes in the infrastructure they had worked so hard to build.
"I want those caravans found, I want you to take three dozen slaves four of your fellow knights...oh and that mercenary company from Neverwinter that has been camped outside our walls for the last few days, they look bored enough and I'm sure they could use the money...pay them what ever they ask for within reason" he said and waved a dismissive hand towards the soldier who bowed and left the building.
He stood and moved across the room to a pinned up map of the area surrounding his enclave in the Dragons Reach. He took a half dozen push pins and regarded the six notes he had been given that morning, one for each missing caravan. He looked at the map and stuck each pin on the roads that each of those caravan used to get to the enclave. He pushed the last pin into the map and stood back with a frown as his worries and suspicions were confirmed.
A caravan route to the north, possibly compromised...
A caravan route to the north east and west, possibly compromised...
A caravan route the south, south east and west, possibly compromised...
He frowned and rubbed a hand over his head again as he began to plan and to his amazment, worry for the first time in many years.
What ever was going on and who ever was messing with his caravans...
They had his enclave surrounded...
-
*WhenWizardsWar
- Posts: 353
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
-Alpha and Omega Pt 2-
"The beginning and the end"
*Gregory Illdesserins Thayan Enclave*
*Sigil, The City Of Doors*
Gregory Illdesserins Thayan Enclave-The Dragons Reach, Faerun.
He frowned and rubbed his chin in thought as he stood on the walls surrounding the enclave. He had sent an armed band of men, a mixture of his own manpower and a mercenary company from far away to find the location of missing caravans, they never returned.
That had been a few days ago.
He stood now upon the walls of his enclave and regarded the wall of armor and weapons that were the compounds guards as they stood arrayed along the entire length of the wall, both soldier and red wizard armed and ready...and waiting. He looked out over the grounds before the wall at the scene of slaughter and carnage that stretch before him. The wave of orcs came surging out of the woods with out warning and in numbers he had not seen in along time. The initial surge had been about a hundred orcs or so and had been one of the more destructive of the incursions for they had not been expected and most of them had made it inside the compound before the enclave defenses had rallied and put them down.
A hundred orcs who were now dead, but not before after killing dozens of merchants and their customers. He wouldn't let that mistaken happen again.
Now he stood on the wall with over a hundred armed Thayan soldiers and a dozen Red Wizards who were alert and oriented, waiting for the next batch of orcs to come at them. He knew they would come again, they had made six attempts or so at this point, their numbers increasing each time as well as their caution and devotion to their goal. He rubbed his chin again as he surveyed the grounds around the enclave once more, the number of dead orcs and Thayan slave power sent against them now numbered in the low thousands or so.
But he knew....he knew there were always more orcs.
An hour later as he walked the grounds of the enclave calling out orders and checking his troop placement and seeing to a staggering number of needs, he frowned as he felt a shuddering, thundering motion under his feet.
A bell began to ring as one of the defenders shouted.
He sighed and climbed back up to the wall in time to see another sea of green come pouring from the far tree line.
*Sigil, The City Of Doors*
Miranda shuffled back and forth among the second floor of her tower, humming to herself gently as she carefully restocked her work stations. She had continued to do some business in the late months of her pregnancy but it was mostly wand and scroll work, enchanting and the occasional chemical concoction because in truth, its all she could handle. She had tried to continue her golem work and her smithing but she found that the heat of her magic forge and the physical energy required to construct fabrication were to much for her. So now her forge sat cold and her tool bench had begin to gather a couple of months dust.
"Hrrrr, I can't figure this out!" came a raspy whine from one of her homunculi. She glanced over to where it sat on a table with an ink quill in its hands, looking at a sheet of parchment and scratching its head. The creature had been diligently attempting to study the art of mathematics but it was having a great deal of trouble with even the most basic of counting mechanics. She waddled over to her creation and corrected the simple mistakes it had made which caused a tiny adorable "Aha!" to hiss from the constructs mouth. She gently rubbed a finger on the top of the creatures scalp and made her ways upstairs, albeit slowly.
As she crossed the floor of her personal library and private sanctum and made her way to a bookshelf across the way she felt a tiny wave of cramps ripple across her abdomen. She rubbed the back of her head and looked towards the broken ladder from her fall a few days ago and sighed, crossing the rest of the distance to stand before one of her bookshelves. A hand danced quickly across the many bindings and selected a book from the shelf, a book that was suddenly let go off as a wave of pain soared from her nether region. She sat down on the floor and curled up in a ball as the pain continued for a few moments and when the pain subsided when she tried to stand she felt she had no energy or desire to stand at all.
"Ack! Mum! Are you alright?" came the thick accented tone of Byrnwyld, her feirce and loyal protector as he came thudding over to her.
"I am fine, just normal pains...you've seen me go through this alot lately".
"Nay mum, not like this...you've gone and broke this time, your leaking engine fluid" came the reply as the construct tried to help her stand but was shooed away by her hand. She frowned at his words and reach down with some effort to carefully examine her nether region and the floor around her, finding it soaked with bodily fluid.
"Son of a bitch" she wimpered as she began to cry and curled up into another ball as the pain returned.
*Gregory Illdesserins Enclave*
He crooked his fingers and growled out a long string of syllables, the hair on his arms standing on end as he completed his spell and extended his arm straight out towards the sea of orcs that sprawled before him and dozens of orcs were blasted off their feet as a crackling lightning bolt leapt from his hands and began a deadly dance from one orc to another, and another....
The other dozen or so red wizards who stood upon the wall encircling the wall were busy unleashing their own magics, and the armed soldiers fired off crossbows and drew back the strings of composite bows, every inch of the wall hurling death onto the tide of green below them. The orcs were being slaughtered by the hundreds...
Yet there always seemed to be more...
He wasn't worried thought, he has his magic and e had a dozen red wizarda and the enclaves defenses at his disposal, he knew it would be over soon.
*Sigil, The City of Doors*.
"Deltana I cant...can't do this not right now, he..they aren't here..." Miranda cried and wimpered as she lay on her bed, looking at the woman who now sat upon the bed with her. She had learned first hand of lady Grails skill with medicine during a previous unpleasant situation and had approached the woman to be her midwife which lady Grail had been more then willing to help out. The midwife kept asking about the precious carpet Miranda had ruined when her water had broke, the carpets ruination had greatly bothered Miranda. In order to distract Miranda from the pain she was going through, lady Grail kept trying to get her to focus on the destroyed carpet.
"Gregory? Itsu? Are they here?" she asked as she heard two male voices coming up the steps from down stairs.
"No its me Quinn, and Argents here too, may we come in?". she looked to the midwife who nodded and ushered the men into her bed chambers.
As the midwife issued orders to Byrnwyld to fetch supplies, and tried to assure the new company, one of whom immediatly began to fret over Mirandas well being, Miranda took several deep breaths and turned her head to stare out the window on the other side of her bedroom.
"Gregory, my love...I wish I was there with you, having our baby, safe and sound..." she thought to herself.
*Gregory Illdesserins Enclave*
"Thank the gods your not here Miranda" he thought to himself as he raced across an opening to open up a supply shed, allowing the dozen thayan soldiers with him to strip it bare of swords, bows, arrows and what have you, the freshly armed and resupplied troops dashing back to the wall. He stood in the center of the opening for a moment as he took stock of his surroundings, he was getting tired and his spells were running low, as were the rest of the wizards defending the enclave, his mind was becoming fatigued and his thoughts hazy.
"Incoming!" someone had shouted, but Gregory didn't really pay attention to the warning until one of his personal body guards, a Thayan Knight threw himself into his master and sent the wizard flying a good ten feet from where he was standing. As he landed hard on his arse the ground rocked with an explosion which showered dirt and grit and blood down upon him and he looked over to where had been standing. He frowned as he took stock of where the various bits and pieces of his guard now lay which, had the servant not been quick on his feet he realized his own remains would be strewn about the place instead.
He stood with the effort of a nearby red wizard who frowned at the headmaster. "It looks like they figured out how to ignite and toss the barrels of smoke powder they looted from the caravans" the magician quipped which caused Gregory to shoot him a dark look.
"Incoming!" came another shout.
*Sigil, The City of Doors*
Miranda laid back on the bed calmly, trying to think of anything but the pain, but a strange sensation had begun to swell in her nethers, something that told her it was nearing the moment of truth. Lady Grail looked at Miranda who had been silent for a time. "How are you feeling Miranda? Does it feel like you want to push?". As Miranda focused on her body and the rim of cramps and pain that had begin to encircle her hips and she began to suffer constant discomfort, she wimpered and nodded to the midwife, a look of fear evident in her eyes.
"Good, its wont be long now, just remember what I told you take a deep breath and bare down, help your body muscles push until the count of ten then you can relax" she had been told. She looked over at Deltana and nodded because she had no reason not to trust the midwife, hell according to lady Grail she had -five- children, two she gave birth to at once!. The Red Wizard figured that made lady Grail extremely well qualified to serve as a midwife and was content to do as instructed.
It didn't take as long as Miranda had expected, a few moments later the soon to be mother grabbed a fist full of her bed sheets with one hand, and lady Grails arm with another, her teeth clenching...
A cry of utter pain rushes out of her bedroom.
*Gregory Illdesserins Enclave*
Men cried out in pain.
Gregory wiped a caking of dirt and blood from his face and head as he looked around the open courtyard which was now jam packed with bodies. When the orcs had ambushed some of the caravans as they made their way to the compound, one of the wagons had been carrying a significant amount of smoke powder, a very explosive composition when exposed to a source of flame. The defenders had assumed the orcs wouldn't figure out what the kegs did, and they had been wrong. The night sky had filled with explosive keg after explosive keg which had caused the defenders to hunker down, and some had to be taken off the walls to put of the various fires that had started through out the grounds. The worst, to everyone's dismay is what the orcs had managed to do while the defenders were distracted with damage controls and repairs. As the fires were brought under control, and the gaps in the walls defenses wall were being evaluated, the night sky suddenly lit up with a series of explosive detonations in a rapid sequence.
Tons of debris and dozens of defenders rained down upon the complex.
"What the hell was that?" asked one of the Red Wizards asked as he looked to Gregory.
"Wait for it..." was the headmasters reply.
"The orcs have taken out the north wall with the smoke powder kegs!" came a terrified shout.
Gregory rubbed his chin in thought.
Maybe it was time to start worrying.
*Sigil, The City of Doors*
"Gregory?" Miranda sat up for a moment looking around during a moment of temporary rest. She had gone through a series of painful bodily push's that help a woman achieve child birth, painful on a level she had never experienced before and she was glad for the brief moment of rest in between each one.
This time though, something was different and she couldn't put her finger on it but she knew deep down something was wrong and that something had happened to her husband.
"What is it Miranda? What about your husband? Quinn and lady Grail inquired.
She shook her head softly.
"N..nothing I just thought..." her sentence was cut off as her body told her it was time for another painful push.
"Alpha and Omega"
The beginning and the end.
Gregory gazed down at the dirt, his hands rubbing against the rope that bound his arms behind his back. He focused on one rock within the dirt and tried to use it to level out his thoughts to focus on one thing and one thing only. The wall had been destroyed by the smoke powder bearing orcs and in that single fateful moment the defenders lost the one tactical advantage they had. As the debris from the wall fell to the earth the orcs surged forward in far greater numbers then they had assaulted with before.
Against so many, even the powerful Thayan defenders could do so little.
The decimation that followed had been quick and swift and now the orcs rampaged from one end of the enclave to other as they pillage and loot to their hearts content which given the nature of a Thayan enclave, this band of orcs stood to become a serious well funded and armed threat.
"Where is she?" the orc leader asked Gregory again. The red wizard looked up at the plate wearing orc who had several enclave identity badges danging from a string around his neck.
"Pike off and die orc filth, you will never find her" he growled as he spat on the orcs boots which earned Gregory a swift kick to the face which launched him backwards.
"Boss, she aint here...we cant find her no wheres" another orc mentioned as he came out of an erected tent which he promptly knocked over.
"Pike it, lets get out of here! Burn this place to the ground!" the orc leader bellowed.
The enclave ground became a swirling sea of green bodies as oil casks and lit torches were tossed into the hundreds of mobile tents and even the more permenant buildings that had been erected over the years.
Gregory Illdesserin crawled and dragged his way through the dirt, trying to wipe his face on his robes to clear the blood that poured from his broken nose and the dozens of cuts on his cheeks and forhead. He placed one arm forward and used it to drag himself a few inchs, then used his other arm to drag himself a few inchs more. He suddenly screamed in agony as a dozen orc bodies raced over his body as they raced their way out of the burning enclave with their precious loot, he realized with utter clarity that as he was trampled both his arms and his legs were broken under the stampede.
He tried again, despite the broken limbs to drag himself forward more through the dirt but a plated book stomping down in front of his face caused him to stop. He looked up at the owner of the foot and beheld the orc leader who was looking down upon him with a look of...pity? Disgust?. The orc leader took a spear from the hands of an orc near him and looked down at the broken body of Gregory.
"I'll say one thing, for a human your one tough son of a bitch" the orc told Gregory as he began to walk past the red wizard to join the rest of the fleeing rocs. Gregory wimpered and tried to continue his crawl when suddenly a volcanic pain roared through his body as the orc leader impaled the red wizard in the back and pinned him to the ground.
He knew he wasn't going to move any more and as his body began to bleed out on the enclave grounds he manages to turn his head a tiny bit, just enough so that the roaring conflagration that is the enclave can be seen.
He can do nothing but lay there, pinned to the ground as he watch's his lifes work burn to cinders and ashes.
He begins to cry at this point, each salty tear stinging his many wounds as they fall down his cheeks.
"M..Miranda...I...I love you...I'm so glad your not here....take care of our baby.." he says aloud.
As he watchs silently, the flames consume the biggest building in the center of the enclave, a building that used to be an inn for travelers and residents of the enclave. He watchs as the wooden foundation cracks and splinters and the building collapses in on itself.
As the Thayan Enlave begins to collapse around him...
Gregory Illdesserin draws his last and final breath...
As Gregory Illdesserin draws his last and final breath...
In Sigil The City of Doors, Edwin Richard Illdesserin takes his first breath.
"The beginning and the end"
*Gregory Illdesserins Thayan Enclave*
*Sigil, The City Of Doors*
Gregory Illdesserins Thayan Enclave-The Dragons Reach, Faerun.
He frowned and rubbed his chin in thought as he stood on the walls surrounding the enclave. He had sent an armed band of men, a mixture of his own manpower and a mercenary company from far away to find the location of missing caravans, they never returned.
That had been a few days ago.
He stood now upon the walls of his enclave and regarded the wall of armor and weapons that were the compounds guards as they stood arrayed along the entire length of the wall, both soldier and red wizard armed and ready...and waiting. He looked out over the grounds before the wall at the scene of slaughter and carnage that stretch before him. The wave of orcs came surging out of the woods with out warning and in numbers he had not seen in along time. The initial surge had been about a hundred orcs or so and had been one of the more destructive of the incursions for they had not been expected and most of them had made it inside the compound before the enclave defenses had rallied and put them down.
A hundred orcs who were now dead, but not before after killing dozens of merchants and their customers. He wouldn't let that mistaken happen again.
Now he stood on the wall with over a hundred armed Thayan soldiers and a dozen Red Wizards who were alert and oriented, waiting for the next batch of orcs to come at them. He knew they would come again, they had made six attempts or so at this point, their numbers increasing each time as well as their caution and devotion to their goal. He rubbed his chin again as he surveyed the grounds around the enclave once more, the number of dead orcs and Thayan slave power sent against them now numbered in the low thousands or so.
But he knew....he knew there were always more orcs.
An hour later as he walked the grounds of the enclave calling out orders and checking his troop placement and seeing to a staggering number of needs, he frowned as he felt a shuddering, thundering motion under his feet.
A bell began to ring as one of the defenders shouted.
He sighed and climbed back up to the wall in time to see another sea of green come pouring from the far tree line.
*Sigil, The City Of Doors*
Miranda shuffled back and forth among the second floor of her tower, humming to herself gently as she carefully restocked her work stations. She had continued to do some business in the late months of her pregnancy but it was mostly wand and scroll work, enchanting and the occasional chemical concoction because in truth, its all she could handle. She had tried to continue her golem work and her smithing but she found that the heat of her magic forge and the physical energy required to construct fabrication were to much for her. So now her forge sat cold and her tool bench had begin to gather a couple of months dust.
"Hrrrr, I can't figure this out!" came a raspy whine from one of her homunculi. She glanced over to where it sat on a table with an ink quill in its hands, looking at a sheet of parchment and scratching its head. The creature had been diligently attempting to study the art of mathematics but it was having a great deal of trouble with even the most basic of counting mechanics. She waddled over to her creation and corrected the simple mistakes it had made which caused a tiny adorable "Aha!" to hiss from the constructs mouth. She gently rubbed a finger on the top of the creatures scalp and made her ways upstairs, albeit slowly.
As she crossed the floor of her personal library and private sanctum and made her way to a bookshelf across the way she felt a tiny wave of cramps ripple across her abdomen. She rubbed the back of her head and looked towards the broken ladder from her fall a few days ago and sighed, crossing the rest of the distance to stand before one of her bookshelves. A hand danced quickly across the many bindings and selected a book from the shelf, a book that was suddenly let go off as a wave of pain soared from her nether region. She sat down on the floor and curled up in a ball as the pain continued for a few moments and when the pain subsided when she tried to stand she felt she had no energy or desire to stand at all.
"Ack! Mum! Are you alright?" came the thick accented tone of Byrnwyld, her feirce and loyal protector as he came thudding over to her.
"I am fine, just normal pains...you've seen me go through this alot lately".
"Nay mum, not like this...you've gone and broke this time, your leaking engine fluid" came the reply as the construct tried to help her stand but was shooed away by her hand. She frowned at his words and reach down with some effort to carefully examine her nether region and the floor around her, finding it soaked with bodily fluid.
"Son of a bitch" she wimpered as she began to cry and curled up into another ball as the pain returned.
*Gregory Illdesserins Enclave*
He crooked his fingers and growled out a long string of syllables, the hair on his arms standing on end as he completed his spell and extended his arm straight out towards the sea of orcs that sprawled before him and dozens of orcs were blasted off their feet as a crackling lightning bolt leapt from his hands and began a deadly dance from one orc to another, and another....
The other dozen or so red wizards who stood upon the wall encircling the wall were busy unleashing their own magics, and the armed soldiers fired off crossbows and drew back the strings of composite bows, every inch of the wall hurling death onto the tide of green below them. The orcs were being slaughtered by the hundreds...
Yet there always seemed to be more...
He wasn't worried thought, he has his magic and e had a dozen red wizarda and the enclaves defenses at his disposal, he knew it would be over soon.
*Sigil, The City of Doors*.
"Deltana I cant...can't do this not right now, he..they aren't here..." Miranda cried and wimpered as she lay on her bed, looking at the woman who now sat upon the bed with her. She had learned first hand of lady Grails skill with medicine during a previous unpleasant situation and had approached the woman to be her midwife which lady Grail had been more then willing to help out. The midwife kept asking about the precious carpet Miranda had ruined when her water had broke, the carpets ruination had greatly bothered Miranda. In order to distract Miranda from the pain she was going through, lady Grail kept trying to get her to focus on the destroyed carpet.
"Gregory? Itsu? Are they here?" she asked as she heard two male voices coming up the steps from down stairs.
"No its me Quinn, and Argents here too, may we come in?". she looked to the midwife who nodded and ushered the men into her bed chambers.
As the midwife issued orders to Byrnwyld to fetch supplies, and tried to assure the new company, one of whom immediatly began to fret over Mirandas well being, Miranda took several deep breaths and turned her head to stare out the window on the other side of her bedroom.
"Gregory, my love...I wish I was there with you, having our baby, safe and sound..." she thought to herself.
*Gregory Illdesserins Enclave*
"Thank the gods your not here Miranda" he thought to himself as he raced across an opening to open up a supply shed, allowing the dozen thayan soldiers with him to strip it bare of swords, bows, arrows and what have you, the freshly armed and resupplied troops dashing back to the wall. He stood in the center of the opening for a moment as he took stock of his surroundings, he was getting tired and his spells were running low, as were the rest of the wizards defending the enclave, his mind was becoming fatigued and his thoughts hazy.
"Incoming!" someone had shouted, but Gregory didn't really pay attention to the warning until one of his personal body guards, a Thayan Knight threw himself into his master and sent the wizard flying a good ten feet from where he was standing. As he landed hard on his arse the ground rocked with an explosion which showered dirt and grit and blood down upon him and he looked over to where had been standing. He frowned as he took stock of where the various bits and pieces of his guard now lay which, had the servant not been quick on his feet he realized his own remains would be strewn about the place instead.
He stood with the effort of a nearby red wizard who frowned at the headmaster. "It looks like they figured out how to ignite and toss the barrels of smoke powder they looted from the caravans" the magician quipped which caused Gregory to shoot him a dark look.
"Incoming!" came another shout.
*Sigil, The City of Doors*
Miranda laid back on the bed calmly, trying to think of anything but the pain, but a strange sensation had begun to swell in her nethers, something that told her it was nearing the moment of truth. Lady Grail looked at Miranda who had been silent for a time. "How are you feeling Miranda? Does it feel like you want to push?". As Miranda focused on her body and the rim of cramps and pain that had begin to encircle her hips and she began to suffer constant discomfort, she wimpered and nodded to the midwife, a look of fear evident in her eyes.
"Good, its wont be long now, just remember what I told you take a deep breath and bare down, help your body muscles push until the count of ten then you can relax" she had been told. She looked over at Deltana and nodded because she had no reason not to trust the midwife, hell according to lady Grail she had -five- children, two she gave birth to at once!. The Red Wizard figured that made lady Grail extremely well qualified to serve as a midwife and was content to do as instructed.
It didn't take as long as Miranda had expected, a few moments later the soon to be mother grabbed a fist full of her bed sheets with one hand, and lady Grails arm with another, her teeth clenching...
A cry of utter pain rushes out of her bedroom.
*Gregory Illdesserins Enclave*
Men cried out in pain.
Gregory wiped a caking of dirt and blood from his face and head as he looked around the open courtyard which was now jam packed with bodies. When the orcs had ambushed some of the caravans as they made their way to the compound, one of the wagons had been carrying a significant amount of smoke powder, a very explosive composition when exposed to a source of flame. The defenders had assumed the orcs wouldn't figure out what the kegs did, and they had been wrong. The night sky had filled with explosive keg after explosive keg which had caused the defenders to hunker down, and some had to be taken off the walls to put of the various fires that had started through out the grounds. The worst, to everyone's dismay is what the orcs had managed to do while the defenders were distracted with damage controls and repairs. As the fires were brought under control, and the gaps in the walls defenses wall were being evaluated, the night sky suddenly lit up with a series of explosive detonations in a rapid sequence.
Tons of debris and dozens of defenders rained down upon the complex.
"What the hell was that?" asked one of the Red Wizards asked as he looked to Gregory.
"Wait for it..." was the headmasters reply.
"The orcs have taken out the north wall with the smoke powder kegs!" came a terrified shout.
Gregory rubbed his chin in thought.
Maybe it was time to start worrying.
*Sigil, The City of Doors*
"Gregory?" Miranda sat up for a moment looking around during a moment of temporary rest. She had gone through a series of painful bodily push's that help a woman achieve child birth, painful on a level she had never experienced before and she was glad for the brief moment of rest in between each one.
This time though, something was different and she couldn't put her finger on it but she knew deep down something was wrong and that something had happened to her husband.
"What is it Miranda? What about your husband? Quinn and lady Grail inquired.
She shook her head softly.
"N..nothing I just thought..." her sentence was cut off as her body told her it was time for another painful push.
"Alpha and Omega"
The beginning and the end.
Gregory gazed down at the dirt, his hands rubbing against the rope that bound his arms behind his back. He focused on one rock within the dirt and tried to use it to level out his thoughts to focus on one thing and one thing only. The wall had been destroyed by the smoke powder bearing orcs and in that single fateful moment the defenders lost the one tactical advantage they had. As the debris from the wall fell to the earth the orcs surged forward in far greater numbers then they had assaulted with before.
Against so many, even the powerful Thayan defenders could do so little.
The decimation that followed had been quick and swift and now the orcs rampaged from one end of the enclave to other as they pillage and loot to their hearts content which given the nature of a Thayan enclave, this band of orcs stood to become a serious well funded and armed threat.
"Where is she?" the orc leader asked Gregory again. The red wizard looked up at the plate wearing orc who had several enclave identity badges danging from a string around his neck.
"Pike off and die orc filth, you will never find her" he growled as he spat on the orcs boots which earned Gregory a swift kick to the face which launched him backwards.
"Boss, she aint here...we cant find her no wheres" another orc mentioned as he came out of an erected tent which he promptly knocked over.
"Pike it, lets get out of here! Burn this place to the ground!" the orc leader bellowed.
The enclave ground became a swirling sea of green bodies as oil casks and lit torches were tossed into the hundreds of mobile tents and even the more permenant buildings that had been erected over the years.
Gregory Illdesserin crawled and dragged his way through the dirt, trying to wipe his face on his robes to clear the blood that poured from his broken nose and the dozens of cuts on his cheeks and forhead. He placed one arm forward and used it to drag himself a few inchs, then used his other arm to drag himself a few inchs more. He suddenly screamed in agony as a dozen orc bodies raced over his body as they raced their way out of the burning enclave with their precious loot, he realized with utter clarity that as he was trampled both his arms and his legs were broken under the stampede.
He tried again, despite the broken limbs to drag himself forward more through the dirt but a plated book stomping down in front of his face caused him to stop. He looked up at the owner of the foot and beheld the orc leader who was looking down upon him with a look of...pity? Disgust?. The orc leader took a spear from the hands of an orc near him and looked down at the broken body of Gregory.
"I'll say one thing, for a human your one tough son of a bitch" the orc told Gregory as he began to walk past the red wizard to join the rest of the fleeing rocs. Gregory wimpered and tried to continue his crawl when suddenly a volcanic pain roared through his body as the orc leader impaled the red wizard in the back and pinned him to the ground.
He knew he wasn't going to move any more and as his body began to bleed out on the enclave grounds he manages to turn his head a tiny bit, just enough so that the roaring conflagration that is the enclave can be seen.
He can do nothing but lay there, pinned to the ground as he watch's his lifes work burn to cinders and ashes.
He begins to cry at this point, each salty tear stinging his many wounds as they fall down his cheeks.
"M..Miranda...I...I love you...I'm so glad your not here....take care of our baby.." he says aloud.
As he watchs silently, the flames consume the biggest building in the center of the enclave, a building that used to be an inn for travelers and residents of the enclave. He watchs as the wooden foundation cracks and splinters and the building collapses in on itself.
As the Thayan Enlave begins to collapse around him...
Gregory Illdesserin draws his last and final breath...
As Gregory Illdesserin draws his last and final breath...
In Sigil The City of Doors, Edwin Richard Illdesserin takes his first breath.
-
*WhenWizardsWar
- Posts: 353
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
The Johnson Household-Toril-Faerun-Thay-Bezantur.
The fire crackles gently as two figures one a man the other a woman sit in lavish chairs, each with a book in their lap and a glass of wine in one hand as they study the contours of the dancing flames. The figures both run a hand over their bald heads, tracing the intricate tattoos that sit in place where their hair used to be.
"It could be as simple as swapping the vowels used in the ritual, it would be a simple change" said the man calmly as he regarded the book in his lap.
"Yes but a change that would require a complete re-evaluation of the casting" the woman replied as she too regarded her own book.
The man was about to respond when somewhere in the house, came the sound of a door being slammed open and two pairs of feet running down a hallway.
"GIMME BACK MY DOLLY!" came the voice of a clearly well educated little girl who couldn't be more then four or five years of age.
"NO, NOT AFTER YOU ORDERED ONE OF THE GOBLIN GARDENERS TO BURY MY SLINGSHOT!" shouted an equally well spoken but young male voice.
"I WOULD NOT HAVE NEEDED TO BURY IT IF YOU DIDNT KEEP SHOOTING SOPHIA IN THE BUTT WITH IT!" screamed the little girl.
"ITS JUST A STUPID CAT! came a reply, fading as the two children vanished into another wing of the massive house the family occupied.
Both parents sighed in unison and then let out a chuckle at the young ones antics. The parents looked over to a corner of the room as the hairs on their arms stood on end, their senses suddenly snapping to alertness as magic began to build in the corner of the room where the rug held a special design used by those of magical talents to focus on for purposes of magical transportation.
Suddenly, the room now held three adults, mother and father and another man bedecked in red robes and an equally bald head.
The three engaged in conversation about a great many topics, the discussion going on for the better part of two hours when suddenly the woman held up a hand to silence the men and excused herself from the room.
The father of the children didnt seem surprised and he explained to their guest that two hours of silence from the children meant something was amiss, usually trouble.
He was right of course, as the woman returned shortly dragging a tiny brown haired girl into the room, clutching a doll shaped to resemble a monsterous ogre. The little girl was dragged in front of her father and when her mother stood off to the side with arms crossed, the father turned his gaze upon the child which in turn caused the little girl to cast her eyes downward to the rug.
"Give it to him" the mother ordered, and when the child hesitated the mother suddenly raised her voice, "NOW". The tiny girl flinched and reached inside her shirt to withdraw a slender wand hidden within which she handed to her father.
He signed and gently took the wand from her and set it on the table between the chairs on which the parents were sitting. "How many times have I told you, our wands are not toys and can be very dangerous, I don't know how you keep getting into the cabinets but you need to stop before you or your brother get hurt.
"Yes papa, I'm sorry but...Derek had it coming, he shot Sophia in the butt with his slingshot and then he took my ogre" came a soft slightly terrified response from the child.
"What did you do to your brother with the wand?" he asked calmly.
"I used the wand of sticky webs to stick him to the ceiling of his room...." came the reply with a hint of a suppressed giggle.
"Well, then your punishment is to go and get him down with out using anything but your hands" the father issued his judgement and looked to his wife who nodded in agreement.
"But papa that just means i might get stuck too!" the child protested, but a stern glare from both parents caused her to lower her eyes to the ground, kick an imaginary object with her foot and skulk out of the room.
The room remained silent for a moment before the visiting wizard laughed suddenly.
"That is why I don't have any children" he quipped. The two parents shook their heads and the trio resumed their conversation. The hours drew on before the visitor announced that he had to depart and the three stood and made their way to the pattern rug, but before the visitor left he turned to the parents.
"How old is little Miranda now?" he asked as he regarded them.
"Shes almost five" replied the mother.
The visitor nodded, "She's almost at that age". The two parents shot a glance at each other then back to the man.
"Oh come on, she figured out how to use almost every wand in this house and her reading ability far exceeds that of her brother and most of the other children her age...she belongs at the acadamy and you know it" the man said as he vanished from the room.
The parents stood there for a few moments, staring at each other before they both shouted for Miranda.
"Miranda Ann Johnson, get in here! It's time we had a talk!".
The fire crackles gently as two figures one a man the other a woman sit in lavish chairs, each with a book in their lap and a glass of wine in one hand as they study the contours of the dancing flames. The figures both run a hand over their bald heads, tracing the intricate tattoos that sit in place where their hair used to be.
"It could be as simple as swapping the vowels used in the ritual, it would be a simple change" said the man calmly as he regarded the book in his lap.
"Yes but a change that would require a complete re-evaluation of the casting" the woman replied as she too regarded her own book.
The man was about to respond when somewhere in the house, came the sound of a door being slammed open and two pairs of feet running down a hallway.
"GIMME BACK MY DOLLY!" came the voice of a clearly well educated little girl who couldn't be more then four or five years of age.
"NO, NOT AFTER YOU ORDERED ONE OF THE GOBLIN GARDENERS TO BURY MY SLINGSHOT!" shouted an equally well spoken but young male voice.
"I WOULD NOT HAVE NEEDED TO BURY IT IF YOU DIDNT KEEP SHOOTING SOPHIA IN THE BUTT WITH IT!" screamed the little girl.
"ITS JUST A STUPID CAT! came a reply, fading as the two children vanished into another wing of the massive house the family occupied.
Both parents sighed in unison and then let out a chuckle at the young ones antics. The parents looked over to a corner of the room as the hairs on their arms stood on end, their senses suddenly snapping to alertness as magic began to build in the corner of the room where the rug held a special design used by those of magical talents to focus on for purposes of magical transportation.
Suddenly, the room now held three adults, mother and father and another man bedecked in red robes and an equally bald head.
The three engaged in conversation about a great many topics, the discussion going on for the better part of two hours when suddenly the woman held up a hand to silence the men and excused herself from the room.
The father of the children didnt seem surprised and he explained to their guest that two hours of silence from the children meant something was amiss, usually trouble.
He was right of course, as the woman returned shortly dragging a tiny brown haired girl into the room, clutching a doll shaped to resemble a monsterous ogre. The little girl was dragged in front of her father and when her mother stood off to the side with arms crossed, the father turned his gaze upon the child which in turn caused the little girl to cast her eyes downward to the rug.
"Give it to him" the mother ordered, and when the child hesitated the mother suddenly raised her voice, "NOW". The tiny girl flinched and reached inside her shirt to withdraw a slender wand hidden within which she handed to her father.
He signed and gently took the wand from her and set it on the table between the chairs on which the parents were sitting. "How many times have I told you, our wands are not toys and can be very dangerous, I don't know how you keep getting into the cabinets but you need to stop before you or your brother get hurt.
"Yes papa, I'm sorry but...Derek had it coming, he shot Sophia in the butt with his slingshot and then he took my ogre" came a soft slightly terrified response from the child.
"What did you do to your brother with the wand?" he asked calmly.
"I used the wand of sticky webs to stick him to the ceiling of his room...." came the reply with a hint of a suppressed giggle.
"Well, then your punishment is to go and get him down with out using anything but your hands" the father issued his judgement and looked to his wife who nodded in agreement.
"But papa that just means i might get stuck too!" the child protested, but a stern glare from both parents caused her to lower her eyes to the ground, kick an imaginary object with her foot and skulk out of the room.
The room remained silent for a moment before the visiting wizard laughed suddenly.
"That is why I don't have any children" he quipped. The two parents shook their heads and the trio resumed their conversation. The hours drew on before the visitor announced that he had to depart and the three stood and made their way to the pattern rug, but before the visitor left he turned to the parents.
"How old is little Miranda now?" he asked as he regarded them.
"Shes almost five" replied the mother.
The visitor nodded, "She's almost at that age". The two parents shot a glance at each other then back to the man.
"Oh come on, she figured out how to use almost every wand in this house and her reading ability far exceeds that of her brother and most of the other children her age...she belongs at the acadamy and you know it" the man said as he vanished from the room.
The parents stood there for a few moments, staring at each other before they both shouted for Miranda.
"Miranda Ann Johnson, get in here! It's time we had a talk!".
-
*WhenWizardsWar
- Posts: 353
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
"School Sucks, So Do Stirges".
Toril-Faerun-Thay-Thayan Academy Of Magic.
Miranda Ann Johnson, Age 10-5th year in the academy.
Miranda yawned as she reclined on her bed, her nose buried in a book covering the basics of magic wand creation. The room was quiet except for the soft sleeping sound of the other children who shared her room, four of the six occupants were sound asleep while the last two sat up reading educational tomes via the magic light provided by the ever burning candles near their beds. She looked out the window near her bed for a long moment and up at Selunes glittering smile resting in the night sky. She missed home on nights like this, remembering how she used to lay in her bed talking to the stars in the sky until she feel asleep.
She was in her fifth year of magical study at the academy of magic, and despite the fact she had settled into life within its walls she was only ten years old and still prone to becoming very homesick. The funny thing is, even tough her parents shipped her off to study magic five years ago it wasn't like she hasn't seen them since, in fact she usually crossed paths with them both at least once or twice a week even if its just passing one of them in the hallways of the school. She looked at the book in her lap and sighed, closing it quietly and setting it on her nightstand before pulling her knees up to her chest to look out the window again. She saw her parents often enough sure but they were always so busy in their duties as Red Wizards that they hardly acknowledged her presence, treating her like she was nothing but another of many students.
She eventually came to the realization (after talking to many other students in the same exact situation) that it was probably as difficult for them to deal with the situation as it was for her. She knew her mother was still looking out for her at least ever since she over heard her mother questioning one of her headmasters about her physical and mental well being. She smiled as she thought about this fact, but found her smile fleeting as her father came to her mind next. He loved her and she knew this but their relationship had changed dramatically, now he kept her at arms length and seemed concerned only with her academic progress and little else.
"Pssst, Miranda!", she barely heard the whisper, lost in her thoughts as she was. She looked around for the source of the noise until she heard it again from outside her window. She knelt upon her bed and drew the curtain aside, peering out and down at the noise. It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the dark but she eventually picked out a trio of shadows crouching down beneath the sill, one of whom she recognized.
"Gregory what are you doing?! It's lights out and if the headmasters catch you out of your room your gonna be in big trouble!" she hissed down trying to be as quiet as she could but she couldn't help glancing around nervously, after all this was an academy filled with wizards of all levels of ability, very easy to have ones attempts at subtlety foiled.
"It's ok we have Amber with us, shes covering our tracks with her illusions, come on!, the young boy urged again. She blushed a moment as she pulled her head back in the window. She had changed in the five years that she had been in the academy, not only had she learned so much about the art of magic but she had also begun to notice and study the more physical aspects of reality as well. She had become very aware that there were a lot of cute boys around although one of them, who went by the name of Gregory Illdesserin was quickly become a center piece in her life. She sighed and shook her head for a moment before reaching under her bed to grab a tiny jewelery box, which she pulled out a single silver ring from it and slipped it around one of her fingers. She knew she was going to get into trouble, when ever the students snuck out during lights out it ALWAYS meant trouble.
Twenty minuets later, a wooden door creaked open and four silent sets of bare feet padded into the room. The room was pitch black, at least for the moment until Miranda twisted the ring on her finger and called forth a gentle nimbus of illumination, it wasn't a fancy magic item but it was something all the student's were given in case they had to travel the academy grounds at night. She stood watch at the door while the other three miscreants shuffled about the room searching for something they apparently knew for sure was in here. The three returned fairly quickly, each of them carrying wooden box's held close to their chests. They made their way back across the grounds carefully, thanks to the concealing illusions of a girl named Amber who was approaching the end of her eighth year.
As the reached the central nexus of travel for the academy which was nothing more then a circular room with dozens of hallways attached to it, the box carrying students began to shake the wooden containers gently. She looked at Gregory curiously only to see him and the others smiling as they suddenly opened up one side of each container. The air suddenly became filled with the noise of hundreds and hundreds of tiny flying insectoid like creatures which were nothing more then a pair of tiny wings and a long needle like proboscus for a nose.
Miranda suddenly paniced and looked to the other students with her who were on the ground laughing.
"Are you crazy! Those are headmaster Garlands newly hatched Stirges!"
Miranda didn't know if she should be laughing (she realized she did find the act of mischief funny) or if she should be horrified.
She looked in in mute astonishment as the hundreds and hundreds of tiny Stirges flooded down the dozens of hallways. The noise of the fluttering wings was deafening enough, but the noise of panicking academy residents completely shattered what was suppose to be a quiet night of study.
Toril-Faerun-Thay-Thayan Academy Of Magic.
Miranda Ann Johnson, Age 10-5th year in the academy.
Miranda yawned as she reclined on her bed, her nose buried in a book covering the basics of magic wand creation. The room was quiet except for the soft sleeping sound of the other children who shared her room, four of the six occupants were sound asleep while the last two sat up reading educational tomes via the magic light provided by the ever burning candles near their beds. She looked out the window near her bed for a long moment and up at Selunes glittering smile resting in the night sky. She missed home on nights like this, remembering how she used to lay in her bed talking to the stars in the sky until she feel asleep.
She was in her fifth year of magical study at the academy of magic, and despite the fact she had settled into life within its walls she was only ten years old and still prone to becoming very homesick. The funny thing is, even tough her parents shipped her off to study magic five years ago it wasn't like she hasn't seen them since, in fact she usually crossed paths with them both at least once or twice a week even if its just passing one of them in the hallways of the school. She looked at the book in her lap and sighed, closing it quietly and setting it on her nightstand before pulling her knees up to her chest to look out the window again. She saw her parents often enough sure but they were always so busy in their duties as Red Wizards that they hardly acknowledged her presence, treating her like she was nothing but another of many students.
She eventually came to the realization (after talking to many other students in the same exact situation) that it was probably as difficult for them to deal with the situation as it was for her. She knew her mother was still looking out for her at least ever since she over heard her mother questioning one of her headmasters about her physical and mental well being. She smiled as she thought about this fact, but found her smile fleeting as her father came to her mind next. He loved her and she knew this but their relationship had changed dramatically, now he kept her at arms length and seemed concerned only with her academic progress and little else.
"Pssst, Miranda!", she barely heard the whisper, lost in her thoughts as she was. She looked around for the source of the noise until she heard it again from outside her window. She knelt upon her bed and drew the curtain aside, peering out and down at the noise. It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the dark but she eventually picked out a trio of shadows crouching down beneath the sill, one of whom she recognized.
"Gregory what are you doing?! It's lights out and if the headmasters catch you out of your room your gonna be in big trouble!" she hissed down trying to be as quiet as she could but she couldn't help glancing around nervously, after all this was an academy filled with wizards of all levels of ability, very easy to have ones attempts at subtlety foiled.
"It's ok we have Amber with us, shes covering our tracks with her illusions, come on!, the young boy urged again. She blushed a moment as she pulled her head back in the window. She had changed in the five years that she had been in the academy, not only had she learned so much about the art of magic but she had also begun to notice and study the more physical aspects of reality as well. She had become very aware that there were a lot of cute boys around although one of them, who went by the name of Gregory Illdesserin was quickly become a center piece in her life. She sighed and shook her head for a moment before reaching under her bed to grab a tiny jewelery box, which she pulled out a single silver ring from it and slipped it around one of her fingers. She knew she was going to get into trouble, when ever the students snuck out during lights out it ALWAYS meant trouble.
Twenty minuets later, a wooden door creaked open and four silent sets of bare feet padded into the room. The room was pitch black, at least for the moment until Miranda twisted the ring on her finger and called forth a gentle nimbus of illumination, it wasn't a fancy magic item but it was something all the student's were given in case they had to travel the academy grounds at night. She stood watch at the door while the other three miscreants shuffled about the room searching for something they apparently knew for sure was in here. The three returned fairly quickly, each of them carrying wooden box's held close to their chests. They made their way back across the grounds carefully, thanks to the concealing illusions of a girl named Amber who was approaching the end of her eighth year.
As the reached the central nexus of travel for the academy which was nothing more then a circular room with dozens of hallways attached to it, the box carrying students began to shake the wooden containers gently. She looked at Gregory curiously only to see him and the others smiling as they suddenly opened up one side of each container. The air suddenly became filled with the noise of hundreds and hundreds of tiny flying insectoid like creatures which were nothing more then a pair of tiny wings and a long needle like proboscus for a nose.
Miranda suddenly paniced and looked to the other students with her who were on the ground laughing.
"Are you crazy! Those are headmaster Garlands newly hatched Stirges!"
Miranda didn't know if she should be laughing (she realized she did find the act of mischief funny) or if she should be horrified.
She looked in in mute astonishment as the hundreds and hundreds of tiny Stirges flooded down the dozens of hallways. The noise of the fluttering wings was deafening enough, but the noise of panicking academy residents completely shattered what was suppose to be a quiet night of study.
-
*WhenWizardsWar
- Posts: 353
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
"The more you have, the more you can lose".
Miranda Illdesserin-Present day.
Edwin Illdesserin-3mo old.
*The World Serpant Inn*
Miranda sat quietly as she regarded the man across the table as he took a few deep breaths as he contemplated how to begin their conversation.
The man was Bartimus, a politician from home who apparently had some pressing matters to talk to her about. They currently sat at a table in the corner of the commons room within a place called the World Serpent Inn, an establishment that felt very much like Sigil in all respects from its atmosphere to its....varied clients. He sat flanked by two heavily armored Thayan knights, one sworn to server Miranda, one sworn to protect the politician (even though he himself was not a red wizard).
"Miranda, I'm going to just get right into this, I dont want to be here anymore then you do i am sure, when was the last time you got any word from your enclave in Tethyr? the man asked bluntly.
She studied him for a moment, so that's the financial aspect he mentioned she thought to herself.
"Three or four months which isn't unheard of, it takes time to get messages to me in Sigil and being pregnant with child I couldn't exactly travel" she replied calmly as she took a mug of liquid from the serving wench.
The man frowned and took his own mug. "See, it had been sometime since we heard from them as well so we sent a company out to check on the compound...and you if you were there" he said calmly as he took a swing from his mug.
"Do you know any reason why a large band of orcs would attack and destroy the enclave?" the man asked her, just like that, didnt even beat around the bush.
Miranda looked across the table into the mans eye as she sipped her own drink.
"First of all that's not something to joke about and secondly I hand picked the guards, servants and merchants myself and a band of orcs attacking let alone destroying the compound is impossible" she said replied.
The man pulled out a piece of paper and slid it across the table to her, it was a list of names and names she knew.
"I have a list of four hundred names here that are not laughing Miranda" came the retort, with no hint of emotion with it. She set her mug down and looked over the list, every name she recognized...they were all dead?, she sucked in a deep breath as if someone had just kicked her in the gut.
"I will answer this in kind, I will find the orcs who did this and I will turn them all to ash, i will take full responsability for this but...understand I wasn't there...I was.." she was suddenly seething with rage.
"You were in Sigil getting ready to give birth, I understand Miranda and I get it...but what I think is irrelevant, and yes you are being held responsible for this" his face forming a deep frown. She stopped her rage filled rant as she noticed his frown, and in addition to feeling like someone kicked her in the gut she found her heart getting ready to sink into the pit of her stomach. Her long time friend and ally in the Thayan Political game slid another piece of paper in her direction only this one was formally written in neat caligraphy and had all kinds of ink seals on it. She picked up the paper and read it over carefully, once, twice before slamming it down on the table.
"This is absurd! I have done everything humanly possible over the years to build that compound into a gold mine, that orcs attacked it in large enough numbers to destroy it was not my fault!, I have never set foot outside of that place with out making sure that it could endure my absence!". She stood quickly, slamming her hands on the table palm first, fury pouring out of her. The thayan knights...even her own grasped the handles of their sheathed swords ready to draw them should violence break out, the loud chatter of the commons room ceased, all manner of races watching her, wondering if the Red Wizard was about to start hurling words of death around the inn.
"Miranda, please calm yourself this solves nothing and you know it" he said calmly, his words easily grabbing her attention and bringing it down to a calm and collected albeit irritated state of mind.
"They....they can't...no..." she said quietly as she looked at the formal letter a third time.
"I'm sorry Miranda but, as a means of both punishment and compensation the mansion that is in your name in the tharch of Bezantur, left to you by your mother and father has been seized by government along with everything in it and its caretakers and staff" he said as he studied her carefully, sadness clearly written on his face.
"Further more, and this off public record but the Zulkirs have sent agents to the branch of the Abjurors Arsenal you have set up in the city of Union on the Astral Plane and they have completed a financial take over of your store there, they now own the building, its employees and its material assets as well" he sat back...and counted the seconds.
"THEY WHAT? THEY HAVE NO RIGHT TO DO THAT, IT ISNT EVEN REMOTELY PART OF THAYAN TERRITORY AND ITS NOT EVEN THEIR BUSSINESS OR ASSETS! THOSE ARE MY CRAFTED GOODS AND IT IS BECAUSE OF THAT STORE THAT IVE BEEN ABLE TO DONATE SO MUCH MONEY TO THE RED WIZARD COFFERS! HOW HAVE THEY DONE THIS?". He had to sit back a moment, he had never seen her this mad before and he actually found it terrifying.
"Everyting with a gold peice value can be bought with enough gold, buildings, people and things inside buildings" Bartimus said in a collected manner as he took a big sip from his mug. When she calmed down a tiny bit, he continued though he chose his words carefully.
"Miranda, I pleaded with the zulkirs for days and I used every bit of influence i had to convince them not to have you hunted down and killed...or worse, believe me dear this is...this is a light punishment" he knew she was beyond intelligent, she was a freaking genious so he knew what she was about to ask next.
"So that's it, I'm exiled from the Red Wizards and my home land then..." it was more of a statement then a question.
"They want me to make sure you understand its not exile, its banishment under pain of death should you ever set foot anywhere near Thay again...ever...they were very specific". he corrected her and was surprised when she didnt flip out at his correction, in fact he is surprised he and his two knight guards were still alive. He's known Miranda for years and yes he was well aware that even though she was an abjuror who was focused on protective magics, if she -really- wanted to she could probably kill everyone in the room right now with minimal effort.
She stood then and secured her back pack over her shoulder, "I guess thats it then, this discussion is over...good bye Bartimus" she snapped as she began to leave. When the politician cleared his throat she stopped and looked at him. He motioned to the red robe she still wore, "You need to return that before you leave" he said calmly.
"I was going upstairs to change so you could have it back..." she frowned when he shook his head "I'm sorry, I was told not to risk you taking off with it so i am going to need it back..now". he frowned as he finished his mug.
A few jitters and cheers later, Miranda stood beside the table in the nude as she folded the red robes she had worn for so long into a pile in front of the politician before glaring at the rest of the oggling occupants of the room. She was always a proud woman when it came to her looks but having just given birth, her body hadn't completely returned to its pre-child apperance and she felt very self-concious all of a sudden one arm moving to shield her genitals, the other arm making a feeble attempt to cover as much of her ample bosom as it could.
She glared at the politician for a moment before she grabbed her back pack and started to leave the room where she quickly found a place to change into an old pair of blue robes she always kept handy.
Now dressed in blue, she made her way to a door on the north side of the room, about ten feet away from the table where the politican still stat.
"I'm sorry Miranda...i did not enjoy seeing you like that but I had my orders" Bartimus replied. She turned to regard him.
"Tell the powers that I better not catch even a hint of them keeping tabs on me, my family or my business because if I do then there is no place they will be able to hide from my wrath, and trust me between the personal resources I still have access to, and my many -many- powerful planes walking friends and allies that isn't a threat but it is a promise. I know many people who would love a reason to obliterate some red wizards...and as for you..-friend- I hope your soul is tormented for all eternity on the second level." She opens the magical door way and steps through, closing it behind her.
Bartimus sighs and empties his mug of liquid.
"Good talk Miranda..."
Miranda Illdesserin-Present day.
Edwin Illdesserin-3mo old.
*The World Serpant Inn*
Miranda sat quietly as she regarded the man across the table as he took a few deep breaths as he contemplated how to begin their conversation.
The man was Bartimus, a politician from home who apparently had some pressing matters to talk to her about. They currently sat at a table in the corner of the commons room within a place called the World Serpent Inn, an establishment that felt very much like Sigil in all respects from its atmosphere to its....varied clients. He sat flanked by two heavily armored Thayan knights, one sworn to server Miranda, one sworn to protect the politician (even though he himself was not a red wizard).
"Miranda, I'm going to just get right into this, I dont want to be here anymore then you do i am sure, when was the last time you got any word from your enclave in Tethyr? the man asked bluntly.
She studied him for a moment, so that's the financial aspect he mentioned she thought to herself.
"Three or four months which isn't unheard of, it takes time to get messages to me in Sigil and being pregnant with child I couldn't exactly travel" she replied calmly as she took a mug of liquid from the serving wench.
The man frowned and took his own mug. "See, it had been sometime since we heard from them as well so we sent a company out to check on the compound...and you if you were there" he said calmly as he took a swing from his mug.
"Do you know any reason why a large band of orcs would attack and destroy the enclave?" the man asked her, just like that, didnt even beat around the bush.
Miranda looked across the table into the mans eye as she sipped her own drink.
"First of all that's not something to joke about and secondly I hand picked the guards, servants and merchants myself and a band of orcs attacking let alone destroying the compound is impossible" she said replied.
The man pulled out a piece of paper and slid it across the table to her, it was a list of names and names she knew.
"I have a list of four hundred names here that are not laughing Miranda" came the retort, with no hint of emotion with it. She set her mug down and looked over the list, every name she recognized...they were all dead?, she sucked in a deep breath as if someone had just kicked her in the gut.
"I will answer this in kind, I will find the orcs who did this and I will turn them all to ash, i will take full responsability for this but...understand I wasn't there...I was.." she was suddenly seething with rage.
"You were in Sigil getting ready to give birth, I understand Miranda and I get it...but what I think is irrelevant, and yes you are being held responsible for this" his face forming a deep frown. She stopped her rage filled rant as she noticed his frown, and in addition to feeling like someone kicked her in the gut she found her heart getting ready to sink into the pit of her stomach. Her long time friend and ally in the Thayan Political game slid another piece of paper in her direction only this one was formally written in neat caligraphy and had all kinds of ink seals on it. She picked up the paper and read it over carefully, once, twice before slamming it down on the table.
"This is absurd! I have done everything humanly possible over the years to build that compound into a gold mine, that orcs attacked it in large enough numbers to destroy it was not my fault!, I have never set foot outside of that place with out making sure that it could endure my absence!". She stood quickly, slamming her hands on the table palm first, fury pouring out of her. The thayan knights...even her own grasped the handles of their sheathed swords ready to draw them should violence break out, the loud chatter of the commons room ceased, all manner of races watching her, wondering if the Red Wizard was about to start hurling words of death around the inn.
"Miranda, please calm yourself this solves nothing and you know it" he said calmly, his words easily grabbing her attention and bringing it down to a calm and collected albeit irritated state of mind.
"They....they can't...no..." she said quietly as she looked at the formal letter a third time.
"I'm sorry Miranda but, as a means of both punishment and compensation the mansion that is in your name in the tharch of Bezantur, left to you by your mother and father has been seized by government along with everything in it and its caretakers and staff" he said as he studied her carefully, sadness clearly written on his face.
"Further more, and this off public record but the Zulkirs have sent agents to the branch of the Abjurors Arsenal you have set up in the city of Union on the Astral Plane and they have completed a financial take over of your store there, they now own the building, its employees and its material assets as well" he sat back...and counted the seconds.
"THEY WHAT? THEY HAVE NO RIGHT TO DO THAT, IT ISNT EVEN REMOTELY PART OF THAYAN TERRITORY AND ITS NOT EVEN THEIR BUSSINESS OR ASSETS! THOSE ARE MY CRAFTED GOODS AND IT IS BECAUSE OF THAT STORE THAT IVE BEEN ABLE TO DONATE SO MUCH MONEY TO THE RED WIZARD COFFERS! HOW HAVE THEY DONE THIS?". He had to sit back a moment, he had never seen her this mad before and he actually found it terrifying.
"Everyting with a gold peice value can be bought with enough gold, buildings, people and things inside buildings" Bartimus said in a collected manner as he took a big sip from his mug. When she calmed down a tiny bit, he continued though he chose his words carefully.
"Miranda, I pleaded with the zulkirs for days and I used every bit of influence i had to convince them not to have you hunted down and killed...or worse, believe me dear this is...this is a light punishment" he knew she was beyond intelligent, she was a freaking genious so he knew what she was about to ask next.
"So that's it, I'm exiled from the Red Wizards and my home land then..." it was more of a statement then a question.
"They want me to make sure you understand its not exile, its banishment under pain of death should you ever set foot anywhere near Thay again...ever...they were very specific". he corrected her and was surprised when she didnt flip out at his correction, in fact he is surprised he and his two knight guards were still alive. He's known Miranda for years and yes he was well aware that even though she was an abjuror who was focused on protective magics, if she -really- wanted to she could probably kill everyone in the room right now with minimal effort.
She stood then and secured her back pack over her shoulder, "I guess thats it then, this discussion is over...good bye Bartimus" she snapped as she began to leave. When the politician cleared his throat she stopped and looked at him. He motioned to the red robe she still wore, "You need to return that before you leave" he said calmly.
"I was going upstairs to change so you could have it back..." she frowned when he shook his head "I'm sorry, I was told not to risk you taking off with it so i am going to need it back..now". he frowned as he finished his mug.
A few jitters and cheers later, Miranda stood beside the table in the nude as she folded the red robes she had worn for so long into a pile in front of the politician before glaring at the rest of the oggling occupants of the room. She was always a proud woman when it came to her looks but having just given birth, her body hadn't completely returned to its pre-child apperance and she felt very self-concious all of a sudden one arm moving to shield her genitals, the other arm making a feeble attempt to cover as much of her ample bosom as it could.
She glared at the politician for a moment before she grabbed her back pack and started to leave the room where she quickly found a place to change into an old pair of blue robes she always kept handy.
Now dressed in blue, she made her way to a door on the north side of the room, about ten feet away from the table where the politican still stat.
"I'm sorry Miranda...i did not enjoy seeing you like that but I had my orders" Bartimus replied. She turned to regard him.
"Tell the powers that I better not catch even a hint of them keeping tabs on me, my family or my business because if I do then there is no place they will be able to hide from my wrath, and trust me between the personal resources I still have access to, and my many -many- powerful planes walking friends and allies that isn't a threat but it is a promise. I know many people who would love a reason to obliterate some red wizards...and as for you..-friend- I hope your soul is tormented for all eternity on the second level." She opens the magical door way and steps through, closing it behind her.
Bartimus sighs and empties his mug of liquid.
"Good talk Miranda..."
-
*WhenWizardsWar
- Posts: 353
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
Miranda Illdesserin and Edwin Illdesserion (4mo).
"Around The Planes In Thirty Days".
Day 1:The Beaches Of Elysium.
The First day of Mirandas vacation finds her on a vibrant, beautiful beach on the Elysium plane. She and her four month old child Edwin only spend a single day on the pristine sands but it is a day filled with smiles, love and warm hearts not to mention many bouts of child giggles and motherly nuzzles. She isn't alone on her trip, a half dozen of her construct guardians stand on careful watch as the pair frolic in the sand and water. The former red wizard does leave her son in the care of the guardians for a short period so she can undertake a far out swim, her scandalous bathing suit revealing more of her curves then she would normally permit but..this was a vacation she didn't care, she felt like letting go. The golems however, don't appear amused especially when Miranda began placing festive hats on their heads and strings of flowers around their necks as well as sun-blocking specticles over their eyes. As their time on the beach ends, and the pair make their way to a nearby settlement (Gotta shop on vacation!), a curious crustacean scuttles over their campsite, circling the heart shaped set of stones Miranda had placed in the sand, placing more stones within the heart to spell out the initials M.I and E.I.
As the first day draws to a close, Miranda and Edwin make their way through a bustling market community, nit picking over this and that item as Miranda selects several beautiful peices of attire to purchase, including one exquisite but tiny blue pointy hat which naturally gets placed over Edwins head, drawing forth a giggle from the overly happy child. As the pair departs the plane, making their way through a portal, both mother and child pause for a moment, frowns on their faces as the urge to return to the plane threatens to overwhelm them. She manages to shrug it off but the young child in her arms makes his desire to stay well known by breaking down into round of high pitched cries.
Day 2:The Elemental Plane Of Earth.
The second day of the pairs trip around the planes, finds Miranda scaling a earthen cliff with a dozen or so spelunking dwarves flanking her on either side as they carefully extract beautiful gemstones from the cliffside. She herself plucks many beautiful stones from the rocky face and after examining them, hands them over her shoulder to her four month old climbing partner. The child is secured in a highly enchanted and protective sling over her back, specially made to protect him from hostile environments while keeping him secure to his mother (and also made to reduce the weight on her back).
The childs innate curiosity makes it impossible for him to resist taking the strange shiny things his mother keeps handing to him and looking at them, but eventually his tiny hands end up releasing the gems which are often larger then his hand, the precious stones landing in a carefully placed compartment on the infants sling.
Sure, its dangerous but if anyone is going to be able to protect a child on such an exotic trip, its a wizardly mother who is well known for her skill in protective magics. He cant walk, and he cant talk sure, but Miranda had noticed something odd about him. He was growing and developing at an unusual pace, he was already clearly more intelligent and inquisitive then other children she had seen in his age range, but she didnt think to much of it. She was a wizard after all, and her life was filled with magic and mystery, and lets face it...traveling the planes always has an effect on people.
She wasn't worried. She stopped her climbing for a moment, resting there against the cliff as she looked down at the dwarves below her. She smiled as her silent, curious child looked around the large cavern they occupied, the tiny helm on his helm projecting a gentle stream of light from a luminescent gemstone secured to the forhead of the helm. The child lets out a giggle and kicks his feet in as something apparently excites him (Whatever thoughts run through such very young minds). The climbers stop as the infants giggles echo across the cavern, followed a moment later by a dozen dwarven snickers and laughs, and a warm smile spreading across his mothers face.
"Around The Planes In Thirty Days".
Day 1:The Beaches Of Elysium.
The First day of Mirandas vacation finds her on a vibrant, beautiful beach on the Elysium plane. She and her four month old child Edwin only spend a single day on the pristine sands but it is a day filled with smiles, love and warm hearts not to mention many bouts of child giggles and motherly nuzzles. She isn't alone on her trip, a half dozen of her construct guardians stand on careful watch as the pair frolic in the sand and water. The former red wizard does leave her son in the care of the guardians for a short period so she can undertake a far out swim, her scandalous bathing suit revealing more of her curves then she would normally permit but..this was a vacation she didn't care, she felt like letting go. The golems however, don't appear amused especially when Miranda began placing festive hats on their heads and strings of flowers around their necks as well as sun-blocking specticles over their eyes. As their time on the beach ends, and the pair make their way to a nearby settlement (Gotta shop on vacation!), a curious crustacean scuttles over their campsite, circling the heart shaped set of stones Miranda had placed in the sand, placing more stones within the heart to spell out the initials M.I and E.I.
As the first day draws to a close, Miranda and Edwin make their way through a bustling market community, nit picking over this and that item as Miranda selects several beautiful peices of attire to purchase, including one exquisite but tiny blue pointy hat which naturally gets placed over Edwins head, drawing forth a giggle from the overly happy child. As the pair departs the plane, making their way through a portal, both mother and child pause for a moment, frowns on their faces as the urge to return to the plane threatens to overwhelm them. She manages to shrug it off but the young child in her arms makes his desire to stay well known by breaking down into round of high pitched cries.
Day 2:The Elemental Plane Of Earth.
The second day of the pairs trip around the planes, finds Miranda scaling a earthen cliff with a dozen or so spelunking dwarves flanking her on either side as they carefully extract beautiful gemstones from the cliffside. She herself plucks many beautiful stones from the rocky face and after examining them, hands them over her shoulder to her four month old climbing partner. The child is secured in a highly enchanted and protective sling over her back, specially made to protect him from hostile environments while keeping him secure to his mother (and also made to reduce the weight on her back).
The childs innate curiosity makes it impossible for him to resist taking the strange shiny things his mother keeps handing to him and looking at them, but eventually his tiny hands end up releasing the gems which are often larger then his hand, the precious stones landing in a carefully placed compartment on the infants sling.
Sure, its dangerous but if anyone is going to be able to protect a child on such an exotic trip, its a wizardly mother who is well known for her skill in protective magics. He cant walk, and he cant talk sure, but Miranda had noticed something odd about him. He was growing and developing at an unusual pace, he was already clearly more intelligent and inquisitive then other children she had seen in his age range, but she didnt think to much of it. She was a wizard after all, and her life was filled with magic and mystery, and lets face it...traveling the planes always has an effect on people.
She wasn't worried. She stopped her climbing for a moment, resting there against the cliff as she looked down at the dwarves below her. She smiled as her silent, curious child looked around the large cavern they occupied, the tiny helm on his helm projecting a gentle stream of light from a luminescent gemstone secured to the forhead of the helm. The child lets out a giggle and kicks his feet in as something apparently excites him (Whatever thoughts run through such very young minds). The climbers stop as the infants giggles echo across the cavern, followed a moment later by a dozen dwarven snickers and laughs, and a warm smile spreading across his mothers face.