Solo The Lie Hidden in Truth

[Amunet]

14th , spring, 516 av
8th bell
Port of Riverfall

Lucavius arrived at the docks on a ship from Blackrock. He was quite vexed of the failure of those he contracted to capture his chosen host. Good help was so hard to find. The smooth cultured man melted onto the gang blank. He stood there looking at Riverfall with the same apathy he looked at the rest of creation. The mournful painfully patient exhale of breath was evident of his disdain with most of creation. There was one thing he wanted here and nothing else. The tall pale man walked slowly and calmly off of the ship and towards the upper tiers garnishing suitable habitation. Behind the stately robed man was a man not so stately with a collar and chain attached and in Lucavius hand. “Come along Goren.” With a tug, they made their way through the busy port and to rent an apartment.

The light hurt his eyes as he blinked and followed along aimlessly. He hurt. He needed. His hands shook constantly without it. When was he going to get more, more, always more? It hurt. It hurt. The look in Goren’s eyes of the incomprehension and vestige edge of insanity created a path for the Mage. The glypher’s ability to reason was hinged on his daily supply of djed if his Master graced it to him. He was useless otherwise. The dirty bearded unkept man followed along in a trudge of the ambled slavery he had been conditioned for months to. The broken man saw the ground in front of him without seeing it. The poor man saw nothing, absolutely nothing.

Lucavius, once he was in the apartment two bells after arriving, sent discreet inquiries for suitable persons for hire. He didn’t need a mercenary. The mage didn’t need to steal anything. All the person had to do was watch and track. It was so simple yet why did the morons apply. The increasing irritation was marked by the sticatto of his nails slowly strumming the wooden arm of the chair he was sitting in listening to the perspective interviews. He would wave them away. There was some concern that crossed those pale features as his nails strummed in a sticcatto that he thought these men of Riverfall were known for their skill, yet they did not appear. Did he not offer enough Mizas for the job?

One lean akalak came in after his predecessor left as he approached the pale man. This blue Akalak entered the open door without knocking or permission. He simply owned the ground he walked on. His eyes trailed up and down the robed man before him as the Akalak evaluated, calculated. The pale man looked physically frail but the man’s eyes spoke of something else. There was a power behind those eyes that did not escape his notice. “I hear you have a job.” He started simply.

Lucavius raised an eyebrow as the man did not have the decency to wait yet he entertained his question as the lean blue man peaked his curiosity. The hand went to his jaw as one finger tapped his cheek regarding the man’s question before he answered. “It is a small job. There is this young lady that needs to be watched as I fear she may be in danger.” He started in an offhand casual way. If the man picked up on the subtlety then he was the right one. Those sharp eyes of the mage looked into the Akalak’s directly as his expression went from stoic to a slow oily smile and a raised eyebrow.

A similar oily smile that came from the lean blue Akalak slowly curled up as his fierce eyes met the highly intelligent orbs of the mage. “That is most disturbing. Every young lady should be protected. “ He answered. It did not matter to him what this mage wanted with the girl, but if he was offering enough mizas then it is of no matter to his sensibilities.

Lucavius answered with a note of satisfaction. “Indeed.” There was a motion with his chin to close the door.

[Amunet]

15th, spring, 515 av
10th bell
Market place

The lean mercenary followed Amunet all over. He temporarily lost her when she went on that mission with the dead knight, but the girl returned. That red head needed a bell around her neck or to be taught a lesson. The oily smile quirked up as the thought of delivering that lesson. He must have mused on that thought before a sound snapped him out of the musing and he looked around. The lean blue Akalak cussed under his breath as the girl moved off again. That little red head could move and constantly move at that. He made tracks to find her once more for the umpteenth time.

Amunet hummed along as she went about her business. Shetanae needed to a run as she was getting antsy in the corral and so was headed towards the stable to get her mare ready to ride. One riding pad and yvas sat upon the mare’s back as the young lady cinched up the yvas for a good cleansing ride for the mare. The yvas bags situated in place as she never goes anywhere without that. One never knows what one encountered. She had to grab the handle of the yvas and pull up heavily to swing her leg up and over onto the tall mare. It’s the only way she could mount the horse. The concept of using a stool or stump didn’t even enter her mind as that was never available out in the Grass. One of the stable hands opened the corral as she went out with an all too eager Strider. Out the gates and into the open grass is when she let Shetanae open up into a run after cantering to warm up for a few chimes. It was good to feel the wind in her hair as both rider and bonded sought solace in the wind and each other for that time.

It was four bells later that the duo came back as she walked the mare back to the stable from a mile back so she would be sufficiently cooled down. The mare was almost dry from the sweat by the time they reached the corral. The stable hand opened the coral as Amunet asked for buckets of temped water. Not cold water or hot water just air temperature. This was brought to her as she untacked the mare and put the pad and yvas on the fence railing. The water was gently poured over the withers first then the back and down the rump. The second bucket went on the withers than the neck. While those two buckets were being refilled she took a rather thin oddly curved piece of metal that was dull. It may not show any purpose at first till you see it used when it whisked away water off of a horses back. She used a cloth in the water that had been brought to soak the rag before running it over the horses face her put her head down for the little lady. Once the mare was nicely rinsed off, her hand went in between her forelegs to gauge her temperature. She was nicely cooled down. The red head took the tack and grooming kit back with her to walk to the apartments.

Mercenary did not have honorable intentions when he finally found the girl again. He was quite angry and wanted to take it out on something, or her. He rubbed his chin as he stared from the shadows trying to think of a plan, but he was constantly thwarted by sky’s presence. Once she was in that apartment, he would seek to take his frustration out on something or someone else. The plans still festered in his mind and loins. The man still kept an eye on the girl as well as leaving messages periodically for the thin pale employer. The messages he added little twists to get to her emotions. She had to remain off balance.

One message would read:

Forsaken wrath, the father’s plan makes
Forsaken father, the maker’s mark creates
There is but one ingredient left.
Your father, your father, who will save the father.

[Amunet]

24th, spring, 516 av
6th bell
Corral at the stables.

The Healer awakened as she stretched out from her tent. The girl had pitched her tent in the corral with her Strider as it seemed the safest place she could think of. She was having a hard time grasping the concept of four walls. This was coupled with the feeling of something always behind her. Yet there was always nothing. Amunet caressed her companion before the breeze flapped something at the corral fence. The woman went to see what it was as it was a piece of parchment. She tugged at it as she pulled it free from its spot there and opened it.

The words did not make any sense. Why was she getting these messages. It kept mentioning father. Was her father alive? It made her think. A lot of people died and her father with her brothers bodies were not found. Could it be that this truly was coming from him? Yet it didn’t sound like him to be in riddles. It was most perplexing as she got herself put together as she needed a cup of tea and something to eat. They wouldn’t let her have a fire in the corral which was absolute nonsense but it was there city.

Once she had her tea and simple breakfast she read the note again.

Father is here, father is there
Father is watching and father is working
Save him you must in the dawns light
Soon my child, soon we meet.
Sweet caress of syna’s light in your hair
Will show the way.

It had no logic but the feeling from it grabbed her heart and made it thud in all kinds of ways. The riddles didn’t make work. The red head sat down as she thought about the words, wrapping them around her head. Syna rose in the east. So father might be east. The girl went trekking to east part of Riverfall looking around like some tourist. The girl stopped as the planters was well out of place and took the chimes it took to move them. She would get her hands under the base and squat down to lift it up with her body. Then set it down. Larger ones she had to tilt and roll or move a different way but once it was arranged in a much more harmonious way, she nodded. Onward she would walk.

The girl received odd looks here and there as she scoured the east side as best as she could spending the bells till sundown with no results. No sign of her father. What did it mean? Maybe it meant outside the gates but the Kabrian road was right there. If he knows where she is at, why doesn’t he come to her. Her father would have come to her in a heart beat. Unless something was keeping him. If something was keeping him that much, then he was in trouble. That had to be it. The woman fell into an exhausted sleep in her clothing as she would resume the search in the morning.

[Amunet]

30th, spring, 516
9th Bell
Front gates

They acquired more help to keep tabs on the busy body of a girl. The merc needed to do other tasks. Organizing an armed envoy was no small task. The local bandits were hungry for mizas so that wasn’t hard. They had to lay a few ground rules down and that was precisely what he was headed to do now they had additional hands to keep watch on the girl. He would get her into his hands soon. The addition of that infernal Skyard had complicated matters to no end. He wanted to slice his throat, but his hand was stayed by his employer. It would alarm Amunet where it would ruin all the careful planning they had put into it. Thus came the decision to place less experienced ones to trail the girl. If they were killed by that over protected sack of meat, then no harm was done. The confusion would not be directed at him or the project.

The man would ride out onto the grass headed into a specific direction. Once Riverfall was out of site he changed directions to head towards the meeting location with this band of misfits. They had no discipline but should fit the bill as cannon fodder. Leave the real fighting to real men. He was there early to scope out the area from a concealed location, he was not a fool. One small three man band arrived as they looked warily at the other small four man band. Two more group of four men arrived before he approached the band. “How would you boys like to make some Mizas?”

The negotiations proceeded as he had to talk to them like small children. He gave them their instructions as he made his return towards Riverfall in a roundabout way. He entered the gates at a steady trot before releasing the horse to the stables. He took his time walking up to the apartments that Lucavius was in. That crazy person he kept had been busy crafting something he didn’t understand. Lucavius didn’t mention too much about it only that it was for a project. He walked in as there was some strange drawing and glowing from that drawing on containers or something.

“It is done. You have your protection.” He said in his direct way.

“Good. Once out there Goren and I can’t be disturbed. “ He said in a smooth voice as he tossed the man a pouch of coin.

The mercenary looked at Goren then back at the Mage and decided it was in his best interest to not ask. He exited the apartment to get some rest.

[Amunet]

35th, spring, 516 av
7th bell
Front gate

Lucavis sets out the thirty fifth of spring with Goren as they set out towards an undisclosed location well provisioned. He left instructions for the merc and anyone else trailing the girl to give the final package. They had been stringing the girl’s emotions along and this one push would bring her running out towards them. No need for messy abductions or force when the prey comes to you. It was well orchestrated and the group set out towards the Grass with all the impunity one would have to throw their will at the very gods themselves.

Goren had been without djed for two days as he was hurting and crying so much as the simple question of where was it mulled in his head. His will was so fragile after months of addiction and overgiving, forced to throw his ability over the top over and over again that it hurt to be without djed. It hurt to think. It hurt to eat. It hurt to simply feel yet he felt everything as the rush of power of the web started revealing itself. His addiction craved it. His hand would reach out for a stream and then he bring it back. The crack of a whip against his back was nothing in its lacerated state. It was a marred mess of healed and unhealed lashes. What mattered of that pain compared to the pain of the djed. He hated needing it, he hated not having it. He must have it or he would tear out his eyes and peel his own skin off. He was caught doing it a time or two. There was no mind in his head but djed and glyphs circling, ever circling. They consumed him, they loved him. They were his bread and water. They were his life. That hand reached for the streams he saw clearly as int his state he wasn’t out of the stream totally. He started feeding from the djed as he saw the anchor point in the distance.

In an exhaltation he took off as those mad Drykas eyes saw nothing else. Lucavius and the bandit group was hot on his heels as the man lead them right to it rather he realized it or not. To others it would look like an oddly piled orientation of stone. To Goren it held several core web lines anchored to it and it was filled with djed. He caressed the cairn as he dismounted and ran to it. Rubbing it with his hand as if it was some long lost relative. Lucavius let him have his ‘moment’ as he ordered the rest to set up camp and set up watch guards. The work would begin in earnest.

Luvavius slowly gave him the large pouch of glyphed storage items to start filling. The man was on auto pilot as he took the items and moved a thread of the web to start filling the glyphed items entirely meant for storing large amounts of djed. In this state Goren wont sleep. Glyphs circled in his head and one could almost see them circling in his eyes as he watched the object being filled. Those around may see oddly glowing energy and bluish/whitish sparks flying from the work he did as with chisel and hammer he sealed the djed into the object. Onto the next containment unit, as he kept working, he kept going. He djed helped him feel. He could feel everything and anything he wanted. The glyphs came alive in his head like creative forces driving him to the utter brink.

[Amunet]

39th, spring, 515 av
9th Bell
Sea of Grass

The men were getting nervous as they went about watching and patrolling. They had been there too long and the Bandits knew the Drykas were notorious for sniping them or knowing were anyone was at. There numbers perhaps were sufficient to warrant their caution, still they patrolled more carefully as the days went on. The voiced their complaints to the lean blue Akalak with no name. He wasn’t one to give his name. It was purposeful as when questioned no one could finger him. It was plausible deniability.

One small band had already quit as the risk was too great in their eyes. The other ones came to the Mercenary inquiring as to how much longer they would be there. “As long as it takes.” They grumbled but coin talked. The Akalak well knew that it wouldn’t be long before they saw trouble as he went to Lucavius to ask that very same question.

“The longer we are out here, the longer we risk a confrontation.” He told him pointedly.

“Isnt that why they are here?” He pointed to the bandits.

“Yes, but that isn’t why I am here.” He said with a menacing expression.

The dark mage smiled at the Mercenary who was a little above cannon fodder but still expendable. “Two more days. We will have completed the project. “ He said. No one admits to leeching djed. The Mercenary was useful but simple. The mage liked direct and simple. It made them more tractable.

“Two days. “ He just nodded and sighed. He went back to the bandits to tighten up patrols and tighten their camp up. He kept this information to himself as he gave thought to duck out early before they were ambushed by the Drykas. He pretended to worry and pretended to care about the bandits and leading them into their doom to cover his escape.

The opportuned moment couldn’t come soon enough as he didn’t sleep and ate lightly. He sharpened his blades very carefully in his tent as he went through the process of putting his game face on. He set off to make one more guard stent and one more patrol before things got hairy. While on patrol he watched and listened. Those damned Drykas were quiet and sneaky. How they knew where people were at was a mystery? His warrior senses was on high alert.

Lucavius was in his tent enjoying tea as he had given the Mercenary a lie. They were almost finished. Goren had three or four more to fill and they had enough djed and maybe a little extra for future projects. It was a shame he had to leave the glypher, but he couldn’t take him with him when he would make his get away. Oh well. It was all carefully planned and happening according to his design. All he needed was his host for the experiment and she should show up in about a day. That should give Goren plenty of time to fill the remaining containment units. The containment units were small but stored an interesting amount of djed with glyphs and a release sigil on the glyphs. He would put his final plan into motion tomorrow.

[Skyard Underwood]

Grades

Skills

Acrobatics + 1

Riding Horse + 1

Animal Husbandry + 1

Cryptography + 2

Lores

Living in a closed space is difficult

Riddles: Difficult to Decipher

Being Stalked by a Mercenary

Additional Comments :

Pretty well written thread, if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to PM me.