Riches to Rags, Rags to Vengeance

[Diachronos]

The city of Kalimdor lies in a wide valley beside the ocean known as the Cobalt Expanse. Part of the city, namely its Prism District, is built beside and into the cliff face of the valley. Numerous waterfalls cascade down from the cliff above to feed a river of clear, pristine water that flows through the rest of the city into the ocean; the mists thrown up by the falling water are the source of Kalimdor's other name, "The City in the Mists." The city is among the largest on the continent of Opeon, as well as its largest port and the major trading hub between Opeon and the lands across the sea.

The Prism District is the uppermost level of the city, where the aristocracy make their homes. This portion of the city boasts large, opulent manors and numerous parks and gardens, as befitting of those of noble birth. By day, sunlight passes through the mists from the waterfalls and paints the normally plain marble and granite of the architecture with a myriad of colors, and even on the hottest summer day the temperature remains pleasantly cool.

Below this is the Merchant's District, where the vast majority of the stores and stalls can be found and where most tradesmen practice their crafts. A plethora of smells and sounds can be heard at all times in this district, from the clanging of metal and smell of burning charcoal from the smithies to the sweet aroma of baking and merchants hawking their wares. The Merchant's District is also where the main gate of the city lies, leading to the White Road that branches off to the other cities of Opeon.

The rest of the city is the Lower Quarter, where the docks and "common" folk can be found. The Lower Quarter possesses a considerably smaller police force than the rest of the city, which leads to frequent criminal activity. The poor living conditions and wages of the citizens of this region do not help matters, and over the years many less-reputable establishments have cropped up as a way to distract them from their everyday worries.

The Prism District is separated from the Merchant's District by twelve arcane devices dubbed "Illumacones" by their creators in the Academy of Mages; these arcane elevators are guarded day and night by heavy patrols, and only those who live in or have official business in the Prism District are permitted to enter. Those who do not are turned away by force if necessary, and frequently when it is not. The aristocracy rarely leave the comfort of the Prism District except when they travel, leaving any business in town to their servants. They have no qualms with this, as they have the same disdain for the lower classes that the nobles of most cities do. The feeling is mutual, as many among the lower class believe that the land-owning nobles leave the unpleasant and strenuous work to the commoners, only to reap the benefits for themselves while forcing the workers to get by on whatever scraps are left.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A light knock sounds on the door, followed by the timid voice of one of the manor's many servants. "Lord Gabriel, your father wishes for me to remind you that your presence is required at the Academy of Mages in two hours. The coronation of the next Archmage of Enchantment is an important event that the Scorn house can not miss."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel Scorn sits at his desk with a screwdriver in one hand and a strange device that resembles a wristwatch in the other. A magnescope is attached to his right eye as he looks down at the last loose plate and carefully selects a spot to place the final screw.

A knock at the door disturbs the noble and causes him to nearly drop his invention. "Thank you, Clarisse!" he calls, yanking open a drawer in the desk, pushing the device, the schematics for it and the tools on the desk into the drawer with one wide scoop, and closing and locking the drawer.

The Archmage of Enchantment? Definitely someone he didn't want to piss off. Enchantment magic is very powerful in Kalimdor. One incantation can destroy a person's loyalties that a family spends years building up, or reveal the deepest secrets locked behind thousands of gold worth of hush money.

Gabriel quickly starts to yank his shirt over his head, only to have it get caught on the magnescope he was still wearing. Growling in annoyance, the man pulls at the straps and leaves the magnescope on the desk, in too much of a hurry to fiddle with the lock again.

He strips down and selects a fine crimson shirt, his hands flying up the buttons and finishing in an instant. To complement it, a pair of navy slacks. Finally, a black blazer, and the sleeves of the shirt tied around his wrist with emerald cuff links.

Gabriel checks himself in the mirror. Astounding. The noble had turned his share of heads at the university, and he preferred to be aware of his resources over being modest. Gabriel is rather good-looking, and the vibrant colors of his wardrobe suit him.

He affixes a rapier in a sheath to his belt. The rapier is common, but no one would know that just by looking. Gabriel still needed to find the woman who attacked him last week before he could retrieve his prized magic rapier from her.

His left flank, usually reserved for the holster of his dueling pistol, stays bare. Swords are a sign of class. Guns are a sign of violence. Gabriel would not attend this coronation with any more weapons than he needed.

To finish the outfit, a tie bearing the Scorn coat-of-arms. He runs one hand through his hair and heads out the door, rushing to the Academy of Mages with thirty minutes to spare.

[Diachronos]

Gabriel arrives at the Academy and easily finds his father, Senator William Scorn, standing near the building entrance. The older man was staring down at his gold-and-ivory pocketwatch, his brow furrowed below his slightly graying hair and his face set in the stern no-nonsense expression that he usually wore at official events and while doing business. William was a kind and patient man to those who knew him, and he was a rather enjoyable companion (if a bit stiff and old-fashioned) when he wasn't on the job, but he could rival the demeanor of all but the most strict of instructors at the Academy when the situation called for it.

He looks up as Gabriel approaches, closing his watch with an audible snap before tucking it neatly into the chest pocket of his gold-trimmed blue vest. "Must you always press your luck with your timing, Gabriel? You know that the Senators are required to arrive early at these events." The look he gave his son was one that might appear scathing to others, but Gabriel would be able to easily make out the faint hints of a smile behind the gaze. He was a strict father in public, but only because his career required him to maintain that mask in public.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel stops in front of the man and bows his head. "Please forgive me, Lord Senator," he says. Gabriel uses his father's full title at special events, because not even William's son should detract from the man's authority at this time.

"I lost track of time on my latest project. If I'm correct, I think I will be able to harness the energy of time magic to extend the time limits constrained on men from every source! Holding your breath underwater, surviving without food, never needing to sleep or relieve yourself. My professor anticipates such a breakthrough would revolutionize the way we explore the northern areas."

It wasn't a blatant lie. Gabriel had finished his ring of absolute sustenance two weeks ago, that was all. His father didn't need to know about the small device in his desk. No one needed to know.

"I have been so wrapped up in my Evocation studies, I haven't even heard who the new Archmage is. Can you give me the short version, my Lord?"

[Diachronos]

William nods. "A young woman by the name of Rachel Denethar. The Academy and Senate have been buzzing with gossip about her; apparently she is one of the youngest witches ever appointed to the position of Archmage, at only 25 years of age. It would be a more momentous and happy occasion if she weren't a changeling." His expression turned to one of disgust at the last word. Among the aristocracy of Opeon, half-breeds such as changelings and the plane-touched are seen as impure and a stain upon their family lineage, to the point that interracial marriages are never arranged. A noble with, say, a half-elf child would go to great lengths to hide the fact that they are the parent, as such knowledge becoming public would deal a crippling blow to their reputation that few families could ever hope to recover from. For such an individual to be granted the title of Archmage, she would have to either be leagues above her peers or (as the gossip overheard from several couples passing by) trading favors for the position.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel raises an eyebrow. "You don't say? How odd. She's obviously a powerful witch. Why wouldn't she simply conceal her true nature with magic?" Still, for her to be an Archmage...well, it made sense now why he hadn't met her before. With a heritage like that, in this town, she likely kept to herself.

The young noble nods to himself and bows. "Excuse me, Lord Senator. I need to go and make an appearance before the ceremony starts, otherwise everyone will forget I was there!" He chuckles good-naturedly and steps past his father, heading into the Academy.

[Diachronos]

The Academy is even busier inside than normal, with several influential members of the Prism District mingling with their peers and the instructors of the institurion. There aren't as many students as normal, seeing as many of the day's classes had been canceled for the coronation ceremony.

He finds himself distracted from the crowd by an arm going around his neck and someone leaning on him. A familiar masculine voice pipes up behind his ear. "I didn't even need to make myself invisible that time. You're getting sloppy, Gabe!" A glance back reveals the grinning face of Darven Duskwind, one of his friends and a practitioner of illusion magic.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel chuckles in surprise. "Come now. Don't make me hex you in front of everyone Darven."

He slips out from under the other man's arms and adjusts his tie. "That doesn't count either," he adds, referring to their ongoing bet about cat and mouse. "I'm busy looking for this...Denethar person. Have you had any classes with her? She's about our age."

[Diachronos]

Darven's face paled a little at the mention of who Gabriel was looking for. "Yes, unfortunately. That girl freaks me the hell out. You hear about heterochromatic people and think it's an interesting trait, but her one eye is purple. Like, bright and glowing "Hallow's End hexing hour" purple. And I found out that she wears those gloves all the time because she has claws. Claws, Gabe! I swear, she's only explanation for why she's still here is that she's bewitching the headmasters into liking her!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel raises an eyebrow. "Relax. In case you forgot, we have elven students here as well." He gestures to his friend's outward appearance emphatically. "The fey are a strange people, but that doesn't make them dangerous. Though of course...some of them are." He rubs the back of his neck and remembers where the drow woman stabbed him.

"Anyway, you better not let her hear you, aye? The Archmage of Enchantment. That not only means she's tough, it means she's marriageable. Our parents may not like half-breeds, but they definitely like influence more, and she has a lot to go around now. If you're not careful, you could end up as Mr. Denethar." He winks at Darven and gives him a gentle ribbing.

"Okay. Purple eye and gloves. Shouldn't be hard to spot," Gabriel comments, turning his attention away from his friend and looking around. He wanted to introduce himself to her before the show started. That would leave the biggest impression on her.

[Diachronos]

"There's a big difference between someone who's got fey blood in their distant ancestry and someone who's half-hag."

Gabriel doesn't have any luck with locating the new Archmage at first. The crowd is a mix of the races he is used to among the high-ranking families - humans, elves, halflings, gnomes, and a handful of dwarves - as well as the numerous half-breeds making up the rest of the Academy's students. Most half-breeds who showed signs of magical talent are forced into enrolling at the Academy. The "official" explanation for this is that it was to mold them into productive and valued members of society, but the Senators and Archmages know the real reason: to keep them contained and in line through a combination of classes, schoolwork, and the menial tasks they were given to "pay for their tuition", in order to prevent them from working against the ruling class of Kalimdor and usurping their betters.

As Gabriel is passing one of the courtyards, he finds a visibly distraught half-orc man leafing through a book and a short, pale-skinned woman with raven-black hair trying to soothe him in a calming, almost musical tone. "Don't get so worked up, Kresh. You know all this material, and you know that you know it all. Professor Whiteforge made those remarks about your performance because he still doesn't recognize how talented you are. That stubborn dwarf doesn't see you for who you are, though, and in the end his opinion of you doesn't change the fact that you are among the top of your class."

The half-orc nods, taking a few deep breaths. "Y-you're right. I can do this. I'm not going to fail this exam, no matter what he says." He manages a smile. "Thanks, Rachel." A moment later his eyes widen and he nearly trips over himself as he bows. "I-I mean, thank you, Archmage Denethar!"

The woman laughs and shakes her head. "It's not official yet, Kresh, 'Rachel' is fine. And it will be after the coronation. I'm not going to start treating you or anyone else at the Academy differently just because I'm an Archmage."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel waits until the pair of them have had their conversation, and then he steps forward. "Pardon me. I'm so sorry to interrupt. Miss Denethar, if I could have a moment of your time?"

Even if she was of noble blood, it was highly unlikely that she had kept the title of 'Lady' as a half-breed, so 'Miss' was likely the appropriate level of respect. Gabriel is certain to include a smile though, to let her know that he's not being condescending.

[Diachronos]

The woman looks up, giving him a pleasant smile. Her hair style stood out now that he'd gotten a look at her; her bangs were pushed over her left eye, hiding it from view and leaving only her crystal-blue right eye visible. "Hello. How may I help you, sir?" She spoke in a practiced way, as if she was used to addressing nobles like this. She likely had to, given what she was.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shakes his head. "Please. Speak as you normally would. The Academy is not a place where one's birth determines one's station. You have earned your title with skill, hard work, and practice. The fact that you are the better wizard is the only thing that matters to our conversation." He bows politely.

"Oh. I'm sorry. Where are my manners? My name is Gabriel Scorn. I'm a senior in the Arcane Theory department. Because I spend so much time reading about magic instead of practicing it, I'm quite lackluster when it comes to actually casting spells." He chuckles. "I just wanted to congratulate you. Most wizards our age are barely mastering the basics of invisibility, but you have already surpassed even our teachers. I can't imagine how much work that must have taken you."

Starting attitude/Potential swoon inducing: [roll0]
Edit: That's bad, but not so bad. Assuming her Cha is 17 or lower, if her starting attitude is Friendly, it's now Helpful.

Didn't want to triple post in the OOC. Because of the Arcane Theory part that we added, Gabriel needs to have ranks in Spellcraft. So I moved a skill rank from Stealth to Spellcraft. Since I haven't made any actual skill checks this game, I assume that's still okay.

[Diachronos]

A faint blush colors the woman's cheeks, and she covers her face with her hands with a tiny giggle. "Please, you don't need to be so polite. I just did what came naturally to me, that's all." She parted her fingers over her left eye, and the vibrant purple eye that Darven had mentioned stared up at him. "But thank you regardless. It's not very often that someone like you praises or compliments me."


Yes, that's fine.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shakes his head. "Please, don't say 'someone like me'. I don't like the fact that the Academy still looks at me as a noble any more than you like that it looks at you less so. But anyway, I was hoping to learn more about you. Would you mind if I walked you to the coronation ceremony?"

[Diachronos]

She smiled and lowered her hands. "I wouldn't mind at all. It's about time for me to be heading there anyway. The other Archmages don't like it when people are late." She fixed her hair so that her right eye was hidden again. "What would you like to learn about me, Lord Gabriel?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel walks with her. He thinks carefully about his question. Remembering the young half-orc, he smiles. "Well, what are your opinions on using compulsion magic on voluntary subjects? For things like calming nerves, increasing bravery, perhaps hypnotism to remove smoking habits or curb infidelity?"

[Diachronos]

Rachel beamed at him. "I think that that is the only acceptable use of enchantment magic, to be honest. Outside of self-defense, at least. Too many people want to use compulsion magic for their own gain, when there are countless uses for it that would help the person being compelled."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. "Right right. I remember the spell heroism, which functions like that. But spells like command and sleep would even be useful if you are creative. With the subject's permission, of course."

As the two of them walk, Gabriel recalls some information from his Ethics of Magic course. "But of course, there was always the worry that DeLessky argued, that informed consent can never truly explain to an individual what it is like to have their mind swayed. Even enchanters themselves have reported being completely shocked at the actual experience of being on the receiving end of their charms and compulsions."

"Hm. Well, it would seem that there is no clean cut answer to the question of how to properly use enchantment magic," he concludes. "However, since you were the person appointed as the archmage, I shall follow all your guidance, Miss Rachel. I look forward to any policies you put forth."

[Diachronos]

"Being charmed or compelled for the first time is frightening, especially when you're aware that you're not in control. There's nothing that scares me more than being completely at someone's mercy like that." Her smile returns when he comments on looking forward to her policies. "You don't know how much it means to hear someone say that. It's nice to know that someone is willing to support you."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. "Then it makes sense that you were appointed an Archmage! Anyone can cast powerful magic if they study hard enough. Not everyone understands the importance of when to use it. Restraint is a rare gift, and the fact that you have it tells me all I need to know. You're going to be an excellent leader, Miss."

They reach the hall. Gabriel bows politely and extends a hand. If she takes his hand, he will bring it to his lips and kiss her glove politely. "I appreciate your time, Miss Rachel. My home is in the Nobility District. If you ever need any assistance, or support, or would simply like a fine cup of tea, please do not hesitate to visit." He gives her his exact address, and heads into the audience to watch the coronation.

[Diachronos]

Rachel accepts his hand, and blushes deeply when he plants a kiss on the back of her glove.

The coronation passes over the course of two hours. A rather dull and somewhat monotonous ceremony, as expected of the Academy. Rachel is presented with the robes and circlet of her office, and after the ceremony is completed she is welcomed into the Archmage's Circle to the cheers of the crowd. The majority of the cheering comes from the lower-class students in the back, however, and she seems to wave to them in particular when she is given the chance.

After the coronation ends, the audience files out of the hall and goes about their business. Williams sighs once he and Gabriel are relatively alone, glad to be able to loosen up a bit. "Well, that's one more event of the week done with."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel loosens his cuff links and nods. "Indeed. I do so enjoy these events, Father. Meeting new people, hearing new ideas, it's what the Academy is all about. I hope you weren't too bogged down by the same tired old windbags that always monopolize your time." He smiles.

"Oh and...by the way," he adds, averting his eyes. "There's a party tonight, at the Kresvoy Manor. I'll need to make an appearance. Vladimir and I are good friends. Don't wait up for me, alright?"

Gabriel hated lying to his father, but now that the device was finally complete, it was time for Gabriel to head back to that club and find out where his painting went.

Bluff: [roll0]

[Diachronos]

William chuckles. "No, not this time. It was dull, but a more tolerable kind of dull than what I'm used to."

He raises an eyebrow when Gabriel mentions the party.


Sense Motive: [roll0]


"Alright. Just don't cause any trouble while you're out. I know how people can get at the Kresvoy parties, but I also know you're smart enough to keep yourself from doing something crazy or reckless." He turns and heads back toward their estate, leaving Gabriel to his own devices.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel follows his father back home, explaining that he needs to change into an outfit more appropriate for dancing.

When he gets to his room, he locks the door, yanks the device from his drawer, and puts the finishing touches on it. Strapping it carefully to his wrist and covering it with his sleeve, Gabriel nods to himself. He opens his closet, removing a black cloak and a purple mask. Placing the mask over his face, it covers everything save his electric blue eyes. He wraps himself in the cloak, covering his entire figure and making him look larger than he is. His bright hair is nowhere to be seen.

Gabriel slips the window open and dashes out. The Lightning Blade is ready to make his move.

--------------------------------------

The Blade heads towards the lower ends of the city. He watches as the elevator starts up, with someone entering to go down to the Merchant District. Nodding to himself, the Blade leaps from the shadows, attempting to land on top of the elevator and ride it down without being seen.

Okay, so my character doesn't have an infinite number of skill points. I suggest, for the sake of this game, that we use a system I found a while back that I can't find now, but the idea was "If the player fails the skill check, don't just make him reroll. Have him succeed, but maybe not as well as he would have liked, or have it take longer, or attach some kind of penalty like drawing unwanted attention."

If we assume this guy is an actual hero, then he should be able to do things well enough, but maybe he has it rough occasionally and things don't go 100% his way. It's more interesting than you just saying "you failed the check, nothing happens" in my opinion.

Acrobatics: [roll0]
Derring Do: [roll1]
Panache 4/5

[Diachronos]

That's a nice system. Yeah, I think I'll go with that. I might come up with something to help out with the skill point issue later on


The Lightning Blade lands on top of the Illumacone's pod without issue, though his weight results in a noticeable thud sounding from beneath his feet.

"Did you hear that? I think something just landed on the roof!"

"Eh, probably just a bird. The stupid creatures keep running into it. The other day I was on the way down and a whole flock of thrushes was coming by, half of them hit the roof and were still on the ground by the time I got to the bottom."

The two servants in the elevators depart without incident, allowing the Lightning Blade to proceed unhindered.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade remains silent on the roof until the servants leave, then hops down to the ground and sneaks past a nearby building into an alleyway. Checking his watch, he nods to himself. Ten minutes. He had ten minutes before the club closed. He wanted to be there right at the end, so he could sneak in undetected while all the drunks were being thrown out.

The Blade darts through the district as stealthily as he can, his dark colors making it much harder for him to be detected. He approaches the club slowly, biding his time, making sure not to be seen.

The Blade comes into view of the club with one minute until closing time and surveys the scene.

Stealth: [roll0]
Perception: [roll1]

[Diachronos]

The Blade remains unseen as the numerous drunks are tossed out of the Darklands' Delight club. The place is profitable enough to belong in the Merchant's District, but the sheer number and unruliness of the drunks late at night make it seem as though it it belonged near the docks and slums of the Lower Quarter.

As he observes the scene, he fails to notice any sign of his intended target. The bouncers and other workers seem to be the only ones here at the moment, and he catches a few of them mentioning that their boss had taken the day off. With this in mind it's unlikely that he'd find the woman here tonight... but perhaps there is useful information waiting to be found inside?

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade nods to himself. The workers, especially the dancers, would likely not put up any sort of fight. That only left the bouncers...The Blade could see at least two, but he wasn't entirely certain about their number. Still, trying to sneak in would likely result in a fight anyway. Better to simply deal with them while he was unseen.

The Blade rolls up his sleeve from the hiding position he has taken along the wall of the club, and raises his arm. The device whirs silently to life and fires a blast of electricity into a guard's back.

Attack: [roll0] (Guard is Flat-Footed)
Damage: [roll1]

Initiative: [roll2]

[Diachronos]

The man lets out a shout as the electric blast strikes him in the back, and both he and his comrade turn toward the source of the attack. They both crack their knuckles and start to charge.


The Lightning Blade gets to go first, so he can attack again if he wants.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade pulls his hood low. "Evening, gentlemen. I want to know where your boss is. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way." He raises the device around his wrist as it sparks angrily, then draws his rapier and taps the dial on the device, rolling it counterclockwise.

If Gabriel's research was right, he could project this energy like a kind of force field around himself. If he was wrong...well, then the Blade was about to electrocute himself. He hits the button angrily.

A barrier of lightning appears between the bouncers and the Blade, moving around to intercept all attacks.

Standard action, cast shock shield. Move action, draw rapier.

[Diachronos]

"What makes you think we're going to tell you anything?" The men charge in and swing at the Blade with practiced jabs of their hands.


Guard 1 hit: [roll0]/[roll1]
Guard 1 damage: [roll2]/[roll3] nonlethal

Guard 2 hit: [roll4]/[roll5]
Guard 2 damage: [roll6]/[roll7] nonlethal

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade blinks in surprise as a powerful right hook comes in from the second thug but his shield swerves to soften the blow. He chuckles and flips a switch on his wrist.

The shield amplifies and then explodes, blasting all three men with power. The Blade quickly jabs his rapier into the man he already hit once.

Dismiss shock shield as a free action. Everyone (including Gabriel) takes [roll0] damage.

A DC 13 Ref save halves it.

Ref save for Gabriel. [roll1]

Attack: [roll2]/[roll3]
Damage: [roll4]

Edit: Okay, so that's 12 damage total to thug #1, or 9 if he makes his save. 6/3 to thug #2.

[Diachronos]

All three men take the full force of the blast, and the first guard promptly drops after the Blade's rapier pierces his skin. The other man backs up, unsure of whether to keep fighting or run now that his companion's been knocked unconscious.


Guard 1 is down, Guard 2 is taking a 5' step back

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade is staggering from that blast, but his mask hides any sign of pain.

"Take your partner and go home for the night. Do that, and neither of you visit the morgue tonight."

Intimidate: [roll0]

[Diachronos]

Somehow, the Blade's threat does nothing but provoke the man, and he steps up with another vicious swing.

Guard 2 Power Attack: [roll0]/[roll1]
Damage: [roll2]/[roll3]

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade grits his teeth as he raises his sabre to deflect the attack.

Parry [roll0]
Riposte [roll1]

With heroic effort, and tremendous fencing skill, the attack is blocked and turned on the attacker! And the Blade follows it up with his own blow for good measure.

His rapier strikes true and the light leaves the guard's eyes. The Blade takes a moment to stabilize each guard, then drags them into the alley. He chuckles and stands up. The boss wasn't here? That meant that even if he was hurt, now was the time to look for that painting. The Blade heads into the club.

[Diachronos]

While dragging and stabilizing the guards, the Blade finds a potion on each of them.

The club is deserted at the moment, with the workers having already left for the night. The guards were apparently supposed to lock up, as the front door opens easily aside from a slight squeak in the hinges.

The Blade appears to be free to navigate the club however and wherever he chooses.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade frowns as he looks around. Deserted. Well, time to search for any clues.

The Blade looks for anything that resembles an office or administration room. Maybe there will be some documents about the boss's whereabouts, or who she is.

Taking 20 on Perception

[Diachronos]

The Blade finds little in the main area of the club, but he discovers a section of wall in one of the back rooms with a small notch at the bottom. With a little work he gets the wall panelling to shift, revealing a short hallway into an office. It's the same one he'd been lured into before; the drow woman had apparently felt a need to hide her office after robbing him blind the week before.

The painting, unfortunately, is not here. He does find several letters addressed to someone named "T", and what appear to be attempts at breaking some kind of code. Of the comprehensible text on the code attempts, one message appears to have been written quickly and with enough pressure to tear the parchment: "Find the damned Cipher!"

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade nods. A Cipher. Well, that was useful. He pockets the documents and takes a long look through any drawers and papers, seeing if the cipher is actually just in the office. Assuming it isn't, after he's done he will quickly make his way back to the estate and go over the documents with a fine-toothed comb. He searches for any clue to their origin, anything that might tell him who wrote the letters.

[Diachronos]

There is nothing in the office that appears to be a cipher, though in one of the desk drawers the Blade finds a list of half a dozen addresses and what are likely names. Below the papers in the drawer is a small latch, which pulls up to reveal a small velvet pouch containing several gemstones.

Back at the estate, the Blade finds that each of the letters are written on the sort of high-end paper that can usually only be afforded by high-ranking nobility, such as a Senator or Archmage, maybe even someone from the Royal Palace.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel takes off his disguise and sits at his desk, looking over the list of names and addresses for anyone familiar. Anyone he has met, or anyone that is well-known enough for him to have heard about.

Looking at the paper, Gabriel's thoughts immediately return to the changeling from earlier. Was she working with that bitch who hit him? Was she actually that woman in disguise? Changelings could shift their forms after all.

He grits his teeth and shakes his head in disgust. No. Darven's paranoia was getting to him. Rachel was a nice woman. She didn't have any reason to be involved in shady business like this.

...Then again, in this town, Gabriel really wasn't keen on learning what his own father was up to behind closed doors.

No one in the Senate would dare move so boldly against William, Gabriel was sure of that. That meant that the palace was the most likely option, but he would have to investigate the other Archmages as well.

[Diachronos]

None of the names pop out as familiar to him, but he does recognize a couple of the addresses. Two were at the Academy of Mages, and one he recalls is the address of one of the other Senators. Of the other three, one of them is actually in the Lower Quarter; odd, given the status that the owners of the other five addresses likely held.

None of the addresses were near the Palace, but there was always the possibility that these addresses were targets designated by someone at the Palace. It couldn't be ruled out since he still doesn't have any proof of where the letters had come from.

As he studies the list and other documents, he finds a small footnote: "Should've kept the boy, he might know the secret to the map."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel's eyes widen. Was he 'the boy'? What 'map' was the note...no. No no no!

Gabriel slams his fist onto the desk. Out of respect for his mother, Gabriel had barely touched the painting, never even taken it out of the frame. She had left him a map? A map to where? What 'secret' did it hold?

The boy lays down on his bed. Questions. More questions than answers. For now he needed to sleep.

----------------------

In the morning Gabriel wakes up early and quickly checks his schedule to remind himself of his appointments and meetings.

[Diachronos]

Gabriel's schedule is almost entirely clear today, it being one of the rare occasions where neither his schooling nor his duties as a Senator's son required his presence. The only thing he had to do was have afternoon tea with his fiancee, Christine Brecombe. Although, given the woman's self-important demeanor, that would be enough of a chore on its own...

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns as he gets dressed. The defense burst he had triggered had really charred his skin. These wounds were noticeable, and they hurt.

He had a pair of healing potions, but he should save those for when he was 'working', and not waste them. Thankfully, the men had been fighting bare-fisted and any bruises they left were already healing.

He needed to get this treated before tea time. Gabriel stops to recall anyone in the Upper District who might have healing magic, particularly anyone he could count on to not mention to wounds to his father.

[Diachronos]

There are numerous healers in the Prism and Merchant districts, but finding one who wouldn't think to alert his father would be tricky since they were all trying to remain on the Senate's good side. His best bet for anonymous healing would likely be at the Academy; the infirmary staff there were always a bit too taxed to make a note of who came in with what injuries outside of particularly severe cases. Even if they asked about the nature of his injuries he would only have to inform them that he was studying evocation magic, an excuse that they'd quickly given up on pursuing further due to how often evokers tended to come in with self-inflicted injuries after some accident.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel heads out, telling a distressed Clarisse that he won't have time for breakfast today. The poor girl looks so confused and covered in flour. Must have been working on something special for his day off. But if he is late to his afternoon with Christine, he'll never hear the end of it.

As Gabriel walks, he smiles confidently to himself. He is good-looking, he has charm and wit, and he is a decent student. Today would be the day. Today would be the day that he made Christine appreciate him for something other than his money or his father's name. Oh! He should pick up something for her, shouldn't he? Hmm...Well, that could likely wait until after Gabriel wasn't concealing his left breast to everyone's view.

The man sneaks to the infirmary and asks for some treatment, explaining that he overloaded some lightning magic (pretty much the truth, actually).

Gabriel keeps his eyes peeled for any of his comrades as he leaves the infirmary. School wasn't out of session after all, and if someone needed him or wanted to say hi, he needed to respond. Appearances were important to maintain, both for his future and his father's present.

If no one is around, Gabriel will head to the Nobility District's shopping area to look for a gift for his lovely fiancee.

[Diachronos]

Gabriel does in fact see one of his friends while he's in the infirmary. It's not hard to pick the girl out, seeing as her hair, clothes, and nail polish are pitch-black in stark contrast to her snow-white skin. Facia Sanguine, a student of necromancy and the daughter of the Royal Physician, sat on the far side of the room, apparently stitching something together. A closer look reveals that she's busy sewing the lower jaw back onto the head of her undead snake familiar. She gives a small wave to Gabriel when she sees him, though her expression remains in its usual semi-depressed state.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel approaches Facia with a polite smile. "Good morning, Lady Sanguine. I trust you're doing well today?"

[Diachronos]

"Not much different from normal, Gabriel." She looks up at him after she finishes with her stitching. "What brings you here? Did you and Darven get into another one of your little duels?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel chuckles. "No, no, nothing like that. I got scuffed up a bit in the lab, was working with some powerful electric spells that backfired."

He tilts his head. "Say, you wouldn't happen to know anything about the Archmage of Necromancy, would you?"

[Diachronos]

Facia shrugs. "He's an old man obsessed with corpses and the undead. I hear that they have to practically drag him away from burial sites or his lab just to get him to their meetings. I've only really met him once, when he was seeing my father about something, but he seemed like a nice enough person. Just... weird." She was one to talk about "obsession"; the majority of her projects involved taking apart corpses and stitching them back together.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns. Someone who wasn't around much? Probably worth looking into. He smiles. "Well, thanks for your time. Oh! Do you know of a place where I can go to pick up a gift for a woman of your station?"

[Diachronos]

The girl sighs. "We've been friends for how long now? You don't have to kiss up to me, Gabriel. As for gift ideas... I don't know. What kind of thing were you wanting to get? Who's it for, anyway?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel winces. "S-Sorry, Facia. Sometimes, I forget that you actually see me instead of just a fellow student. A lot of people I know don't care about me as a person at all."

He nods. "It's for Christine. Christine Brecombe, my fiancee."

[Diachronos]

"Oh. Her. Why do you want to get anything for her? She's already got everything she could possibly want." Facia's expression turned to a frown as she considered his question. "If you're dead-set on getting her something, maybe some jewelry from that shop across the street from The Frosty Finger. She's one of those tarts that likes having shiny baubles dangling all over her, right?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel narrows his eyes. "Facia, I will thank you to refrain from calling my wife and the future mother of my children a 'tart' or any such language. I've gotten into more than one duel over less."

He considers her advice. Christine likely already had her own jewelry. Anything Gabriel got her she would never wear. He had to be more creative than that.

Waving to Facia as he leaves the infirmary, Gabriel decides that he will buy Christine a dress. The most exotic and impressive cocktail dress he can find. He checks out the local fashion boutique for the latest trends. Selecting something flashy but not risqué, Gabriel rushes to the Brecombe manor for his tea, arriving ten minutes behind schedule.

[Diachronos]

Gabriel arrives and finds himself receiving apologetic looks from the Brecombe manor's staff. From the looks they gave him, he might not have been much worse off if he'd decided to not show up at all.

One of the servants leads him out to the garden in the manor's rear courtyard, where Christine is waiting for Gabriel. The young blonde is visibly irritated, and she seems to be venting her frustration on the servants tending to the spread on the table.

"It's no wonder my Gabriel hasn't shown up if this is what you're going to prepare. And did you intentionally make the biscuits so flaky? How am I supposed to eat these without my dress getting covered in crumbs?!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel steps into view, holding the dress in a small box. "I'm so sorry I'm late. I ran into Facia Sanguine at school and lost track of time. Here. A beautiful present for my beautiful fiancée."

[Diachronos]

Christine rounds on Gabriel, her cheeks turning red. "You're late because of another woman? I am your fiancee, Gabriel! How can you put any other woman before me?!" She calmed down a little bit when he presented the box to her, though she was still clearly upset with him. "Hmph... at least you made an attempt to make it up to me."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shakes his head. "No, no, Christine. Facia is my friend and classmate. The fact that she's a woman is largely irrelevant to me. Because I only care about you."

He smiles and blushes a bit, taking a sip of tea.

[Diachronos]

Christine huffed and opened the box. Her eyes lit up upon seeing the dress, and she sat down on his lap with a wide smile. "Oh, darling, I can never stay mad at you." She kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for the gift."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles with content. "So, what have you been up to lately? I've been swamped with work the last week, only barely managed to squeeze in enough time to attend some boring coronation yesterday."

[Diachronos]

"Oh, not much. Just tutors droning on and on about foreign policy and that kind of nonsense. I swear, Mother must think I'm going to become an ambassador like her. Why would I do that and leave my Gabriel all alone here in Kalimdor?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles. "I don't know why everyone says that arranged marriages always fail. I think that you and I will be perfectly happy together. Do you still remember when we first met?"

[Diachronos]

"It's hard to forget that day. We were at the banquet at the Royal Palace for the Midsummer Festival. You stepped up to defend my honor from one of the other guests before you even realized who I was. You gave that scoundrel a good beating as well, if I recall correctly."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel chuckles. "You were by far the most beautiful rose in that garden. For him to have insinuated you were no longer pure, and at such a young age, was a disgrace. Though I did get a good scolding from my father afterwards."

He imitates William's voice. "'A man must never raise his fists in defense of a woman unless she is his wife. Elsewise, he is stealing her husband's duty.'"

The noble grins. "And then I marched right over to you and said, 'Fine! If I can't defend her unless I'm wed to her, then I suppose I'll just marry her!' And I kissed you right there, in front of everyone!"

[Diachronos]

Catherine chuckles. "Oh, I remember that. You shocked me so badly that I nearly slapped you for it. But our parents started working out the arrangement for our wedding thst same day, and within a week we were officially engaged."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel rubs the back of his neck. "It was childish of me, I know. Say...maybe you should take that diplomacy job. Things are going to get pretty busy for me in the coming weeks."

There were rumors flying around about Christine even now. Whispers of her being seen with another nobleman. Gabriel didn't pay them any mind. Christine could certainly be difficult at times but she seemed sincere in her dedication to their union, if not to Gabriel himself.


The noble frowns. Last night had been a close call. It would be safer for Chrlstine if she were out of the city, so that no one could hurt her if the Blade's identity was discovered.

[Diachronos]

Christine sighs. "But it's so boring, all I'd be doing is listening to a bunch of old people argue about trade agreements!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel considers that. "Well, what would you like to do then? What are you passionate about?"

If he could figure out some way to keep her happy and safe, he would.

[Diachronos]

"Well, I've always wanted to travel and see more of Opeon, but my mother wouldn't approve of me doing so just for the sake of it, let alone provide the funds for me to go." She frowns and taps her chin in thought. "Do you think she'd believe me if I made the argument that it's for 'cultural studies'?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. "Yeah, I think she would buy that. And if you want to travel and see more of the world, I say you definitely should! You shouldn't stay here caged when you want to be free. Least of all because of me."

[Diachronos]

"Okay, then. I'll see if she'll go for that." She kisses him on the cheek. "You'd better promise to write to me while I'm away, though! I don't want to miss anything big happening in the city!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. He relaxes, feeling content, and enjoys the rest of his tea time with the lovely woman. After they've finished, he decides to go back to the Academy and see if he can find Rachel. He has some questions for her.

[Diachronos]

Gabriel finds Rachel sitting in one of the Academy's courtyards, reading a book. She looks up with a pleasant smile when he approaches. "Oh, Lord Gabriel! I wasn't expecting to see you today. How can I help you?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns as he waves to her. One of the Archmages may have given that drow woman the paper she was using to make notes on his mother's painting. It wasn't likely that Rachel was the one, since she had just been appointed yesterday after all. That meant that she was the only Archmage he could trust.

It was too soon for her to be of use to him. But he needed to foster their relationship. So that she could rely on him. So that he could rely on her, when the time came.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you. Seems like a good book. May I sit down?"

[Diachronos]

"Yes, of course." She moved aside on the bench to make some space for him to sit down. "You look like you have something on your mind... would you like to share it?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel chuckles. "You could always read it yourself," he points out jokingly. "...I was just wondering. Your, parents. Er, that is to say..." He rubs the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Your parents, or parent, may not be equipped to handle the sort of high society expectations that everyone has of you now. And I was just coming to offer some free advice. You seem to know how to speak to nobles and the like, but I want to help you do more than that. I want to help you fit in."

[Diachronos]

Rachel sets her book in her lap. "I appreciate your offer, I really do. But... as strange as it might sound, I don't want to fit in with the nobility or the other Archmages. There needs to be someone here who understands what it's like for those of us who didn't grow up in luxury and are considered to be inferior because of our heritage. There needs to be someone who is willing to be their voice so that someone will finally listen to them."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel winces. "I can certainly appreciate that, Miss Rachel, but unfortunately that's not going to happen. And it's not because of your birth. If that were the case, why would I need to jump through as many hoops as I do on a daily basis? I'm a purebred full human with an amazing father who is well-respected. None of that matters as much as my actions, however. This is actually what you want, but I don't think you've fully realized it yet. Even here at the top, people don't judge each other based on birth. They judge you based on how you behave. You want to be the voice of the lower class? The only way they will ever be treated equally is if you prove that birth or race isn't relevant, and that you can be just as high society as anyone else. That's what you need to do. If you avoid their game, they will happily exclude you. But if you play it, and if you're good at it, they will notice you, and hear you. It's not enough to be the Archmage of Enchantment. You have to be a good Archmage of Enchantment. Do you understand?"

[Diachronos]

The changeling looks down at her lap. "...Do you really think it'll do any good, though? Or that I can learn to be as good at this 'high society' thing as they are?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shakes his head firmly. "It's not a question of whether you can, or whether it will work. You have to, and you'll make it work. This equality that you want is too important for you to get scared or unsure. And I'm here to help you, until you've done it. Okay?"

[Diachronos]

After a moment she nods. "Okay. I don't know why you're making this offer to me, but I appreciate it. And whatever help you can offer me I'm probably going to need."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel grins. "Excellent! You have so much to learn. Flattery, gossip, dancing, artistry, poetry, proper silverware placement! And you are so pretty as well! Why, with just a slight adjustment to your wardrobe we'll have a match arranged for you by next week!"

He pauses as the realization dawns on him. "Oh no, you don't have anyone to arrange your marriage! Hmmm, well, shall I ask my father then? Arrangement by a noble that is not a relative is admittedly rare, but you have extenuating circumstances. And I'm sure my father won't refuse, I do my best to be an honorable son and he returns it by allowing me a leniency now and again."

[Diachronos]

Rachel stares at him; it seems that he'd overloaded her a bit with all of that. "Wha... marriage? Th-that's not necessary, really! I don't... well..." Her cheeks burned red as he asked about having his father arrange her match.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel tilts his head. "What do you mean? Of course marriage is necessary. You need someone to escort you to balls and galas, someone to dance with whenever there's music playing, and since you'll be working a lot, your husband can deliver any messages you have to the Senate. You could use a servant instead, but generally a messenger with class is well-received."

He looks at her with confusion. "Why are you so uncomfortable? Isn't it easier to have a match selected for you than trying to decide on the appropriate mate yourself?"

[Diachronos]

"Is this really the only way they'll take me seriously? To have someone else tell me who I have to be with, without any thought of whether the two of us would be happy together?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel stares at her in shock. "Happy? Wha...you will have a son or daughter from the ordeal, whom you are certain to love very much. You have pride in the Academy and the support of many students. Is that not enough for you to be happy?"

Seeing that she is genuinely upset, Gabriel smiles. "Alright. Forget the arrangement. Is there anyone you can think of to fulfill the role your husband would while we think of a more permanent solution? A young man of noble blood who could escort you, dance with you, and who you would not dislike spending a lot of time with?"

[Diachronos]

The woman thinks for a moment, not quite meeting his gaze when she finally speaks up. "I don't know. I mean... you're the one I feel the most comfortable around, but I don't want to make you spend all of your time helping me with my problems when you probably have your own to worry about."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel's face turns bright red and his eyes widen in shock. "You honor me with your words, Miss Rachel. Unfortunately, I am already engaged to a young noblewoman. Perhaps you've met. Her name is Christine, of House Brecombe."

He bows. "I fear attending these events with the company of a married man would hinder your efforts rather than help you. It's quite alright. You don't wish to have an arrangement and I respect that, but please keep your eyes peeled for a young man who can hold your arm for the time being."

[Diachronos]

Rachel nods slowly. "Okay... but, is it really necessary to rush into this sort of thing? Surely there are plenty of nobles who aren't married, or are waiting for the right person to come into their lives, right? ...right?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shakes his head. "I have no idea what you mean by 'the right person', but I can assure you there's no waiting. Matches for boys are usually drawn up around age fourteen. Age twelve for girls. Then the couple takes their time forming a bond so they aren't complete strangers on their wedding night, but marriage generally takes place around this age."

[Diachronos]

Rachel hangs her head. "...What usually happens to the men and women who didn't find their match at the 'right' age?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel thinks about that. "It's just considered to be odd. Without an escort they tend to avoid parties altogether so their level of influence is much lower, my friend Darven still hasn't been matched yet. He's doing alright, but if I'm bring perfectly honest....yes, the community takes me more seriously than him."

[Diachronos]

"I really don't have any choice here, do I?" She lets out a small, defeated sigh. "...okay, you win. I'll let someone arrange a match for me. If I'm lucky they'll choose someone I can fall in love with... "

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel blinks. "Love?! That's what you were worried about this whole time? Well, why didn't you say so?"

He crosses his arms and thinks. "Hm. As a woman, you're a lot more likely to be able to marry for love, if that's your goal. You're pretty, and if you attend parties and the like alone, you may be courted by a single man. The only issue is you have to make sure he's single. You don't want to end up in the middle of an affair. Courtships take a while, because both parties want to make sure they love each other before they marry. It could be years before you find a husband. And there's no guarantee that any man will be interested in you. But if that's the way you want to handle this, then I'll come up with something. There has to be a way for you to be taken seriously even without a husband."

[Diachronos]

Rachel shakes her head. "... I think you were right, this is the only way. At the ball that the Archmages held after my coronation, the only attention I received was people congratulating me before they went to see their friends. If it's not too much trouble, could you ask your father if he can arrange a match for me?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. "Okay. Please pick out a dress from one of the shops in town and come to dinner at my estate tomorrow night. Do your best to mimic the high society behavior you've seen so far, but be sure to answer any questions honestly. My father will do the rest."

[Diachronos]

"I should probably start looking now, then. Maybe one of the othet Archmages would know who to recommend." She stands and gives him a polite bow before heading off.

It's about 4:45M now. Gabriel has the rest of the evening to do as he pleases.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel considers his options. It was too late to do any sort of investigation. Instead, he decides to head down to the Merchant District and investigate the local alchemy shops.

When he arrives at Augury and Alchemy, he asks the shopkeeper if she recognizes the potions he lifted from the thugs.

[Diachronos]

The fortune-teller spends a few minutes examining the vials before shaking her head. "No, this isn't my work. The ingredients are too low-end, and mostly flowers. If I had to guess, whoever made this is a florist who thinks alchemy and potion-brewing are hobbies instead of legitimate trades. Probably from the Lower Quarter too, judging by how common some of these herbs are."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel blinks in shock. "The Lower Quarter?!"

That didn't seem right. Even with how shady that club was it still turned out revenue. Why would the drow skimp on potions to keep her guards healthy, especially if she was expecting him to come back?

He grits his teeth. "Well, while I'm here...can you tell me my fortune? I've been worried that my engagement might not go too well."

[Diachronos]

"Why so surprised, young man? You act like it means the potions barely work. I said the ingredients are low-end, but whoever made these knows what they're doing. Now, if you want your fortune told, I'll be needing payment up front."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel is surprised to hear that the Lower Quarter can make fully effective potions, but he keeps that surprise to himself. Fishing in his pocket, he pulls out one of the rubies he took from the office. "Will this do?"

[Diachronos]

The dwarf woman studies the gem for a moment before nodding and gesturing to the armchair across from her. "It will do just fine. Have a seat and we'll begin."

Once Gabriel is sitting, the woman pulls out a deck of cards and begins to shuffle them. "Have you ever experienced a Harrow reading, my young lord?"

[NeoSeraphi]

How much of my 200 GP did I just give up?

Gabriel sits and looks at the deck of cards. "No, I haven't. I've always found the idea a little silly, but I just can't shake this feeling that something bad is going to happen."

[Diachronos]

She gives him back 100g from that gem, so he should still have 1500 left altogether from the gems


The dwarf chuckles. "I thought so too at first. But after learning the craft from a group of traveling gypsies, and seeing the power held within the cards, I've come to find that this is the most accurate way of reading one's future." She separates nine of the cards from the deck and holds them out to him, face down. "Select a card, and state the question you have regarding the future of your engagement."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel looks at the cards and selects the third card from his left. "Will she ever love me?" he asks after a moment, Rachel's words echoing in his mind. He had never stopped to consider that he would need to love his wife. Did he love Christine? She was pleasant sometimes and difficult others, but did she make him happy?

[Diachronos]

"A bold question. One that some are too afraid to hear the answer to."

Gabriel flips his card over to find an image of two almost-identical men looking at one another (http://prnt.sc/b4heyd). "The Twin... the card of divided loyalties, indecision, and duality of purpose. Something in your life is leaving you conflicted, I take it?" She gives him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, that's not necessarily a bad thing, and I don't think it will have too much effect upon your reading."

After taking the card back she shuffles the deck again. When she stops shuffling, she draws the top nine cards and lays them face-down on the table, in a 3 x 3 arrangement. "The cards are arranged from your left to your right in order of your past, present, and future. The cards closest to me represent the good events, the middle row is neither good nor bad, and the cards nearest to you represent the misfortune in your life. Each card is aligned to one of these nine spaces; if the card is in the correct row, it is of importance to your life in some way, particularly so if it is a perfect match to its normal place. However, if the the card is not aligned, such as if a 'good' card is in the row meant to represent misfortune, the normal interpretation of the card is corrupt in some way."

She flips over the cards on Gabriel's left first, revealing the top (http://prnt.sc/b4i923), middle (http://prnt.sc/b4i717), and bottom (http://prnt.sc/b4i8f1) cards.
"Let's see... The Dance suggests that a past decision regarding the woman you are engaged to was the correct course, as it kept to the standards that keep society functioning. Perhaps the engagement itself is what it's referring to? Next we have The Courtesan, a representation of political intrigue and the importance of adhering to social niceties. I assume that you've behaved as an engaged man is expected to toward his betrothed, then? Finally, The Teamster, an external force that drives one to stay the course against all odds. Its placement, though... there may be some influence that was driving you in your relationship that was not concerned with what was best for you."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel listens to the woman silently, though when he sees The Twin, an image appears in his mind. An image of him, Gabriel, looking at The Lightning Blade. A duality of purpose...

"The driving force behind my engagement is...duty. To my father. To my mother, though I don't think she was ever fond of the young lady I am to wed. But what's best for me..."

He frowns. "You are no noblewoman, fortune-teller. Tell me, did you marry for love? And...what is that like?"

[Diachronos]

The fortune-teller doesn't answer for a short time. "I've never married, to be honest. But I've been in love before. Many times, actually, and I've had my heart broken a few times as well. Love is... love is when you can't get someone or something out of your thoughts. It's when you find yourself missing your partner when you just saw them moments before. It's being willing to do anything and everything to make them happy."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel chuckles. "Sounds like a lot of work. Your fortune-telling is bollocks, by the way. I asked your cards about my fiancé, and you just talked about me."

He stands up. The Lower Quarter. The Blade had his next target. Gabriel heads home to speak to his father. When he arrives, he greets him. "Father, please clear your schedule for tomorrow night. We have company coming over. She needs your help."

[Diachronos]

The dwarf shrugs. "Have it your way, then." As the door closes behind Gabriel, she turns over the remaining cards, frowning when she sees the results. "Maybe he's better off not knowing what the Harrow had to say..."

William looks up from his wine glass as Gabriel enters the study. "Gabriel, my schedule is already full tomorrow evening. Just who did you invite over that I should make room for?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sits down. "The new Archmage of Enchantment. Rachel Denethar. She needs you to arrange a marriage for her. And, I know you're busy, but if you could put in enough work to make sure the guy you choose isn't a jerk, it'd be a personal favor to me."

[Diachronos]

William nearly spits out his wine when he learns who their guest is. "What? You want me to find a husband for Archmage Denethar? I know I've given you plenty of slack, Gabriel, but this may be taking things too far. I'm not a miracle worker. How can I be expected to find a proper match for someone I barely know on such short notice?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel raises his glass of wine. "Well now. That is precisely why this dinner is so important," he replies drily. "Listen, I know I'm asking a lot, and I'm not asking for free. I'll give you one favor in exchange. I don't care what it is or when you call it in. It doesn't matter what you ask me to do or what plans I have scheduled. You could interrupt my wedding and I would still do it. Because if you don't help her, Father, no one will."

Gabriel sighs and stands up. "No, you know what? You make a good point. You are not just a lord, you are a senator. I can't ask you to perform menial tasks like this...those are reserved for your spouse when you are a member of the Senate. And since Mother is not here to help when you are busy, I will pick up the slack. As my first official act as the heir to House Scorn, I will arrange her marriage."

[Diachronos]

William sighs and shakes his head. "No, you won't. You're not experienced enough with the process to take on the task by yourself, let alone for someone whose circumstances are as dire as you make them sound. It may be difficult, but I will find a way to ensure that the Archmage is matched to an appropriate nobleman." Now that the initial shock had passed, he seemed a little more open to the request. "At any rate, this may work in our favor as well. She has been Archmage for barely more than a day and she is already making a request that will result in her being in our debt. Having a new Archmage owe you a favor is an opportunity that I'd be a fool to pass up."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel coughs. Damn, if his father was expecting a favor from her, then he couldn't call it in himself. "Sorry, Father, but I'm afraid she won't be in our debt. I'm merely returning a courtesy she already paid me."

He sits back and frowns. "But I am serious about the issue, Father. You have had barely enough time for sleep for weeks now. I am capable of more than you give me credit for. Why not let me handle the House's affairs for a while so you can focus on work?"

[Diachronos]

William looked ready to argue, but after a moment he sighed. "You're right. I haven't given you much chance to prove yourself lately, and my career has been wearing on me lately. Very well. If you wish to help Archmage Denethar yourself, I will leave it to you."

The senator leaned back in his armchair, suddenly looking as if a large weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "...Gabriel, there is something that I've been thinking of lately, that I wanted to speak with you about."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel looks surprised, but pleased. "Truly, Father? I won't let you do-...ahem. I mean, you have my gratitude, Lord Senator. I will do my best to honor the name of Scorn."

When his father looks at him with expectant eyes, Gabriel's blood runs cold. Was his father going to divulge the secret of the map to him? Was that what this was about? Had his father known all this time and never told him?

"...Yes, Father. Please, speak your mind," Gabriel says evenly, trying to keep his voice as calm and nonchalant as possible.

[Diachronos]

"It's been two... almost three years since your mother disappeared. I know that they never found her body and that there's still a chance that she's alive out there somewhere... gods, how I hope that she is still alive and well... Despite that chance, the other Senators... they're saying that I've waited long enough and that it's time I started thinking about remarrying." His gaze remains on his wine glass, never moving up to meet Gabriel's.

"To be honest, I've begun to consider it myself. I love your mother dearly, and I wouldn't trade the time that I had with her for anything in the world, but... I crave the sort of companionship that I had with her, the fulfillment of having a wife to come home to after a long day at the Senate."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel takes a sip of wine. "Wow. Um. Yeah. No, I appreciate that you actually spoke to me about this first before you made your decision. But you're absolutely right, Father. The House Scorn needs a lady tending to it, and you need a wife to take care of all the things Mother used to do. You have my full support."

[Diachronos]

William nods and gives him a weary smile. "Thank you for understanding." He stands up and heads to bed after saying good night, leaving Gabriel to his own devices once more.

Clarisse peeks into the room after William has left. "Did I overhear you correctly, Lord Gabriel? One of the Archmages is coming to dinner tomorrow evening?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sits back in his chair and sighs. "Yes. Please inform the chef that I'll expect his best tomorrow, and I need the bottom floor of the estate polished. I want to see my reflection in these floors!" He sounds very tired, and Clarisse can see he's lost in thought.

[Diachronos]

"Of course, my lord." She curtsies and heads off to inform the rest of the staff.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sighs and heads to bed for the night, lost in thought. So, the Blade would need to investigate the Lower Quarter...the night after tomorrow. For now, he was going to need to handle Rachel's marriage himself. That meant clearing his entire schedule tomorrow. He takes a moment to look at his calendar. Did he have anything important tomorrow?

Once he's cleared his schedule, he heads to sleep. In the morning, Gabriel wakes up and thinks about what his strategy should be. He pulls out a map of the Upper Quarter and marks the houses that he knows have unwed sons, then sits back to see his full handiwork.

[Diachronos]

Gabriel's schedule has two classes the next day, one of which has an exam scheduled. There was a chance he could make up the exam later, but if not it would seriously affect his marks if he failed to show up to take it.

After compiling all of the marriageable noblemen in the Prism District, Gabriel has a list of a dozen young men to look into. Most he only recognizes in passing, but Darven's name is also on the list.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel groans and decides that he needs to show up for the exam, but he's willing to skip the other class. He discards Darven as a potential suitor. The man was preoccupied with her looks. Rachel wouldn't be happy with a guy like that.

He was looking for someone she could love. Someone who could make her happy. He had to arrange a wedding that would result in a long and fulfilling union for both parties...who had never met each other.

Still, this was important. Gabriel spends as much time as he can making a list of pros and cons of each suitor, trying to narrow the list from eleven men to three. He stops to go take his exam, thinking that the fresh campus air will do him some good.

[Diachronos]

Gabriel has 6 suitors left to choose from by the time he leaves for his exam. Narrowing the list down wasn't easy considering that the pros and cons of each were things like "their family owns a profitable mine 20 miles south of Kalimdor" and "arrested 4 times in the last year for drunk and disorderly behavior". These were things that would make the choice easy for someone who knew how these arranged marriages worked, but not for someone who just wanted to be happy.

Facia and Darven both meet up with Gabriel outside the lecture hall where the exam was being taken, as the two of them were in his class. "Do you think this exam's going to be as challenging as the last one?" "Most likely. Professor Lorrimor seems to forget that we're students of Arcane History, not experts in it."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sighs as he approaches the two of them. "Hey guys. Don't worry about this test. Just focus on the fundamentals of Metamagic, and how shifting power levels were formed, and you should do just fine."

But if Rachel was happy, would that really be fair? Why should Gabriel go through all this work to make sure she was happy if he was going to be stuck in a loveless arrangements for the rest of his life?

Because it was the right thing to do. He groans at his own conscience.

[Diachronos]

Gabriel finds it tough to concentrate on the exam with his current concerns, but he's sure that he did well enough to pass the exam. He and his friends walk out of the classroom, all feeling a little exhausted from the test. The young noble realizes that he only a couple of hours to finish his preparations before Rachel is expected to show up at the manor, and that means cutting the remaining list of suitors in half on top of getting himself cleaned up and making sure everything at the manor is in order.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel growls and decides that six and a clean house is better than three and a mess. He tells his friends he will see them later and rushes back home.

"Clarisse? Clarisse? I need a status report!" Gabriel calls as he enters the estate.

[Diachronos]

Clarisse is by his side in seconds, holding a sheet of parchment and a ink quill. "The first floor has been thoroughly cleaned and is being polished now, my lord. The chefs are still preparing dinner, but I've confirmed with them multiple times that it will be ready in time for the Archmage's arrival. The table is set, and the courtyard has been thoroughly straightened and the hedges trimmed in the event that you wish to retire there for tea after dinner. There is a selection of wines ready, but we were awaiting your return to choose which one you wish to have served with the meal." She hands him a second sheet with a list of the 4 wines that had been selected, perfectly matched to go with the food being prepared.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel grits his teeth, a bit annoyed at her efficiency. He was looking for a target to dump his stress on. The annoyance is quickly replaced with being impressed, however, and Gabriel smiles.

"We will have the merlot," Gabriel says, selecting the white wine so that if its spilled it won't ruin Rachel's dress.

"My father will not be joining us this evening. Set two plates, one at his usual seat, and one directly across. And Clarisse," he hesitates. "This woman is...special. If anything goes wrong tonight, my reputation may not be the only thing that will be besmirched. I'm really counting on you, here."

[Diachronos]

"Of course, my lord." She hurried off to make sure that everything is ready.

Gabriel passes his father in the hall; he is dressed rather casually, and looks to be heading somewhere.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel looks up in surprise. "Father? You told me your schedule was full this evening. Do you really have time to go to the bakery or...where ever else you might be heading in that attire?"

[Diachronos]

"My schedule is full, yes, but one of my meetings is with a merchant at one of the gentlemen's clubs in the Merchant District. He wanted to meet somewhere the two of us could relax while we discuss matters."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel's eyes widen in shock. "Oh. Right. Erm, well, please be safe out there. I've heard tell that the Merchant District has seen a few thugs around as of late. Perhaps you should take your sword with you, just in case?"

This was bad. What if the drow decided to ask his father about the map? But she hadn't been there when Gabriel went before. What could he do? He had to sit back and let his father do as he liked. Maybe he was being paranoid over nothing?

[Diachronos]

"I will. There will be a few guards escorting me as well, so I won't be alone either." He finishes belting on his sword and turns to Gabriel. "I might not return until tomorrow morning. You're in charge of the estate while I'm away."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel bows. "As you wish. Good luck with your business tonight, my lord." He waves his father off and glances at his watch.

"Great Scott!" He dashes upstairs. He has only thirty minutes left before Rachel arrives.

He grabs a yellow shirt and quickly pulls his vest over it, gritting his teeth as his hands fly up the buttons. Grabbing his tie with his mouth and holding it, he finishes buttoning in his vest and replaces his slacks with a very nice set of pants, wrapping the tie around his neck and completing it with a flourish.

http://g01.a.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1gi1zIVXXXXbyaXXXq6xXFXXX9/Lucky-Dog-font-b-Anime-b-font-font-b-Cosplay-b-font-Gina-Carlo-Men-s.jpg

Giving himself a look in the mirror, Gabriel chuckles. "I am the essence of regality," he whispers confidently. "Ah, welcome to the Scorn Estate, Miss Rachel. Ah, welcome to my estate, Miss Rachel. It's so lovely to have you here, Miss Rachel. Right this way please."

He practices lines in the mirror for so long that he doesn't realize it when there is a knock at his door.

[Diachronos]

The knock that gets Gabriel's attention is a rather frantic one, followed by Clarisse simply opening the door and sticking her head in without waiting for him. "M-my lord, the Archmage is here early! There are still preparations that we have to make, what should we do?!" Her panic isn't entirely unjustified; in the 20 plus years of his life, this sort of thing almost never happened, as the aristocracy always made it a point to arrive exactly on time, never late or early.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel's eyes widen. He glances at his watch and swears under his breath. "I'll handle this personally. Get everything else done, double time Clarisse, and inform me the second everything is ready!" He dashes out past her and runs downstairs to meet Rachel.

[Diachronos]

"Yes, my lord." She runs down the hall to check on everyone's progress as Gabriel heads to the front door. He finds Rachel dressed in a simple blue gown (https://renaissancefestivals.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/renaissance-clothes-1.jpg) and standing just inside, her hands folded against her lap as she watches the frantic activity of the servants.

She looks up when Gabriel approaches. "Hello, Lord Gabriel. My apologies, I didn't expect to cause such a stir when I arrived. I can come back at a later time if it would be more convenient for you." There was no sarcasm or malice in her words; she seems legitimately concerned that her arrival is causing a problem for them.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel approaches, shaking his head. "Not at all! Not at all!" he says, his practiced lines tossed out for genuine hospitality. "Please, please, come with me to the courtyard. We can talk for a bit while the chefs finish dinner." He offers her his arm and leads her out to the courtyard. The perfectly trimmed hedges set his mind at ease. Outside, there was no noise and no problems that either of them could see.

He offers her a seat and takes a spot next to her. "There has been a change of plans, Miss Rachel. My father is unfortunately very busy with his work, so I have taken it upon myself to find you a suitable partner. In order to find someone that will make you happy, as you wish, I need to know more about you as a person."

[Diachronos]

Rachel accepts his arm, and the offered seat once they reach the courtyard. She considers his words when he mentions that he's the one who will be finding a match for her. "What sort of things do you need to know, Lord Gabriel?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel gestures for her to speak freely. "You seem to have some idea of what will make you happy. So can you tell me what qualities you're looking for in a husband? What does he need to have for you to be able to love him?"

[Diachronos]

"Well... I'd like to meet someone who is kind and polite, and wouldn't be put off by my more 'unusual' traits. Ideally tall, and who would be happy with just curling up together in front of the fireplace each night."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles. "Yes, that does sound lovely," he admits. "Alright, and what kinds of financial assets do you have available to yourself? Your title goes a long way but there are still certain expectations by certain houses of an equal distribution of costs."

[Diachronos]

"Just the funds provided to me as an Archmage. I didn't have much in the way of possessions before I was promoted to Archmage. In fact, I had to resort to magic just to ensure that I had a clean outfit to wear each day."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel coughs in surprise to give himself a moment to think of what to say. She was willing to admit something so personal and embarrassing to him? "I'm so sorry, I didn't know...And I made you buy that dress...Well, um, that certainly helps narrow the potentials down!" He grimaces, thinking if any of the six he had in mind would be willing to wed someone poor.

"Wait, here. I want you to have these." He heads upstairs and gets the bag he was carrying the other night, and brings down the collection of raw gems.

"I'm no expert in appraisal, but I imagine they'll fetch near 1500 gold in town. You could save money like that for any time that you really need it."

[Diachronos]

Knowing the general attitude of the nobility, it's becoming increasingly unlikely that any of the matches that Gabriel had picked out would be willing to marry Rachel; even the poorest of the families he'd looked at had enough income that, after expenses, they had more disposable income than an Archmage.

She looks at the gems he'd given her in shock for close to a full minute, before shaking her head and handing the gems back to him. "I can't accept this. You're already doing so much to help me, I don't feel right taking your valuables on top of that."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shakes his head. "You've given me something valuable in exchange. Perspective. I never thought to consider what life would be like married to someone I didn't love until I met you. But I'm not wed yet. There's still time for me to do something about it."

The words escape his mouth and he quickly covers it. "Ahem. I mean, not that I would ever consider breaking off an arrangement that my father and House Brecombe agreed on. Such brash action would tarnish my family's name for generations, and..." He trails off, sounding unsure for the first time since Rachel has met him.

[Diachronos]

Rachel bows her head, considering his words. "...I've caused you nothing but trouble since we met, haven't I? Now you're second-guessing a decision that you've been content with for years just because I couldn't keep my thoughts to myself..."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles uneasily. "Nonsense! You've been no trouble at all, Miss Rachel. Please, take the gems. You need this money more than I do."

He folds his hands into his lap. "My fiancee, she and I get along well enough but we don't have a lot in common. We don't even see each other that often, we usually meet up once or twice a week for tea and that's about it, and that's how it's been since we got engaged. I know everything about her, but I don't really care for her all that much. And she doesn't care for me."

[Diachronos]

"Then why did you two get engaged to begin with? Or was it purely a political arrangement with no thought put into it other than what each family would gain?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel rubs the back of his neck. "Er...well, I was at this party when I was around sixteen and one of the other noble boys was teasing Christine. He said that she had performed something unladylike when she was alone with him and that she wasn't fit to be wed to anyone. So I challenged him to a duel for her honor before I even knew her name, and I beat the tar out of him."

Gabriel shrugs. "My father was livid. He told me that honor was all well and good, but that I could not go around challenging men over every woman's honor, because that was the duty of her husband. So I told him that if I had to be wed to her for me to defend her honor, I would marry her. My father decided she would be the choice and arranged it."

[Diachronos]

"I see... so it was an arrangement meant to help you save face with the other noble houses." She closes her eyes, seeming lost in thought for a moment. "What if you started spending more time with Christine, to form a real relationship with her? Wouldn't that make you more comfortable with committing yourself to marrying her?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. "Yes. I'll definitely give that a try."

He stands up and excuses himself for a moment, sticking his head in the manor. "How long until the preparations are complete?"

[Diachronos]

Clarisse bows when Gabriel comes in. "Everything is ready, my lord. Whenever you and Archmage Denethar are ready, we can serve dinner."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel walks back outside and bows. "Please follow me, Miss Rachel."

He leads her inside, pulling out the chair of the guest and letting her sit down. Taking the seat across from her, he raises his glass. "I'm sorry, I never asked you what kind of wine you like, so I went with one of my favorites. Clarisse?"

He calls the young woman in to pour the wine for the two of them, and hopefully she brings in the kitchen staff to bring the food to their places.

[Diachronos]

Clarisse is there within moments, followed by half a dozen kitchen staff. As the maid fills their wine glasses, the others begin to lay out the dinner spread. After serving the first course, they bow and leave the room, with Clarisse remaining in case they need anything else.

Rachel looks hesitant as she picks up her wine glass. "I'm not sure, to be honest. I've never really had wine until recently."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel winces. How was he supposed to be a good host to someone who was so different from him in tastes and styles? He gives Clarisse a look that clearly says "help me out here!"

[Diachronos]

Clarisse gives him a helpless look, before mouthing the words 'Maybe ask about her family?'.

Rachel fails to notice, instead taking a sip of her wine. "It's a little strong, but I like the flavor. What type of wine is this?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel quickly motions to Clarisse. "Your wine is too strong? Hold on a moment, I'll have some water brought in to dilute it."

As Clarisse pours the water on top of the wine, Gabriel continues. "This is a merlot. I'm happy you like it."

Once Rachel tastes her wine to make sure it's weak enough for her, Gabriel moves on. "So, erm, Miss Rachel. What is your family like?"

[Diachronos]

Rachel doesn't answer at first, just looking into her wine glass. "Well... I never knew my mother. From what I've heard, she had me and then simply left me with my father. I don't know how they met or what their relationship was like, only that my father didn't really like to talk about her. As for my father... he passed away when I was twelve. He was a fisherman down on the docks, and a devilfish got hold of him one night when he was coming back from work. He escaped, but we couldn't afford to have his wounds treated and he developed a bad infection."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns. "I'm sorry to hear that, but you are a powerful witch in your own right, aren't you? Can't you resurrect him?"

[Diachronos]

Rachel shakes her head. "Even if I knew the kind of magic necessary, there's no way I'd ever be able to afford the diamond necessary to bring him back."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. "Oh right, of course. Well, erm, why don't you just..."

Clarisse was so getting her pay docked for that one. "Is there...um...anything you'd like to ask me?" he asks, offering to let her lead the conversation for a moment while he gets his bearings. Everything was going wrong here. This was the worst social event he had ever been to, and it was the first one he had organized and was solely responsible for!

[Diachronos]

Rachel opens her mouth, but abruptly closes it as if second-guessing her question. Finally, she picks up one of the spoons beside her plate. "I've always wondered, why are there so many different utensils? Wouldn't it be simpler to just have one spoon, fork, and knife for each seat at the table?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel tilts his head curiously. "It started as a way for mothers to have a clean utensil to feed their infants without reaching across the table, then everyone else adopted the same pattern for the sake of symmetry...if you have something on your mind, please feel free to express it. You won't offend me if you say anything rude. I know this night has been a complete disaster."

[Diachronos]

Rachel shakes her head. "Don't blame yourself. If anyone's to blame for how tonight went, it's me. I'm the one trying to be someone they're not."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shakes his head. "It was my idea, and it's my home that I welcomed you in to. Now please, what were you going to say before?"

[Diachronos]

"...I was going to ask if you feel like you're wasting your time on me. Or if you think there's any hope of finding a man that would be willing to marry me."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shakes his head firmly. "Ridiculous! You're talented! You're intelligent. You're insightful. You're empathetic. You have a personality, you have goals and motivations! You're five times the woman of any of those vapid dolls that get husbands every day outside the Academy. Any man would be lucky to even have a conversation with you, let alone have you look at him with the same look in your eyes that you had when you mentioned curling up by the fireplace. You have an honest desire about you. You aren't looking to exploit, use or manipulate anyone. That's...better than I am."

[Diachronos]

"But none of the man you're trying to pair me with want any of that. They don't care what I have to offer them outside of whatever influence they gain by marrying an Archmage. I might not know very much about the way your kind live their lives, but I've seen enough to know that aristocrats are only willing to spend their time on something if they see a way that they can benefit from it. Just like I'm sure you were when you first offered to help me."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel grits his teeth. "That's...okay, fine. That's true. But that doesn't mean that I'm still that way now. We're friends, Rachel, and I want you to be happy and succeed. Alright. Fine. Forget the marriage, forget it entirely. If anyone wants to badmouth you because you show up to any parties by yourself, they'll have to answer to me. I'll knock their teeth out for you!"

[Diachronos]

The changeling sighs. "I don't even know what to do anymore. First you tell me that there's absolutely no way to be taken seriously unless I'm married, now you want me to forget it... and wasn't challenging other men for insulting a woman how you ended up engaged to Christine?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel clenches his fist. He isn't used to being put on the spot like this. "I just. I don't know what is going to make you happy. But I'm trying everything I can think of to make you happy, Rachel. Your situation seems very hopeless, but I can't go out again tomorrow night thinking that you might be all alone if..."

He sighs and sets the wine down. "Never mind that. I've had too much to drink. The point is, if you're not going to be happy when you're married, then I'd rather no one took you seriously. If the choice is between miserable or invisible, invisible is clearly better."

[Diachronos]

"...I've really made a mess of your hard work, haven't I?" She bows her head, the guilt evident on her face. "I'm sorry, Lord Gabriel. I didn't mean for things to turn out like this. I'm... I'm still willing to try making an arranged marriage work."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel waves his hand airily. "Don't call me 'Lord'. I'm a young man, not even old enough to run my own estate. A child with foolish hopes and dreams. Gabriel is fine. As far as I am concerned, the two of us have no need for titles around one another. I would rather drop all sorts of pretense and just be honest with each other. I want you to talk to me as you would one of your friends from the Lower Quarter."

[Diachronos]

Rachel nods. "As you wish, Gabriel."

Dinner progresses a bit more smoothly after this, and by the time the second course is done Gabriel has a better idea of the kind of man would match up with Rachel. Two of the candidates he'd originally chosen might be right for her, though she may end up needing to meet them personally before he could be sure.

[NeoSeraphi]

As the night draws to a close, Gabriel walks Rachel to the door. "If you're still interested in trying for an arranged marriage, I may be able to work out a first meeting with two very nice gentlemen who seem to fit your type. And if you're not interested, then just know you always have an ally in House Scorn, and even if everyone else thinks you're not suitable to the society, I think you're better than all of them."

And he means it. Being able to speak frankly and openly with her is very liberating. There's no double-talk, no flattery, no compromises or deals being made. Just two people with goals that they are working to meet helping each other out.

[Diachronos]

Rachel nods and gives him a warm smile. "Thank you, Gabriel. You're without a doubt the closest I've ever had to a real friend." Without any warning she hugs him tightly, her face pressed against his chest due to their height difference. After a moment she releases him and runs off, heading back toward the Academy.

Clarisse is gawking at the changeling as she leaves, as if dumbstruck that she'd make such a blatantly public display of affection.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sighs and sinks down into his chair. "I know. I've known that woman for three days now and she's able to get more of my true self to show than my own father. Oh, speaking of my father, I suppose he's not back yet."

On the one hand, Gabriel had been told William might not return until tomorrow morning. On the other, that drow was such a...such a...Argh, even when he was angry he couldn't bring himself to use such uncouth language.

Gabriel heads upstairs and grabs the device from his drawer. He fits it to his wrist, straps on his rapier, and dons the costume. The Blade heads for the strip club.

[Diachronos]

The Blade arrives at the club to find that the place is rather busy, with patrons regularly entering and leaving. He finds his father standing outside near one corner of the building, casually taking a deep drag on an ivory tobacco pipe before blowing the smoke up into the air and addressing the halfling man beside him. "You're positive that this will be to our benefit?"

"Indeed, Senator Scorn! I tell you, those mines are much more than they appear to be. And with the silver starting to run out, the price for the deed will be considerably lower than normal, allowing us to snatch it up and scour the place for whatever secrets it might hold!"

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade relaxes. Seems like a completely normal business talk. Still, he had come this far. The Blade decides to stay in the shadows and listen until the two men leave the club.

[Diachronos]

The discussion continues for a few minutes before the halfling starts to leave. He looks back at William. "Are you heading back now?"

"...No, I think I'll stay here for a little longer. There's... something that I wanted to do while I was here. Something that I've been needing to do for a while."

The halfling shrugs and waves his farewells before heading off, and William walks back into the club.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade frowns. Time to get in there and do some private sleuthing.

He steps into a bush and removes his disguise kit from his bag. The Blade redresses himself as a chunky brunette with a moustache. He looks completely different than Gabriel Scorn.

The Blade walks up to the club, greeting the bouncers and heading inside to look for William.

Disguise: [roll0]

[Diachronos]

The guards let the Blade in without much trouble, and he easily spots William heading toward the far end where a small group of young women were lounging. He recognized a few of them as being employees of the club, the same ones that he'd had idle conversation with on the night that he'd been lured into the back room. None of them were the drow who'd attacked him, though.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade chuckles. Good for him. He deserved a little R&R. And to make sure he got it, the Blade positions himself at a table about 100 feet away. William has plenty of space and privacy, but if something goes wrong the Blade will be within striking distance in an instant.

[Diachronos]

After speaking with the women for a moment, William sits down, and one of the younger blondes promptly leans up against him. Another woman scoots up to his other side and does the same, while a third, a young half-elf, stands up and begins to dance for him.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade grimaces. He shouldn't be watching this. His eyes wander around the bar, searching for the drow instead, though of course he wouldn't be sitting at a table alone for long in a place like this.

[Diachronos]

As he expected, the Blade isn't observing for long before someone comes to the table. It's none other than the drow that robbed him before, giving him an almost sickeningly sweet smile as she sits down. "Why, hello there. What brings you to my establishment?"

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade tenses up and his eyes sweep down her body to her thighs, searching for any hidden weapons. She was the owner of this club, why was she talking to a random stranger?

"Rough day at the construction site. Wanted to drink someplace quiet where my wife isn't bothering me about the curtains.

I'm not 100% on this, but I think you use Disguise checks to stay in-character rather than Bluff when you wear a Disguise. If so: [roll0]

[Diachronos]

The drow shifts her position as his eyes wander, giving him a good eyeful of her enticing figure. It seems she'd mistaken his gaze for one of desire or arousal. "Ah, I see. Although, this happens to be rather fortuitous... What would you say to a business proposition, handsome? One that would pay well enough that you won't have to worry about anything for quite a while, let alone your wife complaining about her curtains?"

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade is shocked. He cleaned out 2000 gold worth of gems from this woman's office and nor only was she still in business, she had enough left to make a shady deal with a guy she just met and didn't trust? Who is she anyway?

The Blade shrugs. "No offense ma'am, but I came here to relax after work. I'd rather not talk about more work, you know? My muscles get tired and sore after hauling bricks, you'd be better off asking someone younger."

The Blade was curious about her offer, but he would break his disguise if he appeared eager. A real blue collar worker wouldn't be interested until specifics were raised.

[Diachronos]

"Perhaps I should explain. All I'm looking for is someone to send a message for me."

[NeoSeraphi]

Information?! The breakthrough he was looking for.

"That's it? Well then, ma'am, I'll take it anywhere you want it to go, soon as I finish my drink. Ah, but I got a policy about never taking work from a stranger. My name's Clint. What's yours, sweetheart?"

Add a bit of condescension to the pet name. Show very little respect for her. All he sees is a stripper, not a crime boss. Staying in character around someone this dangerous was hard, but he needed to make sure she wasn't at all suspicious.

Oh no! He had been completely distracted by her! The Blade turns his head towards William's table to check on him.

[Diachronos]

"Just call me Tyv." When the Blade looks over, he sees that the two young women sitting beside him are gesturing toward one of the rear halls, likely trying to convince him to come join them for some more "private" services, though he appears to be refusing the offer.

"Tyv" pulls out a small envelope and places it on the table. "There is a father and daughter living in the Lower Quarter that I want you to deliver this to. Their home is the rear of a florist shop near the docks." She gives him a sly grin. "I have another job related to that that I'd be more than happy to pay you for as well. However, this kind of work is something that I've found a lot of men don't quite have the stomach for..."

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade focuses back on the drow. "Tyv I think you'll find that if the price is right I'll do any work I can get my hands on. Though I have to admit, when you said you were going to make me not think about my wife I had something else in mind entirely."

[Diachronos]

She raises an eyebrow. "Oh? What did you have in mind?" Tyv leaned forward and laced her fingers together, giving him a brief glimpse down her shirt.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade gives her a good stare before he looks up nervous, like she caught him looking. "Are you gonna make me say it? You know what this club is for, and that guy over there has three dancers all to himself, but none of the other girls come close to my table with you here."

[Diachronos]

"Oh, that could be arranged. If you do this second job for me, you'll even get a chance at some of the 'forbidden fruits' of carnal desire." She rests her chin on her hands, her elbows propped up on the table. "Would you care to hear my proposition, or do you prefer to stay within what society considers to be 'acceptable'?"

[NeoSeraphi]

He had her now. She thought that he was a sucker that was in the palm of her hand. "Well, I do like fruit...alright, Tyv. What's this second job you think is soooo bad anyway?"

[Diachronos]

"Do you recall the daughter that I spoke of earlier? She's been a bit of a thorn in my side for years now. I'd like her to be... taken care of. How you do it is up to you. Poison, blades, strangulation, drowning, I don't care. Of course, if you'd rather put the little thing to better use, you're free to do that as well, provided I never have to see her again."

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade obviously could never agree to something like that. But if he didn't, she would hire someone else to do it. For now, agreeing to kill this woman was the only way to keep her safe.

"...I'll need the money up front. If I get caught, I want my wife to have something to take care of her while I do my time."

[Diachronos]

"How about half now, and half when the job is done?" The look she gave him made it clear that that was the best he was going to get from her.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade nods. "Alright, you got yourself a deal. You won't ever see this girl again. Who is she anyway? She got a name?"

[Diachronos]

"Valeera. You'll find her at the Delmont florist shop. And trust me, you'll know her when you see her."

[NeoSeraphi]

Florist? Wait, was this the potion maker the fortune-teller had mentioned?

The Blade picks the envelope up off the table. "Give this to the father, make the kid disappear, you don't care how. I got it. You give me my fee and I'll get it done tonight."

[Diachronos]

Tyv places a small pouch on the table; inside is 20 platinum coins. "Here's your first half. Get the job done, and come back here for the rest."

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade blinks in surprise. "If this is what you call 'half' for one job, then I'm clearly in the wrong business. Although, for something like this, you better be on a pole when I come back. Come into a nice club and I don't even get one dance..." He continues to mutter to himself as he scoops the bag into his pocket and heads to the elevator.

In case Tyv decided to have him followed, the Blade would need to make his way to the Lower Quarter still disguised. He heads down to the bottom of Kalimdor, where he has never ventured before, and makes a beeline for the florist.

[Diachronos]

The Blade heads into the alleyways of the Lower Quarter and quickly finds himself lost amidst its labyrinthine alleys and streets. The place is a far cry from the Prism District and even the Merchant's District; the buildings are run down and some are simply abandoned, and the smell of old fish and grime fills the air.

After close to ten minutes of wandering aimlessly, the Blade locates the docks and spies the florist shop in the distance. As he makes his way toward the shop, he hears what could be a muffled cry for help coming from a nearby alley, followed by a woman's pained grunt.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gritting his teeth, the Blade reaches into his bag and draws his rapier from it, quickly attaching the sheath to his hip and dashing into the alley. "Who's there? Miss, are you alright?"

[Diachronos]

The Blade enters the alley and finds a young half-elf woman backed into a corner by two hulking men. The woman's left cheek is a bright shade of red, as if someone had just struck her across the face. One man has a hand on her neck, keeping her against the wall, while the other is brandishing a knife.

"I think the li'l lass could use an attitude adjustment after pullin' a knife on us, don't you Bill?"
"I agree, Carl. And I know just the kinda adjustmen' she needs."

The men turn as the Blade calls out. "What's this, then? Ya weren't invited to this party, buddy. Find your own entertainment."

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade grits his teeth. Using his device here, even while disguised, would be bad. He couldn't allow the Lightning Blade to have a face associated with it.

Instead, he decides to take a different approach. Maybe these thugs would listen to a bit of scare?

"Actually, I was invited. By Tyv. You might know her." He pulls the envelope out and shows them the stationery, the stamp, the writing, anything to prove that she sent him. "That girl there is my mark. So how about you do a friend a favor and let me handle her instead, aye?"

Diplomacy: [roll0]

[Diachronos]

The men's expressions turn to one of horror when he shows them the stamp, and they promptly back away from the half-elf. "O-okay, man, take it easy! No need to get her involved in this. The girl's all yours."

The men turn and run off, leaving the woman standing along in the alley with the Blade. Her glare is fixed on him now, and she looks ready for a fight if he makes her feel threatened.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade chuckles and turns to the girl. "Are you alright? Did they hurt you?"

[Diachronos]

"Not as much as I'm going to hurt you if you come any closer." She reaches behind her back and draws out a green leather pouch.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade rolls his eyes. "Is that any way to talk to someone who saved you? Whatever, here. This is a healing potion." He pulls it out and shows her. "It was made by the florist in this area. It's safe. Drink it."

[Diachronos]

"Back off!" She throws the bag at him, and it bursts into a cloud of sticky green slime when it lands.


Vs touch: [roll0]
If it hits, the Blade is entangled and needs to make a DC 15 Reflex save or be glued to the space he's standing in.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade doesn't bother to dodge the bag at all. It hits him and covers him in sap. He groans and rubs his temple with his free hand. "Very good. You have trapped me. Now I can't possibly hurt you, even though I wasn't trying to hurt you in the first place. Now that I'm stuck to the ground are you willing to have a civilized conversation? Because if not, by all means run away. It's not like I'll chase you. I'm not trying to hurt you."

[Diachronos]

"That's what the last three groups of goons she's sent after me have said!" She picks up the dagger that the one thug had dropped. "It's bad enough that that bitch ruined my father's life and left us to live in poverty, why do I have to constantly look over my shoulder for someone trying to kill me too?!"

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade sighs. "You must be Valeera then. Listen. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here to help you. If you listen to me, you and your father will never see Tyv again. Is that what you want?"

[Diachronos]

The half-elf lowers her dagger, but she doesn't put it away just yet. She takes a few steps toward him, and as she steps into the light it's clear what Tyv had meant when she said that he'd know her when he saw her. With her violet eyes and ash-gray skin, it's clear that Valeera is a half-drow.

"Why would you want to help us?"

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade frowns. "Because she almost killed me. I'm going to make her regret not finishing me off. You can call me Blade."

[Diachronos]

"And how do I know you're not going to turn on us the moment you get what you want?"

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade shrugs. "You don't. Now then. I have a contact in the Nobility District. If I call in a favor, I can get him to take you and your father on as additional servants. The pay is very good. It comes with free room and board. And Tyv cannot enter the Nobility District on her own. You'll have a nice home, a good job, and no one will come to kill you. If they did, they would have the entire Nobility police force after them."

[Diachronos]

Valeera scowls. "My father is not welcome in the Prism District. Not after what that woman did to him." After a moment she sighs and starts picking up what appear to be fruits from the ground and putting them into a basket; it seems that the men had attacked her while she was returning from the market. "If you're dead set on convincing us to leave, you'll have to talk to my father."

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade nods. "Well, 'not being welcome' is a far cry better than 'assassins coming to kill you', I'd say. And if you wouldn't mind taking me to your father, you'll need to help me get out of this mess you tossed onto me."

He indicates the tangleroot bag.

[Diachronos]

"It should start flaking away any second now." Sure enough, when he starts to lift his leg, the goo solidifies and crumbles, allowing him to move his limbs again.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade cleans himself off and steps deeper into the alleyway. After a minute, he emerges as the cloaked individual, rapier at his side, disguise in his bag. "Take me to see your father. Please. I need to know what he knows."

[Diachronos]

Valeera's scowl remains. "I don't think he'll appreciate you hiding your identity, but he'll probably still speak with you."

She leads him along the back alleys of the Lower Quarter, finally emerging on the docks right next to the florist shop. She walks in the front door and set down her basket. "Father, I'm home!"

An older human man steps out of the back room. The man is surprisingly well-dressed, and the cane he walks with looks as though it had come from one of the wealthier districts in the city. "Welcome home, my dear. I was beginning to worry when you didn't come home on time." He blinks and looks at the Blade. "And who is this... gentleman?"

"He says his name is 'Blade' and he wanted to discuss something with you."


The Blade recognizes the man as Samuel Delmont, one of the Senators of Kalimdor. Or, rather, former Senator; roughly 10 years ago, it was brought to the public's attention that he'd fathered a child with a drow woman from the Lower Quarter. Divination magic had revealed that he was in fact the child's father, and the damage to his reputation had resulted in him being driven out of the Prism District and his titles and assets being seized by the government.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade is startled to recognize the man, but collects himself. "I was hired by Tyv to deliver a message...and to kill your daughter. But I'm not going to do that. I want to help you. I have a...let's call him a 'friend' in the Nobility District. I can sneak you and Valeera up there and the two of you can hide out at his estate. It's not the luxury you would be used to, Senator, but it's the best chance you have to put the harassment of your daughter to rest, for good."

Diplomacy: [roll0]

[Diachronos]

"Hrm... While I would love to get Valeera out of this part of the city, how can you be sure that we will be welcome in this 'friend's' estate? Disgraced nobles are usually turned away or ignored among the aristocracy, not to mention their open disdain for those of mixed heritage. Not to mention the fact that ten years outside the Prism District isn't enough to make me forget the Game of Houses; when nobility is involved, someone is always going to expect something in return... what do you or this noble friend of yours intend to gain by having him take us in?"

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade frowns. "What do I want in exchange? I want to know what the hell this teenager did to make her own mother want her dead. As for my friend...well, you would have to ask him that."

Looking over at Valeera, the Blade sighs. "Senator Delmont, may we speak privately, please?"

[Diachronos]

Samuel nods after a moment. "Valeera, would you mind putting some tea on for the three of us? The girl nods and heads to the small kitchen off the main hall, leaving Samuel and the Blade alone. "To be honest, my daughter has done nothing to Tyvhoran aside from exist. That woman lured me in, claiming that she was simply a courtesan, but her real intent was to conceive a child that she could use to blackmail me. For seven years she extorted wealth and favors from me in exchange for keeping Valeera's existence a secret... apparently she grew bored with the arrangement, because she revealed that I was Valeera's father to the public one day, even after I'd complied with her every demand for years beforehand. Valeera was left on my doorstep the same day, having been told nothing other than that I was her father and that I would be taking care of her from then on."

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade waits until Valeera is out of the room and out of earshot. He takes a step forward. "Listen to me, Samuel. I do not play the Game of Houses and I am not going to sugarcoat this for you. I found your daughter in an alley with two men ready to beat her senseless for pulling a knife on them. If this continues, then the best possible outcome is that she ends up a killer. And I'm being very generous here and assuming she hasn't killed anyone already, because I'm not in the business of helping murderers. So why don't you stop bullsh*tting me and come along with a smile on your face? You don't need to trust me. You don't need to trust my friend. All you need to know is that if you put your past behind you for the ten goddamned minutes it takes me to escort you to the manor, your daughter has a chance to move past her mother and grow up to be something other than cynical and angry, like you. So stop treating me like I'm your enemy. Because if I was your enemy," he reaches into his bag, pulls out the envelope and slams it onto the table in front of Samuel, seal up, "I would have come looking for you with her corpse. Have I made myself perfectly clear, Samuel?"

[Diachronos]

Samuel grits his teeth and raises his cane, poking the Blade in the chest with it. "You clearly don't understand how things are in this part of Kalimdor. I am hesitant to trust you or believe your words because others have come with the same offers and promises only to try sliding a knife between my ribs. It would not be the first time that Tyvhoran has sent hired thugs to tie up her loose ends, and it would not be the last either. We are cynical because it is required in the Lower Quarter, which is a lesson that I believe more people from the Prism District should be aware of. The poverty of this district has led to many people becoming desperate and willing to do damn near anything just for a few coppers so they can feed their families."

He calms down after a moment, looking down at the seal on the envelope. "...I may have blamed Valeera for my circumstances when I first met her, but I have come to love her dearly in the past ten years. I would do anything if it meant giving her a better life or ensuring her safety..." The former noble closes his eyes with a sigh. "Very well. If I have your word that she will be safe, we will come with you to meet this 'friend' of yours. But know this." Samuel pulls up on his cane and the handle separates; the cane is really a sword cane, and he points the tip at the Blade's neck, hovering inches from his skin. "I may be past my prime, but I haven't lost my skills with a sword. If you or your 'friend' try to harm my daughter, you will have to go through me first." He sheathes the sword.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade chuckles. "I am relieved to know that you can protect her, so my friend doesn't have to if Tyvohran manages to track her down. But I am going back to tell her that I have moved Valeera out of the city. That should make her stop looking for the time being."

He gestures to the kitchen. "Please make an effort to inspire optimism in Valeera. Your identity is enough of an inconvenience to my friend, I would rather your daughter not go out of her way to make her host miserable."

[Diachronos]

"I will see what I can do, but the girl is stubborn. Of all the things she inherited from me, that had to be it." He chuckles and heads to the kitchen.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade sits in the room alone and waits for the two of them to return.

[Diachronos]

After a few minutes the two of them come out of the kitchen. They take a short time to pack their few belongings before joining the Blade in the hallway. Valeera isn't making any attempt to hide her opinion on the situation, as evidenced by the glare she gives the Blade.

"We are ready. Please lead the way."

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade nods and the trio heads back to the elevator. When the elevator arrives, the Blade steps forward to address the guards in the elevator. "These two are my guests in the Nobility District. If you have a problem with that, I advise you to take it up with the lord of House Scorn."

Diplomacy: [roll0]

[Diachronos]

The guards look at each other and laugh. "You expect us to believe that House Scorn would want anything to do with a couple of unwashed peasants? Sorry, pal - nobody boards the Illumacone without some kind of documentation of official business."

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade sighs. "Okay then. Let's do this the hard way." He draws his rapier and stabs the guard to his left in the stomach.

Surprise Attack: [roll0] (flat-footed)
Damage: [roll1]

Attack for round 1: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

Critical Confirm for either roll: [roll4]
Bonus damage: [roll5]