Solo Registration and Interrogation

[Alric Wilmot]

62nd of Fall 513 AV Alric took the paper from the woman's hand with all the grace he could muster, though it obviously wasn't enough. She gave him a look that could curdle milk, and made a disgusted noise with her throat. Alric had ceased emitting his apathy bubble to save on djed. He had thought that the registration building would be more welcoming to non-citizens, by simple fact that they were there to become citizens. This was not the case. He had been harassed by the citizens registering their children, and the soldiers didn't even pretend to have sympathy. Still, he didn't have it nearly as bad as the Akalak in line. He nearly got into a fisticuffs, but was able to restrain himself with a little subtle hypnotism from Alric. Alric did not like violence without a point, after all. As he looked down at the sheet, he wondered if he should really be truthful. He normally would not have asked that question, but lately he had learned about the power of lies. Here in Ravok, especially. He was wary of revealing that he was a hypnotist, it could cause problems if he made an enemy who had access to these documents. The greatest power of hypnotism was its secrecy. If people knew, they'd always be on guard. Deciding that it would be best if no one knew, Alric put "None" in the magic category. He might get into trouble, and he did not want his abilities displayed for anyone who could properly bribe an official. He looked over the sheet once more, to make sure he was satisfied with its contents. Name: Alric Evelyn Wilmot Race: Human Parentage: Son of Alvin Sylvester Wilmot Place of Birth: Alvadas Primary Trade: Healer of Minds Known Magic: None Financial Holdings: 270 Gold-rimmed Miza Please state your reason for being in Ravok: Business opportunity Although they might wonder what a Healer of Minds might be, he thought it better than putting nothing, lest they turn him away for having no skills at all. He turned it in with a smile on his face, despite the unwelcoming attitude of the woman who handled the documents. The building was quite nice, despite the people, filled with architectural delights. But even so, the color scheme was muted, and gloomy. Not at all like the neon colors Alric had come to love in Alvadas. The woman looked his paper over before filing it away. "Now, Mr. Wilmot, you will need to take residence in the city for two consecutive seasons. if you leave before then your citizenship will be forfeit. Otherwise, congratulations, you are now a citizen of Ravok. Now get out." Alric nodded as he got up to leave. He had had quite enough of the registration office anyway. He stood from his chair and extended a hand to shake her's as a sign of respect. She left it there, and Alric decided he'd had enough of this place. He withdrew his hand and walked away, not bothering to appreciate the architecture a second time. The Akalak gave him a nod when he passed, Alric nodded back despite himself. When he finally got back on the street, he took in a deep breath. The day had been spent dealing with his registration, and all he wanted was to get back to his inn and sleep. Walking would be inadvisable, due to the canals cutting through most of the roads. The best option was paying one of the Ravosalamen, boat men, to ferry you where you needed to go. Alric didn't much like it, his funds were running low. But he didn't want to waste time walking. Especially since the sun was setting. The sun shone through the buildings, shrouding them in silhouette. Long shadows grew from their bases, and the gleam from the sun was so great that Alric had to shield his eyes from it. Cold winds danced about the narrow streets, chilling Alric as they declared Fall had come. He stepped along, not bothering to appreciate the odd beauty the City seemed to possess. It allowed one to forget the horrors that could be witnessed within, and that was exactly why Alric would pay no heed to it. The winds, the shadows, they only frolicked to keep you unaware of the city's evil. Alric had thought this place wondrous, mysterious, and wonderfully contradictory when he had first arrived, but the truth had happened upon him as he went on his long midnight walks, a murder in the middle of the street for all to see. And not a single person cried out in alarm. It had been hazardous in Alvadas, if only because the city played its jokes too far. But here, everyone seemed to either want you dead, or was so indifferent that they'd ignore any attempt on your life. If Alric wasn't such an accomplished hypnotist, and a marked of Ionu, he had no doubt that this city would have destroyed him the moment he stepped off the boat. However, be that as it may, Alric knew that he was here for a purpose. He was to reestablish his family name, and make happy every miserable soul here. And there were a lot of miserable souls. It was clear why Ionu sent him here. Ionu obviously agreed with his new-found purpose, so sent him to a place where his message of happiness would take hold strongest. But, to do that, he needed to be happy himself. And to be happy, he needed the Wilmot back in a position of status. He still knew little about the city, and had only learned of the benefits of citizenship (and the dangers of non-citizenship) through eavesdropping. He had, however, come to realize that the Ravosalamen were the best source of information. He had remained close-lipped whenever taking a ferry, but he soon came to the realization that he was nearly the only one. A side-effect of living in the city was that you tended to view the Ravosalamen as every day objects, rather than something exotic. You came to view them as scenery. Alric did not have that problem. He had been raised in Alvadas, where the scenery was often more interesting than the people. The point was, Alric had found a potential well of information, in a very overlooked yet essential part of Ravokian life. He was sure that others had come upon this, but he was also sure that it was not an advertised fact. As his road ended, and Alric stepped up to the canal, he stopped and waited. The sun's descent had nearly completed now, and twilight had fallen on the city. The cobblestones and waters all appeared to fade into a deep blue as the light vanished from their surfaces. Not long afterward, a cloaked man in a gondala came into view, his pole pushing against the side of the canals and buildings built too close to it. As he stopped in front of Alric, Alric pulled a few silver-rimmed Mizas and handed them to him before stepping on board. He gave the name of the inn he was staying at and the Ravoslaman grunted in response as he pushed away from the canals walls. Alric kept silent as he was guided along by the taciturn man. He would wait until they were isolated before making his move. They traveled between the canals, past roads of people both working in the open and the dark, all of them trying to get in a little more business before the sun finally set. As Alric and the Ravosalaman passed under a bridge, and entered into a dark passage, Alric made his move. "Stop." The boat paused, and Alric turned around to face the man. He had dull brown eyes, and long scraggly hair. His face was pocked and marked, and great deep lines covered his brow. He was older, and most likely carrying illness. His clothes were tattered, and covered in grime, and Alric felt a twinge of compassion for him. Nevertheless, he continued. "Tell me, good man, I have reason to believe your kind, the ferryman, harbor secrets. Is this true?" "Aye, it is. What of it?" "I would have you tell me of them. I have need of knowledge." The man's frown deepened, and he began to stroke his chin as if in thought. He stopped soon after he started and shook his head. "There are too many, could you narrow your request down a bit? Maybe ask a simple question or two?" Alric, intrigued, nodded. He had not expected the Ravosalamen to hold a repertoire of secrets, only a handful. One or two, meant for the more important folk of Ravok, whomever those might be. At that thought, a question came to Alric that he had been curious about ever since he came into the city. "Does Ravok have any type of Nobility? Any sort of upper-class people that rule over everyone else? I have seen some very well-dressed men who no one bothers, despite obvious wealth and recklessness." "Aye, we do. I don't know if nobility is the right word, but we have something of the like. The families. Powerful bloodlines that rule as surely as the Black Sun and Ebonstryfe. Only fools incur their wrath. I'm not surprised no one harms the younger ones, it brings the fury of their elders." Alric narrowed his eyes and tipped his head to the side. This was intriguing. He had meant to reestablish the Family name. Make the Wilmot great again. If this city already had a system in place, then it might be to Alric's advantage to exploit it. Curious, he demanded the man tell him of all that he knew regarding the families. He also wanted to know about the government he called the Black Sun, as well as the Ebonstryfe. All were new to Alric, a newly made citizen. "As you wish." said the man, his voice not betraying the hypnotic influence bearing down in him. "There are three major families, as well as a few lesser ones. The biggest at the moment are the Lazarins. The Lazarin family is known to have strong connections to the Ebonstryfe. The Ebonstyfe is the military here in Ravok, and as such keep us both safe, and in line. The family patriarch is Lazarin himself; a Druvin of no small amount of influence. Lazarin is the head interrogator for the Ebonstryfe and is feared by all who know him. Even his own family fears him, if they aren't fools. The Lazarin family is comprised of members holding various ranks and duties within the Ebonstryfe. Lazarin and his mistress, Vael, head the family with four offspring. There are, I believe, 15 other non-blooded members and 28 slaves within the family. If you encounter any, even the slaves, I'd tread cautiously. You do not want to upset a Druvin." Alric spoke before the man could continue. He was unfamiliar with that word. "What is a Druvin?" The man's eyes fluttered a bit, seemingly fighting off the hypnotism without a fresh push on his mind. Alric noticed this, and pushed a suggestion in his head to be compliant. As he did so, the man went back to answering the Hypnotist's questions. "A Druvin is one who has been marked by the glorious Rhysol thrice. Their power is beyond our knowing, as they are able to control chaos like no one else. Save, perhaps the Dravlak. And they, they are but beasts, slaves to Rhysol's will. Horrible monsters able to melt bones, boil blood, and freeze flesh all at the same time. Rhysol's loyal servants, both of them. But the Druvin still have their minds." Alric's eyes widened at the knowledge. It was not useful from the point of restoring his Family name, but it had its uses in other things, he knew. He urged the man to go on, both with words, and hypnotic suggestions. "The other families, my fellow, are just as powerful, but in different ways. Though I warned you to take caution with the Lazarin's, it would be best to take caution with them all. The Valdinox, much like the Lazarin have a connection to the governing body. Though they have a grasp on the Black Sun. The family matriarch, Valdinox, is one of the few female Druvin in existence and is solely loyal to Rhysol. Valdinox is also the only non-human Druvin created, an Isur, I think. Driven from her home for long forgotten crimes, Valdinox came to Ravok seeking escape and protection from her former people. She is a wizard too, if rumors be true. The Valdinox family is made up of the matriarch, her 6 offspring and 17 slaves. The Nitrozian family is a wealthy, influential family operating several businesses throughout the city. They are the oldest family and are entrenched in every business worth anything. The current family patriarch, Sitanos Nitrozian, is a businessman known for surprising fairness. The are by far the wealthiest of the families, but their influence is diluted. Sitanos and his wife Milina head the family with 21 children and 35 non-blooded members operating businesses across the city. The Nitrozian family also owns around 50 slaves. These are the three most powerful families, but there are others. The Larks, hedonists in love with anything that glimmers, The Galatos, saboteurs and assassins who fancy themselves businesses-men, and others not truly important in the grand schemes at work in Ravok. Is this what you wished to know, good fellow?" Alric smiled, as he nodded. Yes this is just the sort of information he needed. However, there was still more. While all of this was needed, and useful, Alric had yet to find out anything he could take advantage of. He knew that these families were the path to reestablishing his name. Their gold and influence would be useful, and necessary to accomplish his goal. But they would undoubtedly turn him away if he simply asked, and using hypnotism to extort the gold might bring the attention of those nasty Druvin and Dravlak, something he did not want. No, what he needed was a way to make one family or another owe him. He needed to force them into his debt. But how? What could he provide that they could not acquire for themselves? "Tell me of any rumors concerning the families. I have much yet to learn." The man shuffled his feet and rubbed his rough hands against his pole, seemingly wanting to fight off the hypnotist. But Alric remained steadfast, and kept a feeling of compliance firmly rooted in the man's mind. Finally, after a few telling seconds, he relented. "Rumor has it that Lazerin is trying to overthrow the Ebonlord and take control of the Ebonstrfye. He took over briefly when Gru'tral, a man who seems more Dravlak than Druvin, went missing on orders from the Voice. Now, he wants it to be permanent. The major families in Ravok are still trying to decide who to back, Lazerin or Gru'tral." Alric barked out a laugh. That was what he was after! It was perfect, and easily exploitable. If he could meet this Gru'tral, monster or no, he could make him accept Lazerin as the new Ebonlord. And, if that came to pass, the Lazerin's would be in his debt. He might even be able to force the other families into his debt if he got them to ally with Lazerin first. Alric began to think up plans and strategies, likelihoods, and fantasies. But before he became too entrenched in his thoughts, he turned back to the Ravosalaman. "You will not remember this conversation, nor my face. My dress and race will be foggy in your memory, and the elapsed time will be explained by having a long debate on the best manner of alcohol with another passenger much larger than myself, who reminds you of your father. If any other hypnotist should dig deeply, you will only repeat that you do not remember. Now take me to Miro's house, so that I might sleep. It is dark, and I have much to think about before daybreak."

[Abstract]

Grade Awarded!

Alric

Skills

~ Interrogation - 1
~ Hypnotism - 1

Lores

~ Officially a Citizen (Sort Of)
~ The Three Main Families of Ravok: Nitrozian, Lazarin, Valdinox
~ Ebonstryfe: Ravok's 'Military'
~ Druvin: Marked Trice by Rhysol
~ Lazarins: Connection to the Ebonstryfe
~ Valdinox: Connection to the Black Sun
~ Nitrozian: Business Influences
~ Lazarin: Planning to Overthrow Gru'tral

Other

N/A

Notes

Not much to give skill-wise, but a whole pile of VERY useful lores! I hope you like them

--Please edit your request to delete this! Thank you!--