The Might of Minds and the Mysterious Man(Archelon)

[Rayage]

Spring 35 512 AV

His sword was ever present with him. Not that he knew how to use it, no. He kept it because it intrigued him, fascinated him. This sword had history. That much he knew. It has been two seasons since he had acquired the sword and still it was a mystery to him. Part of him liked that. It drove him, fueled his curiosity for what it could do and what exactly it was made out of. Another part of him disliked it for a mystery this good was frustrating. Why hadnt he got any leads on this so far? What was its purpose? Everything that exists has to have a purpose... that much is dictated by Fate.

This place, the nuit trudged along, slowly but he was going, this place, how time can change it. He thought it as a powerful sign of change. Yes, it had come along with the transformation that usually comes with change. The place, and sunberth as a whole, was heavily damaged, tent cities sprouting everywhere. People doing things they would never do before for a little miza, the weight of gold having the power to bend the prideful people of this place. It was... well, it was all too great for the nuit. He could use this place to get ahead, yes use the state of change and add energy to it, and then... yes and then he will change the city himself. The agent of change walked, and slowly his own magic will take hold, for he had a plan; one that screamed to be set into action.

Hand ever present on the sword there were whispers, rumors that another like him had arrived in this city. Another agent of change, someone with money and lots of it, but also... there was something else. The whispers of the city couldnt quite point out what, but the nuit had managed to figure out where this figure, this man (if he is indeed one), resides. The north side of the river, they told him, is where he would find this mysterious leader. They had told the nuit he arrives at dawn to dusk, never seen leaving, appearing as if from nowhere.

Though this was great, it was the last part which interested him the most. Another mystery to solve, another oddity had presented itself in Rays path once more, and this one, unlike his sword, he was going to solve. So, in the dark of the new and early morning the nuit walked. He walked, and found the carriage, with some searching, that he might have thought was the one described to him. It matched everything, from the north side of the river to the fact that it was indeed a carriage. So, now all that was left to do is wait. Wait and stand in the shrinking shadows as dawns first light shone bleakly. Soon Ray would have solved this mystery once and for all.

[Archelon]

mysterious man's theme song: : Rayage would see the area outside the commons filled with a sudden set of trailing mists, cold enough to frost the windows, and seep about the edges of the door. As if beckoning one outside, the door frame opened, and the nuit would step out onto the cold cobbles of Sunberth. The hairs on the neck preserved feeling faintly moist.The mists growing ever thicker, to the point where he could not see more then a foot around them as the noise began to be heard. The distant sound of clopping hooves on stone echoed in their ears, creating a tempo that kept pace with the residents of the towns quickening heartbeats, of which rayage had none, accompanied by the high braying of a horse growing ever closer. A carriage at full speed. He did not have to wait long. For in less then a minute a driver's voice would cry out "Woah" as barely three feet from them, a large ornate black carriage drew to a sudden halt. For a time, the horses stilled, back into complete silence, not even breathing. Why were they not breathing? Rayage would glance out of the corner of his eye to see the milk white gaze of an animal. It's eyes blind, it's mane tarnished and stiff. By the gods, the horse drawing the carriage was not alive at all. It was a well preserved, nuit of a horse. The sheer amount of skill to craft such a thing as an animal would have to have been enormous. But the enormity of that revelation was nothing compared to the carriage itself. Ornate runes were fashioned dark red bloodstones , arranged and patterned into black walls, lined with skulls of living creatures seeming sutured into the carriage itself, some of the greatest predators Mizahar had ever known, all mounted on the frame made of gebon and black ebony. It's lines, gilded with care, and if Rayage could note, d-wire inlay the type that the nuits of sahova used. Save that it was made with silver, and gold, which would have glinted majestically if not for the darkness of the mists enshrouding the carriage. The driver, a human man, of no discernable features to make him stand out slowly got down from the carriage's forestep and lumbered over to the door of carriage itself, before staring at Rayage. His features not withstanding, his clothes were of the highest quality, and steel green eyes gazed deeply at him before he spoke. "Ah, young Rayage." The porter had addressed the nuit by his name. B-Y H-I-S N-A-M-E. The porter went on as if this was nothing of import. " The Master has arrived to discuss a matter of business with you. To determine if your talents would prove useful enough to pique his interest." The porter looked over at Rayage', "The master would like to extend the courtesy of discussion with you good sir, inside the carriage as you may have leave to approach." Rayage would, after whatever consideration he made eventually step forwards to where the porter stood before the carriage door. Only to have the man open it for a moment to give him a faint view of the inside. He might espy, that the carriage possessed a single individual inside. A tall foreboding figure, one he could not completely make out, as his features were obscured, however he would note the end of a cane capped in a silver skull with eyes of red rubies staring at him. The figure's face unable to be seen save for his lips from the shadows within confines of the carriage would be waiting, as if appraising him from the shadows. Whatever his thoughts were they would be jolted from his stupor at the porter's voice "The Master, has a generous mood today I would ask of you if you would bid him the honor of being cordial but not overbearing, he's a busy man you know." With no further words, the porter stepped away and took off his hat to bow respectfully to the nuit, one arm bidding his approach. From the window, a gnarled waved at Rayage to beckon him inside. Whether or not Rayage would serve to make his attempt was best left up to the him. One thing was for sure, if he did enter the carriage: his views of Sunberth would ever be the same.

[Rayage]

Waiting, that is all he was doing. That was all he had to do. He had to wait, sit and wait. It was akin to a stake out all in the hopes of catching a glimpse of this mysterious figure that was almost like an urban legend. Though he did not have to wait for long, no, soon enough the very air got colder and mist started to collect, to form almost out of nowhere, in fact, it was out of nowhere. This activity was as sudden and as unexpected as any. What kind of power must this man wield for his very presence to give off this kind of tangible aura. The nuit shivered as the temperature dropped. Perhaps it was a ghost, this legend. Ghosts had all sorts of strange phenomena following them, manifesting around them. They were forces of nature itself, was this other a force of nature? Some dark splotch on reality, creeping out of nightmares? This man held a lot of power and respect from what Ray could gather. It would be best to treat him as such. The alchemist was already mentally preparing what he was going to say, how he was going to present himself, though the next sequence of events would throw him off indefinitely. For how could he prepare for things which he thought impossible?

The baying of horses could be heard along with the clattering of hoofs. Storming out of the mists like a bat out of hell came the roaring carriage. It traveled with such speed and power unlike he has seen before. He was almost certain that some magic aided the travels, aided the horses, aided something about it. Though he did not bother to check because that caution would fall from his mind as the driver dismounted the carriage and the nuit looked over the almost regal looking vehicle that he drove. The voice didn’t hold any significance to the alchemist, but he was cautious, it was almost enough for him to grip onto the sword, the physical representation of protection, the only thing he had that would comfort him in this city. The only thing the citizens respected about him. They all eyed his sword, as one had to watch the hands and weapons carefully of anyone who traveled the streets of Sunberth. Lawlessness ran and with it so did crime and a subtle understanding that in this place it’s a dog eat dog world.

The carriage was of ornate design. The many craftsmen and artisens that would take to add such detail to the craft would be unfathomable to the nuit as he looked it over. Runes and bones dotted the walls, built right into the carriage itself. Perhaps there was some magic at work here. He would have to tread with caution because even the undead alchemist isn’t aware of all the magical power out there. There was so much to learn, so much to know, to rediscover and understand that an absolute knowledge of magic seemed like an impossibility to him. One of the few impossibilities that he would admit to having, one of the flaws that he would be careful not to show. He did not like appearing ignorant, but then the driver came over, Ray noticed his clothes and the look that he gave him causing even the normally astute wizard to shiver a little. What he said next flattered him. He was called by his name. After a moment of shock and look of confusion he regained control of himself. It did not matter if he knew his name, the nuit rationalized soon the entire world would know his name. He would be a famous alchemist, one with such knowledge and power to bring the world to its knees. Of course, with the help of Sahova though, in the nuits mind, that is just a minor detail to the much bigger picture.

Giving him a nod to recognize that Rayage was indeed his name, as if the man needed any sort of verification, the porter continued to explain that his master had some business that he needed to discuss. Had the alchemist really gained the eye of a man who could afford a carriage of such spender… what else could he afford? Just how powerful was this man? There were so many questions and thoughts racing through his mind, but he never spoke one. He kept them to himself, for himself. For he was sure that everything will be answered in time. Right now he had to do his best to at least look competent and not like an open mouthed gaping fool. He would not give the man that kind of first impression. He refused to!

The door to the carriage opened offering him a view inside. The nuit looked in unable to make out anything of importance but the cane. It seemed that everything which this man owned had a certain splendor to it, a style. It was almost unnerving. If this had been prevalterrian times he would have assumed this man to be a powerful lord, or wizard… One perhaps too powerful for his own good. A voice broke him from his thoughts as he nodded again, ”Of course.” he said addressing the Porter. He did not want to waste this mans time, and so with the hand inviting him in he climbed into the carriage careful to move his sword across his lap as he took a seat opposite of this man. He would not speak his name or he didn’t even know what to say, only to be there. He was actually meeting the legend itself. Wasn’t there a saying about this?