• Solo • Immortal's Tongue: Convocation

[Woe]

82nd of Zi'Da 722

Let it be known to all who bear a Curse or a mage's Spark:

We have come to relieve you of your burdens. We do not offer purification by conflagaration, but by the peace of the Winter Lord's Shrine, redemption without harm. Come and be redeemed from the alien clutches upon your soul. Not until death is it too late.

Present yourself to the lord Centurion, beneath Ziell's Shrine. Be at peace, and look to a future without mages, without sparks, without the alien corruption infesting this world.

Come in peace, willing to be redeemed.

All others will be turned away from Ziell's gaze.

Yours has no place in the future we foresee.

Signed,
the lord Centurion



These signs and notices were spread across the island by discrete messengers. If asked who'd given them the missives, they will be quite unresponsive. If pressed, they simply will be unable to recall who gave them to them, except that they were compelled to by one obligation or another, whether monetary or for duty.

Many of these messengers bore the seal of Egilrun.

And so, should they come to the shrine on Immortal's Tongue, the lord Centurion waited by ZIell's shrine, beneath the withered branches of a deciduous tree, laden with snowflakes and icicles. It was Woe, but he was well in disguise, having worn his hair yellow/blonde, and bearing the scars of burning across the left side of his face. The only thing that might hint to his identity, the blue eyes that stared out into the winter landscape of Immortal's Tongue.

He waited, expecting no foul play, for he took no sides in the conflict between magi and non-magi. He sought to absolve the magi, and give hope to the non-magi by example of removing the spark or curse that bedeviled them.

For his own protection, he would pass unnoticed to anyone who held hostile intentions, so long as he maintained neutrality. And so he did, as he stood waiting beneath the Winter Lord's shrine.

He expected the Centipede to watch this ceremony. In fact, he counted on it. They would see that there were other avenues than revolution or revolt to remove mages from Scalvoris. A gentle hand was needed to wash out that stain, and less of a burning conflagaration.

He would see it done, soul by soul.

Powers/skills used

Woe is in disguise. His disguise skills are Deception: GM, Stealth Expert, and Cosmetology: Competent.

He's using the Sombran ower Pass Unnoticed to remain unassailable by those who have hostile intent toward someone who's not taking sides at the moment.

He used his Ignorance Domain powers to slip from the mind of those who he passed out missives to.

[Woe]

Surprise is oft the Fruit of Ignorance

The lord Centurion as he referred to himself waited at Ziell's shrine for some time. Then waited, and waited. The cold weather bothered him not a bit, for the benefit of Ziell's protection that he extended his marked, protecting him from the chill of cold. Yet he wore clothing respectful of the weather, if only to comfort those who came to him in peace.

He stood watching the falling flakes, and enough time passed that his patience to simply stand and wait was taxed. In a moment, he began turning toward the statuary that represented Ziell. He turned to it, and began to speak, in low tones that were barely audible over the storm's wind. "Well, here we are. I wonder what you'd make of this, Ziell?"

Woe referred of course to his mission. Was it important to Ziell, or even a priority to see that magic was erased from the world? Magic was a tool, and a weapon. While weapons were not shunned by Ziell, the malicious use of such, which oft enough was the case with magical corruption of individuals, was.

The mortalborn sighed, and turned away from the Shrine, to watch for any signs of approach. He supposed Ziell would have interfered in some way, or if he'd taken issue at least send a vision to his marked, to tell him that hew as chasing a red herring of a cause. That the Centipede was corrupt as the mages they hunted, and that he was only playing at theatrics.

Woe had fallen into that trap at times, in the past.

A flash of yellow cloth could be seen just then, and Woe heard him before he even saw the cloak. He heard the monk of Adunih chanting a hymn in Xanthean, or so Woe suspected it was Xanthean. He'd never truly learned where Jan was from. But he supposed it was some Desnind connection, based on his interactions with the man.

The flash of yellow cloth became a fully formed figure of the man, wearing a snow-covered ricestraw hat, and many furs over his gold cloak. "Hello there." He said.

Woe hesitated, but then nodded in greeting. Not yet willing to risk letting his voice be heard, for fear that it'd give him away. Although he was a capable liar, he didn't know that he wanted to lie to Jan.

Thankfully, the monk saw fit to dispel any temptation to give into the attempt. "I know it's you, my friend. Woe, what are you doing out here, other than enjoying the fine fresh snowfall?"

"How did you know?"

"Several ways, and clues. In truth I didn't know until I saw you there. Enough similarities, although your disguise is admirable. I know how you like to stand, your many tics. There's more to medicine than just paultices and unguents. There's the way individuals hold their bodies that form their posture, and so on. These things I'm well versed in, as you may know."

Jan smiled warmlyl at Woe despite his calling out of the mortalborn. "Now are you going to tell me why you are here, standing in the snow, looking for attention?"

Woe frowned, "This is no puerile test of whether people are willing to attend me. Or I wouldn't have done so anonymously..."

Jan sighed, "Yes."

"This was a fact finding effort."

"A fishing expedition more like, looking for trouble. Same thing as seeking attention, one might consider. Just of strangers rather than well known quantities. Very reckless of you, my blue-cloak."

Woe crossed his arms, and frowned down at his feet. He was all too aware of how immature his body language made him seem, and released his crossed arms, letting them fall to his sides. "Do you know of the Centipe..."

"I know nothing of the sort, I've been busy healing and running the Egilrun Chapter to deal in such intrigues. But there is whispers of unrest on the streets. It will fall to you to remedy that if it gets out of hand. I'm not entirely sure what the source of this unrest is, but suspect it may be our friends in the Centipede, or the Watcher's Union. Or something else entirely."

Woe frowned, and thought on that a moment. "So why have you come? If you knew it was me, and I was as you say 'Looking for trouble.'?"

Jan sighed again, and approached Woe, placing a gentle but firm hand on his shoulder. "I need help. It's been some time since you visited the Egilrun Chapter. Past time you contribute your works again to our cause."

Woe's frown softened at that, but he tried to reason away, "I've had Egg business to deal with, the Glass Harbor, Slag's Deep... More and more besides."

"Yes very busy, I take it. Yet plenty of time to gallavant across the island on that Dragonling of yours."

"That dragonling makes it possible to reach parts of the island that would take days to reach otherwise..." Woe felt Soz's presence nearby, and knew she was aware that they were talking about her. However, Soz had always gotten on well with Jan Khoro.

"So what do you propose I do for you, Jan?"

Jan smiled at last, and pointed off toward the distance. "Return to Egilrun, help around the Order Chapter House. See if that gains you the perspective you're looking for, and the peace..."

The mortalborn couldn't very well dispute that, and nodded reluctantly.

"Let us leave this strange errand of yours behind us. The hour grows late, and I doubt anyone will come, afterall."

"Perhaps..." The mortalborn of Sintra said, and then shrugged. "Let's go find Soz then. I'll leave a note for anyone who happens to arrive. If nobody does, may Ziell's winter winds blow its parchment from his altar."

So saying, Woe penned the letter swiftly with a bit of graphite.



Seek loss elsewhere. Peace reigns evergreen beneath Ziell's gaze.



Then they were off to find his dragonling, that they might get off to the Scaltoth Jungle.

[Fate]

Your Review

Woe

Hello Woe. Excellent thread and wonderful use of a faction NPC. I appreciated that there was a clear relationship with the npc, but also that they were a real and contributing part of the thread. Woe getting advice from one of his mentors. Woe really does have his hands in multiple plots, as he works to try and keep them all straight, and keep hidden threats from growing to large. Again a very well done thread, and look forward to seeing what other secrets Woe can uncover. Thanks for the Read. Fate.

• XP: 10
• Knowledges:
  • Psychology: x1
  • Discipline: x2
  • Intelligence: x3

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this review - drop me a PM.