Riches to Rags, Rags to Vengeance II

[Diachronos]

Gabriel Scorn stands outside the grand hall of the Senate building, awaiting his turn to present his proposals for the city of Kalimdor. While he waits, he has time to consider everything that's happened in the past month. His near-death experience when he was robbed of his most prized possession by Tyvorhan, the self-styled "Dark Queen of Kalimdor", and left for dead with her thugs. His decision to take up the mantle of the Lightning Blade, a masked vigilante wielding a device that allows him to project bolts and blades of electricity. He had met Tyvorhan's bastard daughter Valeera, and taken her and her father, former Senator Samuel Delmont, into his home to protect them from the drow's threats. After learning more of Tyvorhan's true plans to claim the dozen Shards of Midnight, artifacts of immeasurable power that have already shattered the world once, his former plans to reclaim what was stolen are no longer about just personal vengeance.

Roughly fifteen minutes before he is scheduled to make his appearance, a masked figure in midnight-black leather armor walks into the Senate building. The figure walks straight up to Gabriel, a slight stiffness in their gait. Up close, he recognizes the individual as Shadowsting, Valeera's own vigilante persona. "You look weary, like you skipped breakfast." She holds out a small bag.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel blinks and takes the bag from her. "Thank you. But why are you here? I thought you said you weren't sure you were going to come?" he asks, looking inside the bag.

[Diachronos]

Inside the bag is a hard-boiled egg and a fresh-baked muffin. Not exactly the breakfast he was used to, but it was better than nothing.

"Your personal chef said that she wouldn't come. I made no such statements."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel raises an eyebrow. "To be fair, I have never met you before in my life," he counters, sitting down to eat. "Also, you can be as frank as you want when you get a chance to speak, but you need to show respect while you do it. Say that the guards are shirking their duties, say that the streets need to be cleaned up, say whatever you want about the situation, but make sure you say 'yes my lord' and 'yes my lady' while you do it. No one is going to take you...or me...seriously if you don't act properly."

It was a rare time when Gabriel actually commanded Valeera to do something. Usually he just suggested things or made off-handed comments about the way she acted, but he still let her do what she liked. This was serious business though. It was his way or no way.

[Diachronos]

He can practically feel the scowl coming from behind the mask. "And if they insist on talking down to me like I'm a stain on their boots?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel rolls his eyes. "Then you grin and bear it, just like I have to do every time my personal chef gets in one of her moods," he shoots back. "The savior of this city can't be a bratty teenager. If you want respect, you have to earn it, and one way you earn it is by being mature and not picking fights with someone just because they're mean to you."

[Diachronos]

"Very well, then..." The spider legs from her armor start to extend, only to stop halfway and twitch with a clanking sound that was more appropriate for damaged machinery than a stealthy vigilante's armor. "Dammit... I haven't had a chance to get this thing fixed, or even look for the piece that got broken off by the bolt..."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. "Don't worry. I found the piece while I was out. It's sitting in my closet. ...Wait. You didn't happen to be saved by a stranger in a mask, did you? Someone calling himself...the Shroud of Silver?"

[Diachronos]

"If by 'saved' you mean 'stuffed into a pile of straw and told to keep quiet', then yes. I don't think I can forget what happened, though... That 'Silver Shroud' character just stood there, in the middle of the street, and didn't say a word when they asked if he saw where I went. He just stood there, staring them down, and when he finally took a step toward them they just bolted."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel chuckles. "Seems like you do a lot of hero worshiping. You're surprisingly feminine for a vigilante. I'm starting to think the spider is more of a girl than the chef." He stands up and rubs his neck a bit. "Alright, it's time. Just let me do the talking until I introduce you." He leads her to the Senate's debate hall.

[Diachronos]

Shadowsting nods and follows Gabriel inside.

Kalimdor's thirty-six Senators are waiting for them in their raised seats, some looking bored or distracted while others are watching with keen interest. He immediately notices his father, seated near the front row as befitting his position in the Senate... and Olivia Brecombe beside him, practically glaring at Gabriel from behind her fan. It isn't long before all eyes are on Shadowsting, though, some looking in awe and others looking in open disdain.

After the expected formalities that accompany the beginning of each Senate meeting, Gabriel is given the floor to make his proposals.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles. "Good afternoon, members of the Kalimdor Senate! My name is Gabriel Scorn, and I am honored to be speaking here today. To begin with, I pose to you the problem facing this generation. Her Majesty, Queen Ileosa has made it perfectly clear that she wishes to rule over all of Kalimdor, not just the Prism District, and that all of Kalimdor should be taxed, and benefit from her policies. However, the Senate has not passed a law specifically aimed at helping the Lower District in ten years."

He gestures emphatically to the front row as he speaks. "I do not believe this is because the Senate does not care about the Lower District or its people. They are a vital pillar of the community that produce the food we eat and pay taxes that benefit our fine city."

Gabriel spreads out a map of the city on his podium. "The reason that the Senate has failed to produce any legislation for these districts is simply a matter of distance. The Senators do not actively traverse down into the depths of the city, and why should they? Apart from supporting local vendors in the Merchant District, everything a Senator could want is right here at the top. There's nothing wrong with that. But without any exposure to the problems or the people, the Senate cannot hope to make any changes that are necessary to the people. Therefore, I come to you with a proposition."

Gabriel nods firmly. "I propose that the Lower and Merchant Districts be allowed to nominate, and then freely elect, two individuals per district. These individuals should have business or farming experience and a firm grasp on the handling of money. They can then stand before the Senate and make requests for allocation of funding. And, in their own privacy, they can pass ordinances and zoning laws that affect only their own districts and do not conflict with any citywide law. The Senate wouldn't need to know about any legislation they passed, unless the legislation required funding that they would then have to appear before the Senate to request. The Senate could deny these claims, but generally should allow them as long as the monetary amount requested does not horribly exceed the amount of taxation collected specifically from the district requesting it. After all, taxes are just a way of the government to get its citizens to chip in for infrastructure. The citizens are doing their part by paying, but the Senate hasn't touched the lower districts' infrastructure in a decade."

He gestures behind him. "And now, here to say a few words, the hero of the Lower District and honorary member of House Scorn, Shadowsting. Please, go ahead." He steps back to let her speak.

[Diachronos]

Shadowsting steps forward, but doesn't speak at first. Instead, she looks around, taking in the staring faces of each of the Senators.

"What Lord Gabriel says is true. The Merchant District does not see as many necessary innovations or improvements as the Prism District does, and the Lower Quarter sees even fewer. These people pay their taxes just as you and the other nobles do, sometimes even having to go without necessities such as food or proper clothing in order to do so because it is less of a penalty than what they would face if they did not pay their taxes. What he did not mention, however, is what the lack of aid from the Senate has caused in these districts. Out of desperation, many lower-class men and women have turned to crime just to provide for themselves or their families. It is even worse in the Lower Quarter, where citizens will beat each other to within an inch of their lives over a mouthful of clean water to drink. If more aid were given to those of the Lower Quarter and the Merchant District, perhaps offering them legitimate employment instead of leaving them to fend for themselves, there would not be as much need for them to resort to such desperate measures."

Olivia snaps her fan shut. "What employment can be offered to those who are not qualified for even simple positions? Not to mention the matter of whether they can be trusted with-"

Shadowsting's gaze falls on Olivia, and for a moment it seems like she might pounce on the noblewoman like she'd done to Tyvorhan's goons when Gabriel had first met her. "You make it sound as though these people are stupid and impulsive. Some may be, but many of them are simply desperate and out of options. I know a young woman with a damn near photographic memory who is reduced to selling her body for no reason other than that her parents could barely keep food on the table, let alone pay for a tutor to teach her how to read and write." She takes a deep breath. "I must thank you, though, as your implication brought up another matter that needs to be addressed, and that is the crime rates in the lower-class areas of the city. There are not enough guards present to adequately protect the citizens of Kalimdor as it is, and yet the majority of the guard is allocated to protecting the Prism District and the assets of the noble houses."

One Senator speaks up from the back. "Miss Shadowsting, you must understand, these locations that are being defended are important to the function of Kalimdor's society. We can't simply leave them open for anyone to walk in and-"

"I agree, and I'm not saying that you should leave them vulnerable. My point is that the assignments of the available guards is heavily skewed in favor of the wealthy and the nobility, and the lower classes are suffering for it."

Olivia raises an eyebrow. "Didn't you just finish saying that the people of the Lower Quarter who commit crimes are all doing so 'out of desperation'?"

"I said most, my lady." She practically spat the last words. "I will not deny that there are those who commit crimes upon the people of the Lower Quarter out of greed or enjoyment. In fact, it is those criminals who are the reason that the Lightning Blade and I have taken on our identities. We defend the less fortunate of Kalimdor from those who mean them harm, because no one else seems to be willing to."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel steps forward. "I appreciate that the Senate has questions. This is a debate after all and I am eager to discuss the finer points of my plan for self-governance. Please direct all further questions to me, thank you."

[Diachronos]

Shadowsting takes a step back as the debate begins. The majority of the Senators seem to be inclined to vote in Gabriel's favor, though a few are hesitant. they discuss the time and method of holding the elections, whether or not to implement term limits, and whether a percentage of the city's taxes should go to the officials of the Merchant and Lower Districts from the beginning to give them more leeway with their legislation.

The meeting ends at 3:30PM, and while they do not have an immediate answer for Gabriel they inform him that they will summon him within the week for the presentation and vote on the final draft of his proposal. With that, the meeting is adjourned, and he and Shadowsting are free to leave.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles as he leaves. "You did very well. I think that we will at least see some attempt by the Senate to agree on new proposals for the other districts, at a bare minimum. They can't ignore my decrying of their lack of action entirely. Well, I need to go. Another dangerous mission that I might not come back from. Get some rest, okay?"

[Diachronos]

"What makes you think I'm letting you go somewhere dangerous by yourself?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel raises an eyebrow. "Look who's talking. At least when I hide on a roof it's with both feet planted firmly on the ground. You need to rest. Also, this us more of a delicate matter than 'punch the bad guy until he stops moving'."

[Diachronos]

Shadowsting turns to him with a growl. "...Fine. If you get in over your head, though, don't come crying to me."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sighs. "Look, fine. If you're that worried, I'm not going alone. Someone else decided to stick her nose in my business and thought this hero gig sounded like fun. So I'm babysitting a brand new vigilante. Yay me."

[Diachronos]

"Who is... you know what, I'm not even going to ask. I'm going home and fixing the legs on this thing, then going to bed." She starts heading in the direction of the Illumacones; not the direction of Scorn Manor, but likely she was trying to get back home without being noticed.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel watches her go, and then heads to the manor to pick up Facia.

[Diachronos]

Facia is already set to go when Gabriel arrives, though instead of having Sebastian draped over her shoulders, Kyo is sitting on her shoulder. "It was a bit of a rushed job, but I'm all set."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel takes a moment to examine her outfit. "What are you calling yourself?"

[Diachronos]

Facia's outfit is a black and blood-red gothic dress, considerably more vibrant than her usual attire and designed to allow relatively unhindered movement. The mask is carved from what seems to be bone or ivory to resemble, and covers her face from the top lip up. "I... didn't realize a name was mandatory. Um... the Red Reaper, I guess."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. "Got somewhere I can change?"

After he gets dressed, the Lightning Blade and the Red Reaper head to the Academy to track down Gloom.

[Diachronos]

Once Facia has changed, Gabriel notices that there is an extra touch to her costume: Kyo's fur is now an ashen gray, and her red streaks have become a spectral blue.

The Academy is mostly empty at this hour, with most students having already left for home or retired to their on-campus dorms to get ready for dinner. The handful that are still out and about are too busy with their chores to pay the duo much attention. The Red Reaper looks up and points to one of the eight towers looming at the top of the Academy. "That's the Tower of Necromancy. Gloom's lab is at the top, and from what I hear he spends most of his time there instead of at his estate."

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade sighs as he looks at the tower. "Man, I would trade half my estate for an arachnid harness right about now," he muses.

"The students are likely innocent. We climb this tower the old-fashioned way. Move swiftly, attract little attention. Harm no one."

He heads for the tower and begins to climb the stairs. The old man could likely sense his presence easily enough, but there was little the Blade could do about that.

[Diachronos]

The Reaper follows after him, with Kyo sprinting to keep up. The stairs go higher and higher without any sign of an end, and it isn't until they've gone at least five stories up that they come to a landing.

The floor is littered with bits of thread, discarded bones, and preserved tissue, and several operating tables line the walls, each with a half-finished undead creation strapped to them. Some appear to have already been animated, and the rattle of bones and iron buckles can be heard as the creations attempt to move in their bonds.

The only other feature of the room is a set of metal doors on the far wall, flanked by a paid of armored skeletons.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade frowns. He steps forward, gazing at the creatures. "What need...does a school master have for armed guards?" he asks.

Staring at the skeletons, the Blade chuckles. "Can you understand me? Or do you only speak Necril?"

[Diachronos]

"I'm not terribly surprised, to be honest. His work was always considered... questionable, by the rest of the Archmagi." When the Blade tries to speak to the skeletal guards, she shakes her head. "Even if they understand you, I doubt they have any ability to speak. Most simple undead lack the capacity for speech."

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade glances back at the Reaper. "I don't suppose you have the power to turn, control, or destroy undead? I'd rather save my strength if possible."

[Diachronos]

"I haven't worked out how to control undead that are already under someone else's control yet. Even if I did, I don't think I can overpower Gloom's link to them. Destroying them, however... that I can do, but I'll have less to work with for the rest of this excursion."

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade sighs. "Try not to get in the way then," he mutters, snapping his fingers. A blast of lightning fires and hits the guard on his left.

Attack (Touch): [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Diachronos]

The skeleton twitches when the bolt strikes it, and both skeletons move toward the Blade with their swords drawn; their armor seems to bog down their movements, giving his group a little extra time to prepare. The Reaper steps up beside the Blade, a black-bladed scythe appearing in her hands. Kyo hops down from her shoulder, and without warning the kitten grows to the size of a mountain lion.


Skeletons: [roll0]
Reaper: [roll1]

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade draws another bolt of lightning and charges forward, stabbing the skeleton he already struck in the chest.

Initiative: [roll0]

Charge [roll1]
Damage: [roll2] (Touch)

Elemental Aura: [roll3] damage to any creature that hits him this round (each creature can only be damaged by it 1/round)

Also, relevant: Mystic Bolts deal energy damage, so they are never subject to damage reduction (but they are subject to energy resistance/immunity)

[Diachronos]

The bolt easily passes through the skeleton's armor, causing electricity to course through its bones. It's not quite enough to drop the undead, however, and both it and its comrade step around to flank the Blade before striking at him.


Skeleton 1:
Hit/Confirm: [roll0]/[roll1]
Damage: [roll2]/[roll3]
Skeleton 2:
Hit/Confirm: [roll4]/[roll5]
Damage: [roll6]/[roll7]


The Reaper steps in to finish off the skeleton that the Blade has attacked, while Kyo pounces at the other skeleton.

Reaper:
Hit/Confirm: [roll8]/[roll9]
Damage: [roll10]/[roll11]
Kyo: Bite on the untouched skelly
Hit/Confirm: [roll12]/[roll13]
Damage: [roll14]/[roll15]

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade keeps his eyes on each skeleton as they position. When they attack him, he quickly deflects one skeleton's sword into the other's, rendering both attacks useless.

Leaving the Reaper to finish off what he started, the Blade slashes upwards and attempts to carve the other skeleton in two.

Attack (touch) [roll0]
CC [roll1]
Damage [roll2] / [roll3]

[Diachronos]

The Reaper's swing knocks the skeleton's head off, and the rest of it collapses to the ground. The Blade's attack isn't quite as successful, due to Kyo's paw slipping on some of the viscera as she leaps and causing her to bump into his leg. The impact doesn't knock the Blade over, but it's enough to allow the skeleton to deflect the bolt away from itself. Seeing an opening, the skeleton retaliates!

Hit/confirm: [roll0]/[roll1]
Damage: [roll2]/[roll3]


Kyo and the Reaper step up to support the Blade once more.

Reaper:
Hit/Confirm: [roll4]/[roll5]
Damage: [roll6]/[roll7]
Kyo: Full attack, 2 claws and a bite
Claw 1:
Hit/Confirm: [roll8]/[roll9]
Damage: [roll10]/[roll11]
Claw 2:
Hit/Confirm: [roll12]/[roll13]
Damage: [roll14]/[roll15]
Bite:
Hit/Confirm: [roll16]/[roll17]
Damage: [roll18]/[roll19]

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade looks down at his chest as a gaping wound appears. He groans. Good thing he was wearing red.

Stepping to the side so that he's flanking with the Reaper, Gabriel strikes the skeleton at the base of its knee.

Attack [roll0](Touch)
CC [roll1]
Damage [roll2] / [roll3]

Elemental Aura damage from last round (skeleton takes this now, forgot to pre-roll it) [roll4]

Elemental Aura damage this round (if I get hit, take this) [roll5]

[Diachronos]

The Blade's attack severs the skeleton's leg at the knee, and it falls to pieces as it hits the floor. The Reaper turns to the Blade, noting the wound on his chest. "Should I tend to that before we continue upward, or do you think you'll be fine?"

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade doesn't respond, moving forward to burst through the metal doors and continue to climb the staircase.

[Diachronos]

"I'll take that as a 'no', then." The Reaper follows him up the stairs, and the duo arrive at a small library at the top of the next flight. Each wall has been converted into a bookshelf, with each shelf packed with tomes bound in what appears to be skin and grotesque knickknacks made from bone and preserved organs.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade searches for a way out, or keeps climbing the stairs of that's an option.

[Diachronos]

There doesn't appear to be any entrance out of the room aside from the one they entered from, discounting the stained glass windows placed to the north and west. The Reaper frowns. "There's no way we're at the top yet. You don't think... Oh gods, he's using that stupid 'bookshelf door' gimmick that you always hear about in stories, isn't he?"

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade chuckles. "It's no less common than a necromancer calling herself 'Reaper'," he points out.

"Fortunately, we have one of his students and an engineer here, so this shouldn't be a guessing game. We can assume that the bookshelf directly opposite the staircase is the one with the hidden door, because Gloom is not the person who built this tower. Basic architecture relies on symmetry so as not to confuse the guests."

He moves to that bookshelf. "Alright. Next, we look for a book that is close to either the right or left of the shelf. The switch can't be in the middle of the door, the wires that connect it to the mechanism could snap when it opened if that was the case."

The Blade takes a spot at the left side of the bookshelf and the Reaper stands at the right.

"Now, we consider the man's age. The book cover of the switch likely needs to be thick and a brighter color, to help his failing eyesight pick it out more easily."

[Diachronos]

The Blade's assumption is spot-on, and he quickly locates a goblin skull on a shelf at chest height that had been painted a deep blood-red color, with a large onyx gem set in each eye socket. The skull refuses to budge when he grabs it, but after some experimenting he presses on the left gem and the shelf swings out from the wall with a soft creak of wood.

Behind the shelf is a narrow spiral staircase, and low moans and growls can be heard from above.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade smiles to himself but does not make any noise. Better to seem cool for her.

The Blade ascends the staircase, keeping one hand on his rapier.

[Diachronos]

The duo continues up the stairs, where they come to another laboratory. This one, however, contains fully functional undead locked in cages, some more elaborate than others. Three operating tables occupy the center of the table. The middle table contains what appears to be a gaunt and deformed elf, while the others contain a pale-skined human male and the other holds a half-orc woman with a small tube inserted into her arm at the elbow; the other end of the tube is linked to a small bag of clear fluid dangling from a metal pole attached to the table.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade frowns and glances at the Reaper. "Are they alive? Can you assess their health?"

[Diachronos]

"Well, the one in the middle is a actually ghoul and the human is a vampire, so whether they're 'alive' is up for debate. I'll check the woman, though." She moves up to examine the woman, and after a minute she nods.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade walks over and carefully removes the tube from the woman's arm. "Stay here and give her medical attention. This won't take long."

He heads upstairs. Gloom was going to answer.

[Diachronos]

She focuses for a moment, and Kyo grows even larger, now the size of a lion. "Take her with you, I'll come help you when I'm done here."

At the top of the stairs, the Blade finds himself standing before a large set of ivory doors. Two muffled voices come from the other side of the doors, and they sound like they're arguing.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade narrows his eyes. He has a good idea of who is behind this door. The storm is here, and these two criminals were about to be struck by the thunder of justice.

He kicks the doors open and strolls in, lion at his side.

"Vrughor Gloom! I am the scourge of the Prism District, the Lightning Blade. Why don't you and I have a chat?" he announces angrily.

[Diachronos]

The two people in the room turn to the door as the Blade kicks it open. He recognizes Vrughor instantly, but the other figure turns and bolts before he can get a glimpse of their face. They sprint straight for one of the room's few windows, and in one smooth movement step up onto the windowsill and leap out.

Vrughor seems oblivious to the fact that his companion just dove out a window that was at least 100 feet over solid ground. "What? 'Lightning Blade'? What in the Nine Hells are you doing in my tower?!"

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade raises one hand. "You have something that I want. The map to the Shards of Midnight. You are working on deciphering its mysteries for the dark queen. If you give up quickly we can have a civilized conversation about this.

[Diachronos]

"What are you blathering about, boy? I know nothing of these 'shards of Midnight', and what I do with the writings I possess is no one's concern but my own. Now if you don't mind, I'm working on some very important research and don't have time to entertain guests." He tugs on a sheet of fabric draped over a large object behind him, as if trying to keep it concealed.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade frowns. "Not even if the writing you possess is stolen property? Stolen property given to you by a known criminal? I would have you return the painting that the map is inscribed on to its rightful owner, and confess your involvement in Tyvhoran's schemes."

Sense Motive: [roll0]

[Diachronos]

Vrughor raises an eyebrow. "'Stolen'? I have no idea what you're talking about. I am studying this inscription in exchange for test subjects, nothing more! Honestly, you have some gall accusing me of being involved in the criminal underworld..."

Vrughor is telling the truth about the Shards, and he truly believes that Tyvorhan is the rightful owner of the map

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade sighs. "The painting is stolen. It was a gift from Lady Bianca Scorn to her son before she went missing. Lady Selene Duskwind, Lord William Scorn, and Royal Physician Thaddeus Sanguine can all attest to that fact. If you turn the painting over to the guards, I will leave with my apologies and not implicate you of any crimes."

He pauses. "Your test subjects are all willing, correct?"

[Diachronos]

"Of course they are! What are you implying, boy?"

The door creaks as it swings open, and the Reaper steps into the room. "I'm not so sure about that, Vrughor. You see, I did a little examination of the half-orc woman you have down below... and judging by how long she seems to have been here, I highly doubt that she was pregnant when she 'volunteered'."

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade's eyes widen in shock. He grabs the rapier at his waist.

"That's it. We will continue this conversation when you have surrendered your spellbook and components, Archmage. For your sake I hope you realize the risk of refusing."

Intimidate: [roll0]
Initiative: [roll1]

[Diachronos]

"Don't you fools get it?! I am on the verge of an enormous breakthrough! The line between death and undeath... it's almost in my grasp!" He grabs the sheet behind him and pulls it away, revealing two tall glass tubes filled with sickly green fluid. Inside each tube is a young humanoid, appearing to be human but there is something... off about them. Their eyes are shut, and they appear to be sleeping or unconscious. "Don't you see what I've created?! Half mortal, half undead, they are the keys to understanding the truth behind the nature of undeath!"

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade frowns. "Your findings are not my concern. Merely your ethics. If the young woman has any complaints against you when she wakes up, I will hear them. Now, surrender the painting, along with anything you have uncovered about the map."

[Diachronos]

Vrughor growls, appearing ready for another outburst, but then he sighs. "...Very well. I have what I need from Tyvorhan, in any case. If she thinks it wise to come after an Archmage, she will see the error of her ways soon enough." The old man digs through a pile of research notes and open books, before pulling out a small sheaf of notes and a large scroll case. "Here. Take it and go, before I lose what patience I have left."

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade accepts the information gratefully. "Thank you. You have my word: these will be returned to Lord Scorn before the morning."

He opens his pouch and removes a handful of platinum. "I had to destroy the skeletons downstairs. This should cover the black onyx you need to replace them." He hands Gloom 5 platinum and goes down the stairs to check on the woman.

[Diachronos]

Vrughor grumbles and goes back to work.

In the lower level, the Reaper points to a pair of small marks in the woman's neck. "He's been keeping her sedated, and letting the vampire on the other table feed from her periodically. Why, I have no idea."

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade frowns. "Can you revive her? We can't just leave without talking to her, but we can't take her with us if she really is here of her own free will."

[Diachronos]

The Reaper shakes her head. "I've tried. Whatever he's drugged her with is too strong for me to cure without an extensive procedure."

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade frowns. "Alright. I'll leave the decision up to you then. Do we risk leaving this woman here to possibly be drugged against her will, or do we risk kidnapping a civilian to rescue her from an experiment she volunteered for. Whatever you decide, I'm with you."

[Diachronos]

"...As much as I hate to do it, she's better off here. Willing or not, I don't know anything about her current condition, and I may not be able to treat any complications that arise because of his experiments."

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade nods. He stands back so that the Reaper can reinsert the tube or do anything else she thinks is necessary, and then the couple heads back to Sanguine Manor.

The Blade chuckles as he lifts the case up. "I've got it back. Now I can finally take the next step to finding out what happened to her. Thank you, Reap-Argh!"

The Blade grabs at his chest as his heart rate skyrockets, and he passes out on Facia's parlor floor. When the Reaper touches him she realizes he's burning with a fever.

Because walking through a lab of necromancy with an open wound (from the skeletons) is unnecessarily reckless. Let's say Gabriel has an infection now.

[Diachronos]

The Reaper scowls and hauls the Blade up from the ground, bracing him over her shoulder. "You idiot. You should've let me heal you." She drags him upstairs to her room and lays him on the bed, and within a minute she has his armor and shirt off. "This... this doesn't look good..."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel coughs for a moment and his eyelids slip open slowly. "Cia?" he whispers weakly. "Heh...just like...a honeysuckle." He drifts off to sleep even as the infection is making his wound turn a dark green.

"Mother, please, I'm very close to a breakthrough on my solar absorption panels. I really don't have time to-"

"To be a kid? To do what kids do? You most certainly do, young man. Now go play with that sweet Sanguine girl before I tell Clarisse to throw out all of the chocolate." Bianca warns sternly.

She blinks and stares at the dust cloud where her son used to be.

Gabriel sighs. Facia Sanguine...she was a real weirdo. She pretty much refused to act like a lady, but she wasn't a lord by any means either. The first time Gabriel had met her she even came off as a commoner. But when they had been introduced...

Gabriel sighs and knocks his fist against his head. Christine would kill him if she knew he was thinking about another girl, even for a second. It's not like Gabriel could help himself. Facia was just...developed. Even if she wore unflattering clothes to hide it.

"Ready to help me with this assignment?" a voice calls.

Gabriel looks up. Facia is smiling and standing at the gate to the manor. She had requested that Gabriel help her with her botany research project. The two of them headed to the open field in the park set aside in the Prism District.

After a few hours of gathering flowers and marking their numbers and locations, Facia stopped in a patch of grass.

"That's strange. What is a honey suckle doing here?" She bends down to pick up the lone flower.

Gabriel looks at it. "Wow. I've never seen a flower like that before. Where did you find it?"

Facia points to a cluster of irises. Not a single other honey suckle was present anywhere in the park.

Facia sits down, confused. How would she record this? What did it mean? Where did this flower come from? She sighs in frustration.

After a few minutes, Gabriel takes a seat next to her. "You know, I'm not surprised you were the one to find and pick that honey suckle. In a way, you two are a lot alike."

Facia glares at him. "Now isn't the time for your poetic nonsense, Gabe. Besides, if I'm like any flower, it's a venomous one."

Gabriel shakes his head. "Hear me out. No one else noticed the honey suckle because it was surrounded by a much more elegant looking plant. But the honey suckle just kept growing and standing out in its own way. Even if it was invisible, you found it. You saw that it was different, and that was a kind of beauty to you, so you picked it."

He smiles at her. "So maybe one day, someone will see you among the other irises growing in this city and pick you. Someone will recognize how your difference makes you beautiful."

Facia's face turns beet red and she looks down at the flower in her hand.

Gabriel takes it from her and fits it carefully in her hair, as another woman might do with a rose. Facia blushes even harder.

...She kept the flower.

[Diachronos]

Facia rips off her mask and tosses it across the room. She presses her hands against his wound, pouring as much of her healing expertise and magic into him as she can manage. "No... no, you're not dying on me, dammit. I didn't come with you tonight just to let you die in my bed!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel struggles a bit as she treats him, but his sleep is relatively undisturbed. The wound closes up and the skin repairs itself to its normal hue.

A bit of sweat on his brow tells Facia that his fever has broken too.

[Diachronos]

Facia sighs with relief, and nearly breaks down sobbing. She shouldn't have let him go on untreated; he'd almost died because she'd let him walk around a necromancer lab with an open wound.

Figuring that he was going to be out cold for a while, Facia starts undressing him and getting him into his normal clothes so there's no risk of someone seeing him in his Lightning Blade costume.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel yawns and sits up, rubbing his eyes as he...grapefruits?

Facia looks at him. He looks at her. And then he looks down at her hands, which are holding his slacks in the process of either buttoning or unbuttoning.

Gabriel laughs uneasily and quickly tugs his pants out of her hands, buttoning them up quickly. "Sorry I dozed off, I...wait, where are we? Is this your bedroom?"

[Diachronos]

"Yes, we are. You collapsed in the parlor, so I brought you here to treat your injuries." She hands him his shirt. "Next time, don't go walking around a necromancer's lab with an open chest wound."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel blushes and pulls the shirt over his head. "Sorry about that. I-ow!" As he starts to stand up, a brace of pain hits him and he places one hand over his recently infected wound.

[Diachronos]

"Easy, don't push yourself. You caught a pretty nasty infection in there." She puts her hand on his chest and pushes him onto his back. "Just rest for a bit."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel looks up at her with confusion. "I can't do that to you. This is your bed, and you're probably feeling worn out too. I don't want you to sleep somewhere else because I was stupid."

[Diachronos]

"Then I'll just sleep here too. The bed's big enough for both of us."

[NeoSeraphi]

Oh good. Sleeping in the same bed as an unwed noblewoman. I'll add that to the list of reasons Clarisse will want to kill me, right next to 'Didn't come home at all' and 'Nearly suffered damage from an infection'

"I'm...not in any position to argue," he replies, shifting over to give her plenty of room.

[Diachronos]

"You're right, you're not." She heads to her dresser and starts changing into a more comfortable set of clothing. "I don't know if I got the infection out completely, so I need to keep an eye on you."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel quickly shuts his eyes and keeps them closed. "Alright. Should I take my shirt off then?"

[Diachronos]

"That's up to you. It might be better if you did, though, that way I can check the wound easier."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. After a bit of trouble on his part he sits up and takes his shirt off, laying it on the floor next to the bed. Gabriel settles in to the sheets, lying on his back so his chest is exposed for easy examination.

[Diachronos]

Facia finishes dressing and crawls into bed beside him. She gets a bit closer than expected, enough that she's touching his shoulder.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sighs and dozes off lightly, able to wake up instantly if prompted but otherwise sleeping until morning.

[Diachronos]

The next morning, Gabriel awakens to the feeling of something rough against his face. When he opens his eyes, he finds Kyo perched on his chest, licking his cheek.

Facia is by her dresser, in the middle of selecting her clothes for the day. "Don't roll over, Sebastian's right next to you."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel's eyes fall immediately upon her form and he growls in frustration. "Alright...I need to go explain to my fiance why I was out all night."

He stands up slowly and grabs his clothes from the ground, redressing. He frowns as he gazes at his costume, it's soaked with blood. He walks over to her and wraps one arm around her waist. "Did you decide on a day and time with Rachel, by the way? She hasn't told me yet."

[Diachronos]

"Hm? Oh, this Saturday. Rachel and I didn't have anything planned for that day, so it sounded like the best time."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods and packs up all the stuff, his costume and all of the items he retrieved from Gloom. He smiles at Facia awkwardly and heads back to his estate.

Gabriel arrives past breakfast time, in yesterday's clothes, having not showered and looking like he didn't sleep that well either. He glances around for any sign of Clarisse as he enters the estate.

[Diachronos]

It doesn't take long for Gabriel to find Clarisse. Moments after he walks in the door, she spots him from the top of the entrance hall's stairs and starts toward him. "Where have you been? You left at 10:00 yesterday morning and your meeting with the Senate ended at 3:30! Where in the world have you been?!" It's hard to tell if she's angry at him or worried about him.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel rubs the back of his head. "I was at Sanguine Manor. Had something surprising come up. Bit of business. I spent the night there."

[Diachronos]

Clarisse stops right in front of him, her arms crossed. "You could've at least sent word, couldn't you? I... we were all worried about you..."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel hugs her. "You're right. I'm really sorry, Clara. I'll be sure to send word next time I'm out for the night." He kisses her on the cheek and sticks his head into the kitchen to see if Valeera is cooking yet.

[Diachronos]

Valeera is in the middle of cleaning some of the pots and pans from breakfast. She looks back at Gabriel when he walks in. "I'm guessing you could've used an extra hand last night, then?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel chuckles. "What do you take me for?" He holds up the case with the painting in it. "I got this information from Gloom before Tyvhoran did, and now that he knows she's a crook he won't be telling her anything. Plus, the map is back with me. Safe and sound. How are you doing?"

[Diachronos]

"Better than yesterday, at least. So you got your painting back, then? Does that mean you're going to be giving up the night life?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shakes his head. "Tyvhoran is a problem that needs to be solved. I'm not leaving this to you. It started with me and it will end with me. ...Also, I can't help but feel like something bad is about to happen. Her Majesty's condition has been getting worse despite Royal Physician Sanguine's best efforts. If the monarchy collapses right now, this entire city could descend into chaos. The people need a hero."

[Diachronos]

Valeera raises an eyebrow. "Can't the queen afford proper treatment? Or is the city just really lacking in competent healers?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shakes his head. "You would think...we have plenty of skilled healers and the queen is absolutely loaded. It's almost like someone's tampering with her ability to recover. She's in no state to name a successor right now. If she doesn't get better soon..." He rubs his temples. "Is there any breakfast left?"

[Diachronos]

She points to a covered tray. "I was going to throw it out in a few minutes. It's not hot, but it's still edible."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel eats his breakfast and stands up with a smile. "Thank you." He heads upstairs and glances at his schedule as he sets his case down on the desk.

[Diachronos]

With the school year over, Gabriel's schedule is mostly freed up aside from the occasional political meeting. Sapphiron looks up from the pile of books he is perusing as Gabriel walks in. "Ah, a pleasure to see you again."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel slips on the Sanguine lenses and opens up the case. "Good to see you again too, Sapphiron. Now...let's see what secrets this map has been hiding from me!"

He gazes down at the painting, hoping the lenses will show him something his eyes have never seen before.

[Diachronos]

When Gabriel looks at the painting, the soldiers and demons depicted in the painting actually move, shifting to the side and turning to stand at attention with their eyes facing him. In the space they once occupied, there are multiple lines of texts and vague maps. One of them appears to show the shore and land surrounding what is now Opeon's capital, Dalaran.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel's eyes light up. "What could this mean? Is one of the Shards hidden near the capital? ...Hmm. What should I do? Should I try to retrieve it? I am going to the capital pretty soon, after all. But...maybe it's better to just leave it alone. After all, if no one has found it yet after all this time, why should I go digging it up into the spotlight?"

[Diachronos]

"I would advise against taking the map's information at face value. The one who created the map left many false leads in it, and you could end up walking right into a trap."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns and adjusts the lenses. "How am I supposed to read a map that has false data thrown right in? Is there some way to see past the lies?"

[Diachronos]

"There are some true pieces of information in there as well. The lenses should rotate to change the imagery." As he adjusts the lenses, the images in the map shift. While most of the text and imagery changes, the map surrounding the capital's location remains the same.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns. So this was what she meant by 'a piece of the puzzle'. Twelve Shards, but these lenses could only point him towards one. "Alright. Sapphiron, you and I are going to examine this location in a few days. When we do, we'll find out exactly what's down there. If it is a trap, I can at least spring it so no one else gets hurt. And if there's a Shard there...my mother wanted me to find it. So I have to trust her and take possession of it."

[Diachronos]

"How can you be so sure that your mother even knew of the Shards' existence? If she did, what reason would she have for wanting you to find them?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns. "I don't know the answer to either of those questions. But she gave me this painting for a reason, Sapphiron. And maybe...she knew she was going to disappear. If that's the case, I might find a clue as to where she went when I find this Shard."

[Diachronos]

The tome sighs. "Very well, then. I would advise against going into this alone, however. You will want someone to have your back. And as much as I'd love to contribute more than just me knowledge, I'm afraid in this state I'm of little use in a fight."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. He had already invited Darven to go with him. "I'll have some backup with me. Hmmm..." He takes a seat and, still wearing the lenses, glances at the notes that Gloom had been taking to see if there was anything relevant.

[Diachronos]

The lenses do not reveal anything unusual about the notes themselves, but there is writing in the margins of his notes that weren't there when he'd picked them up. They seem to be written in Tyvorhan's handwriting, and are commenting on how his new creations could be useful to her plans.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns and places the lenses in the box. He would return these to Facia after he found the Shard. For now though, he needed to decide what his next move would be. After considering things, he decides that he needs to repair his suit and then go see this new hideout that Darven created.

Gabriel carefully sews up the outfit and wipes most of the blood out of it, then heads to the area Darven marked on his map to see if the elf was there.

[Diachronos]

When Gabriel arrives, he sees Darven emerging from behind the waterfall, seemingly walking straight out of the stone wall. He waves when he sees Gabriel. "Fancy running into you here!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sighs. "Hey Darven. How's the progress going? I almost got caught by Clarisse this morning, and between the queen's illness, Tyvhoran getting help from the Archmagi and some new masked guy running around calling himself the Silver Shroud, I could really use some good news."

[Diachronos]

Darven chuckles nervously. "Well, I've got some. Come on, let me show our new lair!" He leads Gabriel behind the waterfall, and as they approach he can see that there is actually a small cave entrance that can't be seen without going behind the waterfall.

About 20 feet inside, the cave widens immensely into an open room. Regularly spaced stone pillars run from the floor to the ceiling, apparently keeping the ceiling up. The place is poorly furnished, only containing a crude bed and a few tables and chairs. "It's not much, but I didn't finish it very long ago."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel collapses on the bed and tosses his suit down. He sets up a chest and locks the suit inside it, tossing the spare key to Darven. "It's perfect. This will make moving around the city way easier. Is your mother still mad at me, by the way?"

[Diachronos]

"She's calmed down a bit." He goes around a corner into another room, and it sounds like he's rummaging through something. "Oh, um... you know that Silver Shroud character you mentioned?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sighs. "Yeah, Shadowsting mentioned that he stepped in and helped her when she got shot off a rooftop."

[Diachronos]

"Yeah. 'Shadowsting' is a mouthy girl, isn't she? She almost gave herself away when those thugs came around the corner." He steps out of the back room, now wearing a midnight blue set of clothing with a silvery-white cloak and mithral vest. "Well, you were probably going to find out anyway, so... yeah, I'm the Silver Shroud."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel narrows his eyes and fires a bolt of lightning directly at the vigilante. "No. You are an idiot. Take that ridiculous outfit off. Why are you even wearing it? What in the hell made you decide it was a good idea to snoop around the Merchant's District? This doesn't concern you, Darven."

[Diachronos]

Darven twists to the side to avoid the bolt. "I should be saying the same to you!" He pulls the costume's hood over his head, and wraps the hood's cowl over his face. "I am not about to allow one of my closest friends wander into this city's darkest depths alone."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel rubs his temples. "Bullsh*t! You knew damn well that I wasn't out that night. You went after Valeera didn't you? Out there, risking your life so you can impress a girl!" He fires another bolt angrily at the boy. "What the hell happened to wanting to carry on your family's legacy? What about you being possibly the only elf noble in the next generation? You do realize this woman has murdered tens of men already? She doesn't care about anything but herself, and she's very capable of killing you or anyone else that gets in her way. The last time I saw her she nearly ripped my throat open with a single swing, and she was just messing around. Go home, Darven. This isn't your problem."

[Diachronos]

"Yes, I went after Valeera, because I was wondering where she was going and why she chose to get there by climbing out her bedroom window. And it's a good thing I had, otherwise she'd be dead right now." His voice takes on an eerie, echoing quality. "This woman is a threat to all of Kalimdor, is that correct?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel kicks the chest open and dons his garb.

"Enough. I am the Lightning Blade. The Scourge of the Prism District. Leader of Kalimdor's team of heroes known as The Storm of Justice, and Kalimdor's honest king. I have no need of assistance from a boy who can't even wield a sword. Your magic is powerful, but that is a weakness. Anyone can trace strong illusions back to you. Your disguise is meaningless and your family is at risk if you fight like Darven Duskwind in that form. If you truly seek to aid me...then show me what you can do!"

[Diachronos]

Darven reaches under his cloak, and produces a gleaming elven curved blade, which he holds with a grip that Darven likely wouldn't be capable of. "Gladly..." He strides toward the Lightning Blade, and as he raises his weapon to attack the Blade feels a sense of weakness start to come over him.


DC 14 Will save to avoid becoming fatigued for 1 round

Attack: [roll0]/[roll1]
Damage: [roll2]/[roll3]

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade ignores whatever feeble attempt to weaken him the Shroud has put forth, and catches the Shroud's blade with one hand, shoving him back.

"Predictable, and angular," the Blade announces, snapping his fingers. A burst of lightning surrounds him as he draws a mystic bolt. "Armor won't save you from me. Let's see some fancy footwork."

He slashes at the Shroud.

Attack (Touch): [roll0]
CC [roll1]
Damage [roll2] / [roll3]

If Darven lands a hit, he takes [roll4] electricity damage.

[Diachronos]

The Lightning Blade's attack gets a solid hit, and the Shroud steps back. "Let's see if you're as good in the dark."


Will save DC 16 to avoid having his vision treated as if the light level in the area were 1 level lower.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade sighs and steps forward, drawing his rapier and reaching to knock the sword from Darven's hands.

Disarm: [roll0] versus Darven's CMD

He points the blade tip at Darven's chest as the Elven sword clatters to the ground. "You seem to have improved...but you're still inexperienced."

[Diachronos]

The Shroud growls and picks up his sword. "...Fine. I'll be leaving, then."

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade grabs his arm. "Stop. ...I can tell you're not budging on this. It's definitely going to be a headache but I would rather work together with you on this so I can keep an eye on you. But seriously, Darven, you need to promise me that you'll be careful. This city is getting more and more dangerous every day."

He pauses, and then adds, "But since I won the fight, you're not allowed to flirt with Valeera anymore. Focus on your training and helping the city. You can be a hero when it's all over. Deal?"

[Diachronos]

"So be it." He tugs his arm free and walks toward the back of the cavern to stow his costume.

[NeoSeraphi]

The Blade changes back to his standard outfit.

"I've never seen that sword before. Where did you get it?"

[Diachronos]

"...my parents had it commissioned for me years ago. It's just been collecting dust in my closet since then."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. "Don't be upset. You can get better. You just need some practice, and I'm happy to spar with you any time. Now I need to go see Rachel. Thanks for setting this place up. I'll let the others know about it."

He heads out, and swings by the Academy to see if Rachel is in her office.

[Diachronos]

Rachel is busy grading exams when Gabriel arrives. She looks up at him when he enters the office. "Oh, hello. Can I help you with something?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sighs. "I was wondering if you might want to come with me when I visit the capital. I am not a teacher and I cannot judge an educator fully. You know what you're doing, so you could provide some useful insight on who would be best suited to recruitment."

[Diachronos]

"Um..." Rachel pulls out her schedule and flips through it. "How long were you expecting the whole trip to take?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns. The map complicated things. "To be safe, I would estimate four days."

[Diachronos]

"Four days, and you're leaving on this date... I'll have to reschedule some things, but I can most likely go with you."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods. "While we are there, my friend Darven and I will be taking a side trip. It's going to be very dangerous, so if we don't come back I want you to assume the worst and head home without us."

[Diachronos]

"What are you doing that's so dangerous, Gabriel? Wouldn't it be better if I came with you?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel raises an eyebrow. "No, you might get hurt. I don't want that to happen to you. Darven and I are going to search for an ancient artifact of untold power that threatened to destroy the world once. It is doubtless guarded by a great beast and many traps. Most likely some powerful curse has been placed on the area around it as well. Standard ancient artifact stuff."

[Diachronos]

"...And you're going into that with only one other person?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns. "The only person I know besides Darven that would be strong enough to handle themselves in that situation is you, and you are a leader of your department. You have hundreds of students who depend on you and need you. I don't even have a good, solid reason for risking my life to do this, so I definitely don't want to risk yours."

[Diachronos]

Rachel sighs. "...just don't do anything reckless, alright?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles. "I do appreciate you coming with me. I'm going to be announcing my engagement this afternoon, but I was hoping I might join you for dinner this evening at your home. Would that be alright with you?"

[Diachronos]

"I suppose it would be fine. I'll need to pick up a few things if I'm cooking for two, though."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shrugs. "You're clearly busy, and I'm not. Tell me what you need, I'll go pick it up and drop it off at your place."

[Diachronos]

She nods and scribbles down a short list of ingredients. "Thank you, Gabriel. You have no idea how much of a help this is."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel frowns. Okay, now he knew something was up. Taking the list from her, he tilts his head. "Are you okay? You seem preoccupied. Did something happen? You can talk to me."

[Diachronos]

"There's just been a lot of work to do with it being the end of the semester. I don't know how the other Archmagi get everything in order so quickly... maybe it's just because they've got so much more experience with it than I do."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles. "In that case, why don't I cook for you instead? You can take a load off, have a nice cup of tea and after we eat I'll give you a deep massage and help you relax. Doesn't that sound nice?"

After everything that's happened between them Gabriel feels no shame about flirting with her. He knows the attraction is mutual.

[Diachronos]

He can practically see her shoulders sag with relief. "That would be nice. Have you cooked very often?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles. "No, I never do. But I have the rest of the day to learn! Try and relax a bit, I want you to be more...accommodating to your lord when I come over."

His tone is one that warns her he won't be as lenient after she's had some time to rest. He understands she is in no mood right now but he's going to put her back into it. After all, she needs a bit of instruction after her visit with Facia.

Gabriel goes to the market and picks up the groceries, then stores them in his fridge when he returns to the manor. Calling Valeera down to the kitchen Gabriel rubs his hands together.

"I have arranged so that Darven will stop bothering you. We have a secret base now, by the way. Oh, and a name. Our team is called The Storm of Justice. There are four members including you, me, Darven and the Red Reaper. Can you teach me how to cook in three hours?"

[Diachronos]

Valeera raises an eyebrow. "'Bothering me'? Since when is he bothering me?" She crosses her arms when he asks about teaching him to cook. "After seeing how your first attempt turned out? I'm not sure I could teach you in three weeks, let alone three hours."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel blinks. "He's trying to court you. Overtly eagerly. You said he was getting on your nerves at the masquerade ball."

Sighing, Gabriel shows her the list of ingredients. "I just need to make one decent meal for two. Help me out here."

[Diachronos]

"Wait, he's what?" She shakes her head and looks at the list he shows her. "...Ugh, alright, fine. This is something easy, even you could get it right."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel rolls his eyes. Typical. Darven isn't being direct and Valeera isn't paying attention.

"Darven is disillusioned with the matches his parents have suggested so he's pursuing you instead. Don't worry, I'm taking him with me to the capital. Hopefully he'll find some interesting young woman to marry while we are there."

Sighing in relief, Gabriel takes some notes as Valeera explains the recipe to him.

[Diachronos]

Valeera teaches him the recipe for a simple dish, one that he might not have even heard of seeing as it's more commonly made by the lower class due to how reliably cheap the ingredients tend to be.

"What am I supposed to do while you're at the capital? Just go out and deal with Tyvorhan's thugs by myself?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shakes his head. "You should take some time to polish up the secret base. It could use some more furnishing, and some important supplies like rope, first aid kits, lanterns, and anything else you can think of. You may run into the Reaper while you're there, so if you want to keep your identity secret it's probably best that you stay disguised at all times."

[Diachronos]

"Where exactly am I supposed to get the money for these things?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel opens his coin purse and removes 1000 gold from it, setting it in a smaller bag in front of her.

[Diachronos]

Her eyes practically pop out of her head when he hands over the bag of coins. Looking back, this is probably more money than she'd seen in her life up to this point. "You're... you're really trusting me with all of this?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shakes his head. "You'll only need about 200 or so to outfit the base, if you really go overboard. The rest is yours to keep."

[Diachronos]

"...Why, though? Why are you giving me this much?"

[NeoSeraphi]

"I'm doing it for Samuel. If he wasn't constantly being tortured by Tyvhoran, he probably would have gladly spent his fortune spoiling his only daughter rotten. You didn't grow up with nothing because you had nothing, you grew up with nothing because what you had was taken from you. This much is a pittance compared to what he would have given you, but I have to save more to help build this school."

[Diachronos]

Valeera stares at the bag for a few seconds, then steps up and hugs Gabriel. "Thank you..."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel is surprised, but then smiles and hugs her back. "Be good while I'm gone okay? You won't have anyone here to bail you out of trouble for at least four days."

[Diachronos]

"I will. I can't do much in the city until I can find the missing piece to my armor anyway."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel heads upstairs, grabs the piece of her armor that he found outside the Delights, and brings it back down to her.

[Diachronos]

Valeera sighs with relief as she takes the piece. "Where did you find this?"

[NeoSeraphi]

"In an alley next to where you fell. Be careful next time, okay?"

[Diachronos]

"Okay." She pockets the chunk of metal. "...Come back safe, okay?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel chuckles. "Sure, no worries. Now then, I need to get ready for my press conference."

He heads upstairs to find Clarisse.

[Diachronos]

Clarisse is busy arranging the things that they would need to take with them to the capital. She doesn't look up when Gabriel arrives.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles when he walks into the bedroom. "Good afternoon. The press release is in an hour. You'll need to dress like a noblewoman for it, please."

[Diachronos]

Clarisse nods and heads to get dressed.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel quickly puts on his best suit and slicks his hair back a bit, putting some notes together and heads outside to the press area. He smiles and greets a few of the reporters by name, shaking some hands and glancing around for any sign of anyone suspicious. He was getting a bit paranoid as of late.

Standing behind his podium, Gabriel sets his notes down and begins to speak. "Good afternoon, and thank you for coming today. As many of you know, last week I took authority over House Scorn and became the youngest master of a House in nearly a century. I have spoken before the Academy and before the Senate to achieve my goals, and I hope to get an audience with Queen Ileosa when she is feeling well enough. As I move forward, proud to be a citizen of both Kalimdor and the nobility, I hope to make many strides in the world of education, law enforcement, and politics. I want the people of the Lower Districts to feel as though they have a voice, and a chance to succeed as I did."

He gestures to the young woman to the right of the stage. "In order to achieve these goals, I will not stand alone. After severing my ties with House Brecombe, I am proud to announce that I have taken a new bride. Her name is Clarisse Sovell, and we shall be wed when I return from the capital in two weeks' time. Clarisse does not belong to any house, but she is the woman I have the strongest connection with, and I am sure we will be very happy together."

Now came the hard part. Gabriel glances closely at his notes before clearing his throat. "However, I am not the only ambitious young lord who seeks to change this city for the better! And I know how hard it is to fight against the expectations of others. Therefore, I will not stand by and watch my friend be alone in her struggle. Lady Facia Sanguine has elected to not marry immediately, despite her growing age. I find this acceptable, as she is well on her way to becoming the brightest witch of our generation. If she does not have time for a relationship, I cannot fault her. Knowing, though, that she only has so many years left before motherhood is lost to her, I will do my part to ensure that she has an heir. This child, born not of arrangement or marriage but of practicality, will be of both House Scorn and House Sanguine. I will do everything I can to raise him or her as if he or she was my wife's child. And perhaps, in time, Lady Sanguine will find an option available to her that might not have proved as fertile, in terms of her spouse."

He bows his head. "Thank you. I will now take any questions."

[Diachronos]

The press practically explodes when Gabriel says he's taking questions. Most of them are about his choice to break tradition in choosing Clarisse as his wife or his decision to become the father of Facia's child despite the two of them not being married, and a few are pressing for information on why Facia hasn't married yet or if Gabriel is planning on going against any other long-standing traditions of Kalimdor's nobility.

It takes several minutes to get them settled enough for him to answer their questions in an orderly fashion. After the initial buzz about his marriage and arrangements with House Sanguine, the questions start turning toward his plans for the Merchant District and Lower Quarter.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles and calmly silences the crowd. "Alright, get your pens ready. You can quote me on all of this, but this will be the only time I'm taking questions like these. Let's begin."

"Why did I choose not to marry another lady? In part it is because I mean what I say when I say everyone in this city should be equal. I honestly believe that Clarisse fits the credentials of an excellent wife. Whether she will be an excellent noblewoman remains to be seen, but that is a journey we will take together. And as to why I chose to terminate my arrangement with Christine Brecombe, that is a private matter that I will not disclose."

"As I said, Lady Sanguine is 27 years of age at the moment. While she is certainly capable of having a child later than this, she may find she won't have enough energy to raise a toddler if she waits too much longer. This was a joint decision between her and myself, and Clarisse supports it fully. Lady Sanguine and I did entertain the idea of wedding simply to produce an heir for her, but in the end I realized that wouldn't make either party happy, since it would be depriving us both of the chance to be wed to someone we truly loved."

"If you have any questions for Lady Sanguine regarding her reasons for not choosing one of her suitors, I suggest you direct them to her. I believe I have already spoken more than enough for House Sanguine on the matter, and it is not fair of me to put any words in her mouth."

"Traditions are important to some, but to me they are merely an excuse to inhibit progress. I will look to the future of Kalimdor, not to the past. If another tradition stands in my way, I will knock it aside without a thought."

He smiles and steps back for a moment. "Now, I'm sure you have at least a few questions for my lovely bride. Clara, please take the podium and say a few words."

[Diachronos]

Clarisse's eyes widen as she steps out onto the stage. She seems out of her element here, having spent most of her life with the expectation that she should be seen and not heard.

When she steps up to the podium, everyone's eyes are on her. It takes her a moment to find her voice, but when she does she starts talking about her time in Gabriel's service and how she's come to see him as the pinnacle of nobility. She goes on to explain that he has her full support in his plans to promote equality in Kalimdor and improve the lives of those less fortunate.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles and takes her hand, squeezing it. "Thank you so much for your time. No more questions. Thank you, thank you, have a lovely day."

When the press disperses Gabriel looks at his young wife. "How are you feeling? You did great out there!"

[Diachronos]

"I don't think I've ever had so many people watching me before. It... it was almost like working when your mother was still here."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles. "Well, you better get used to it! This is your life now. You can send all those invitations now. I'm sure many noblewomen are excited to meet you."

He kisses her and tells her he's going to dinner at Rachel's, then gathers the ingredients and heads on over.

[Diachronos]

There is no answer when Gabriel knocks on the door, but he does find a small note tucked under the doormat, as well as a key. It's a note from Rachel, telling him that she'll be home as soon as her work is done at the Academy.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel raises an eyebrow. If she still had work to do, why did she come home to leave this note? Shrugging, he lets himself in and gets to work preparing the dish for the evening.

Profession (Cooking)! [roll0]

[Diachronos]

Unlike Gabriel's first attempt at cooking, this dish turns out to be actually passable. And edible. Granted, it's not nearly as good as what he's come to expect from Clarisse or Valeera, but it's an immense improvement over last time.

Just when he's almost done, he hears the sound of the front door opening and closing, followed by the sound of someone flopping down onto the couch with a weary sigh.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles and walks into the living room. "Hey. Shopping is done, dinner is ready. Is there anything else I can do to cheer you up?"

[Diachronos]

Rachel is lying face-down on the couch, and looks up at him when he enters. "Do you know any ways to remove fatigue other than sleeping for the night?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel chuckles and walks up behind her, gently kneading her back muscles and easing some tension between her shoulder blades.

"Go ahead and vent for a bit. Talking about it will make you feel better."

[Diachronos]

Rachel sighs. "The other Archmagi make it look so easy! I don't know how they have time to get all of their work done and still have time to even relax, let alone work on their own projects!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel tilts his head. "Maybe you need a personal assistant. Couldn't you ask a student to earn their tuition by helping you around the office?"

[Diachronos]

"Why didn't I think of that?" She sighs with relief and lays her head on the couch.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles and helps her sit up. "Come on. Your meal is going to get cold." He brings her over to the dinner table and sets the food in front of her, pouring some nice wine he bought while he was out (it wasn't on her list) and handing it to her. Clinking his glass with hers, Gabriel eats.

[Diachronos]

Rachel digs into her food with a hunger that implies she hasn't had much chance to eat that day. "Thank you, Gabriel. For... everything."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles. "Come now. You're a good friend of mine, Rachel. I'm more than happy to help you any time. I thought I made that clear the last time we were together? You can rely on me to protect you, guide you, aid you financially, whatever you need. I'm happy to give you. And you're already doing plenty in exchange."

[Diachronos]

Rachel smiles. "I know. But I still feel like I should thank you for going out of your way for all of this."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel chuckles. "I'm certain that if you just think a bit creatively you will find an easy way to show your gratitude," he replies, sipping a bit more wine. "How does everything taste?"

[Diachronos]

"It tastes good. Like you've had a bit of practice with cooking."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles proudly to himself. "Alright. Well, I'm glad to have helped you out. If there's nothing else you need, I guess I'll return to my estate for the night."

[Diachronos]

Rachel nods. She hugs him as he gets ready to leave, and says that she'll see him soon. "I'll start gathering things up for the trip to the capital."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel chuckles. "See you Saturday. Hope you feel better." He waves to her and heads back to the house to see Clarisse.

[Diachronos]

Clarisse is busy with packing for the trip to the capital when he returns. "My lord, please tell me you're not bringing that talking book with you to the capital. It's... it's unnerving."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel blinks and glares at Sapphiron, pulling a lighter out of his dresser and igniting it. "Have you been upsetting my wife, Sapphiron?"

[Diachronos]

Sapphiron matches his glare. "I have done no such thing! Other than asking Lady Clarisse's opinion or thoughts on some of the books I've been reading, I have been minding my own business."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel tilts his head. "Oh. Clara, it's not very nice of you to get upset at a book just because it ta- wait 'bringing'? 'Unnerving'? Whoa...whoa whoa whoa. Clara, you're not coming with me!"

[Diachronos]

"W... what? Why?!" Clarisse points to the suitcases she's packed. "I've already packed our things for the trip!"

Sapphiron's eye shifts back and forth between the two of them. "Erm... should I give you two a moment of privacy?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel narrows his eyes. "Yes, Sapphiron, please excuse us."

When the book leaves, he sits down. "Clarisse, you can't just come with me to the middle of an enormous city like the capital. You've barely even begun to adjust to court life. You have to start making appointments and keeping them, and get used to an authoritative position in the household with the servants. Plus, don't you want to stay behind and make some plans for the wedding?" He gives her a smile.

"Listen, I...I don't want to admit this to you, but I guess I have to. Darven and I aren't just going to recruit teachers. There's a...deal that we're making. Under the table. It's going to be very dangerous, and I can't be worried about protecting you while I'm doing it. Okay?"

[Diachronos]

Clarisse crosses her arms. "Gabriel, why do you have to get into dangerous situations when you're away from home? Or at all?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sighs. "It has to do with my mother's disappearance."

[Diachronos]

Clarisse doesn't respond at first. After standing there for a moment, she walks up and hugs him. "...Just promise me that you'll be careful..."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles and hugs her back. "I will. Don't worry, Darven will be there to help me. And Rachel will look after both of us. I'm not alone. I have plenty of strong friends doing their best to support me."

[Diachronos]

"...I'm trying to support you too. But... I don't think I'll be of any use to you if what you're doing is dangerous."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel kisses her cheek. "You just hold down the fort here at home, okay? I don't plan on doing anything dangerous any longer than I have to. I have a school to open, after all!"

[Diachronos]

"Okay." She buries her face into his shoulder. "I'll have as much planned for the wedding as I can by the time you get back."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods and holds her close as the two of them fall asleep together.

In the morning Gabriel gets dressed quickly and heads out to the palace. He couldn't shake this bad feeling and he needed to see for himself if the queen was well.

[Diachronos]

Gabriel runs into Thaddeus on the way to the palace. The Royal Physician looks worried, and he's frequently darting to catch one of the things he's carrying as it starts to topple over.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel rushes forward and catches an item as it falls down, stopping the man entirely. "My lord, I really must protest you moving around with Her Majesty's treatment so haphazardly! Please, allow me to split the load with you."

[Diachronos]

Thaddeus reluctantly allows Gabriel to take some of the vials and instruments from him. "With Her Majesty's condition, I can't exactly afford to waste time. But thank you for the assistance."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel gathers up the vials and instruments and carries them carefully. "My lord, I must ask. You are a brilliant doctor working night and day to help Her Majesty. Why is she only getting worse?"

[Diachronos]

Thaddeus looks around for a moment. "...Let's find a place to discuss this in private."

He leads Gabriel to a small alley near the palace. After making sure that no one is around other than the two of them, he speaks. "I'm no stranger to diseases. If Her Majesty were truly sick, I'd have found a way to cure her by now. But I recently came to a realization... Queen Ileosa's illness is not the result of a disease. Someone is poisoning her, and using a toxin that perfectly mimics the effects of a disease.

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel raises an eyebrow. "...Surely you haven't kept this from Her Majesty, have you?" he asks, stunned at the secrecy. "Alright. If that's the case, then the only way to help her is to get her as far away from the palace as possible. You need to let me see her, Thaddeus. I can help. Get me past the guards, get me past her advisors. Let me speak to Ileosa herself. We can save the queen together if you trust me."

[Diachronos]

"I haven't said anything because I didn't want to start a panic! The Queen has no heirs, and the Senate is still unsure of what to do if she were to die before appointing someone to take her place. It would be a bad enough situation if she'd merely caught some untreatable disease, do you think there would be any less concern if the public knew that someone is trying to assassinate her? She isn't exactly in a state where she can be moved, so getting her away from the palace isn't much of an option. And despite my best efforts, I have been unable to determine what this poison is or how it is being administered to her. Even after changing her diet and bringing in new chefs and caretakers, her condition has only worsened."

He sighs and leans back against the wall. "I will see what can be done to get you an audience with her, but I can not make any guarantees."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel grabs the lord's collar and pushes him angrily into the wall of the alley. "'Not in a state to be moved'? She's dying, Thaddeus! I don't care what you say, I'm going to get her out of here. She won't recover as long as she continues to be poisoned. The last thing this city needs right now is more chaos. Her Majesty will agree with me, I'm certain of it. Now, does she know she is being poisoned?"

[Diachronos]

"I have not told her directly, but I have suggested that her illness may not be what it seems. From her expression when I informed her of this and the fact that she has been evaluating her servants and staff, I believe she's arrived at the same conclusion that I have."

Thaddeus grips Gabriel's wrist and pries his hand away from his collar. "If you are so insistent that she be moved, I will let you make the argument to her. I am not going to put Her Majesty's life at unnecessary risk with her condition."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel glares back. "Her life is at greater risk staying here!"

He carries the instruments and vials to the palace and nods to the physician. "I'm with him," he tells the guards.

[Diachronos]

Thaddeus mutters under his breath in the same whispering language that his daughter could often be heard speaking in. He nods for the guards to let them through, and they are escorted to the Queen's chambers after they are stripped of their weapons.

Ileosa's silhouette can be seen sitting up through the curtains surrounding her bed. Her soft voice comes from behind the curtains, though it's a bit raspier than what Gabriel might be familiar with. "Ah, Thaddeus... I was beginning to think that you weren't coming today."

The Royal Physician bows. "My apologies, Your Majesty. I was sidetracked on my way here."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel sets the instruments and vials down where instructed and remains silent. His concerns could wait. The physician likely needed to concentrate on her condition for now. When Thaddeus introduced him, and Ileosa consented, he would speak.

[Diachronos]

Thaddeus draws aside the curtains of the bed and begins to tend to the Queen. After a few moments she speaks again. "Oh? Who is the young man you brought with you today?"

"Lord Gabriel Scorn, Your Majesty. He is a close friend of my daughter's, and his house is a longtime ally of House Sanguine."

Gabriel sees the Queen reach out and beckon to him. "A pleasure, Lord Gabriel. Please, come closer so I may get a better look at you."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel obediently steps forward, dropping to his knees in deference before standing up. Ileosa was not some common lady, she is the queen of this city and he will show her absolute respect. When he gets closer to her, he takes a moment to examine her appearance thoroughly.

Perception: [roll0]

[Diachronos]

Ileosa's body is almost entirely covered, including her face, though he catches a glimpse of her bare arm while Thaddeus is examining her. A deep red and blistering rash covers the section of skin that he can see.

"Wait... Gabriel Scorn? Oh, you're the young lord whose proposal I read a few days ago! Quite impressive, I must say. To think that one so young could have such comprehensive plans for improving this fair city."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel nods firmly. "I'm so honored that you appreciate my ideas, Your Majesty. I hope you will consider them again today. I would like to request that you accompany me to Dalaran in six days. I will be going there to attempt to recruit a number of teachers for my new school. I believe that, if we can get you out of the castle for some length of time, you may find that your health actually starts to improve. I understand that you are not feeling your best, Your Majesty, but I assure you that I will do absolutely everything in my power to keep you as comfortable and well-rested as possible, and protect you from all incoming threats with my life."

Diplomacy: [roll0]

[Diachronos]

Ileosa chuckles. "A vacation from whatever is ailing me would be wondrous. But are you sure that this sickness won't find a way to follow me if I were to leave the palace?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel glances sideways at Thaddeus. "...Your Majesty, it's possible that your environment may be causing your condition, or at least preventing you from recovery. A change of scenery may be all you need. And though Royal Physician Sanguine cannot join us to ensure your continued health, his daughter is a very skilled medical practitioner in her own right and would gladly take some time out of her schedule to serve her queen in his stead."

[Diachronos]

"I'm afraid Facia is not familiar enough with Her Majesty's treatments to provide her with the necessary care, and with her other obligations I doubt that-"

"Thaddeus, you and I both know that your daughter is just as good of a physician as you are. I understand that you are hesitant to allow me to leave the city in my condition, but sometimes one must take risks."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel smiles in relief. "I am pleased to hear that you seem to support my idea, Your Majesty. It is my sincere hope that while you are out of the palace, it can be thoroughly inspected for any signs of foul play or contamination. If your condition improves while we are out of the city, you may consider staying at a villa or a manor when we return until the source of your illness has been located and eradicated."

[Diachronos]

Ileosa shakes her head. "It is nothing, young lord. Though, you should know that if anything were to happen to me while I am in your care, you and your companions will be the first to be accused of foul play."

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel pounds his chest with his fist proudly. "Your Highness, I would not ask you to come with me if I was not 100 percent certain of my ability to keep you safe. I thank you for trusting me. If you would please excuse me, I need to go inform Lady Sanguine of the plan."

He bows and heads out of the palace, rushing over to Sanguine Manor as soon as he retrieves his rapier.

[Diachronos]

Facia comes down to meet Gabriel when he arrives, in the middle of stitching Sebastian back together. "Fancy seeing you again so quickly. You didn't go an injure yourself again already, did you?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel rubs his head. "You know that trip to Dalaran that I'm taking with Darven next week? I need you to come."

[Diachronos]

Facia raises an eyebrow. "Are you planning on getting hurt? Or do you have a sudden need for undead bodies in the capital?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Gabriel shakes his head. "Your dad thinks someone is poisoning Ileosa. Our best hope for her to get better is to get her out of the palace. She agreed to accompany me on the trip, so we need you to look after her condition."