Zal'Kazzir's Adventures with Lady Ahimia
Contents
ZAL'KAZZIR's Questions to Lady Ahimia
The following is Divided into three sections:
1. Questions to Lady Ahimia
Being Charmed - Keeping in mind she thinks Zal her best friend
Zal'Kazzir
My dear, *addressing Lady Ahimia* you are ravishing *kissing Ahimia passionately, dark eyes sparkling, looking both highly satisfied, and slightly awed by the statuesque woman beside him*
[Path-Walkers can tell if others are path-walkers, right? Is Ahimia a path-walker?]
How did a *kiss* beautiful *kiss* powerful *kiss* woman like you end up stuck in a place like this? You should be in a palace *kiss* not in a tower *kiss* in a bog *kiss* with an elf, *kiss* neglected, and worse yet underutilized. And why ever were you left behind? By choice, I hope, but if not at your pleasure, *deep, long, passionate kiss* I am baffled.
[waiting for a reply, but if she takes the questions as rhetorical, Zal will continue]
Which begs the question, my dear; *long kiss, coupled with a lingering caress* The motives of the Vile perplex me; he violates lord Izrador's sacred symbol; is he arrogant, mad or something more interesting?
Lady Ahimia
"Lover... I cannot hope to beg a parcel of the mind of the Vile. The elf-kin, I heard, found his way from the forest over a century ago and took to the ways of our people. I give him account for taste, but his lack of luster defies my Sarcosan blood. If he once had heart in matters of our ancestory he has long since lost it. The only thing he holds is the rattle-wind texts of the Sahi star knowledges. And for his spot on the pew come Shadow Hour, his prayer go unheard because he chooses not to pray with the Devout. He has only once in my time within the Nail sat aside we Legates during sermon or choir. Suman tells me he had requested the prayer tomes on occassions of the moon shifts regularly - so perhaps it is there for which he speaks to the Shadow in the North - atop this jagged thorn of obsidian... The symbol of the Vile? That is a bastardization that he allowed his orc legions to devise, giving them a prouder place at the hand of the Lord, he called it. Giving them authority in owning their faith. This he holds sway over some even more so than Lord Sunulael. I know the truth of it though, he is of elf-kind. He knows the need to outweigh his heritage in the eyes of the pig-men. Suman once told us the the thing was first stylized by the orc sometime in the space when the Vile delved under the Spine of the World. He theorized that it could have meaning to the things under the mountain, if not the men of stone themselves. A ruin of sorts..."
Zal'Kazzir
*With lust-distracted half-interest* It must've worked if the Orcs disfigured and mutilated themselves so in his service; I can scarce imagine how the profaning of Izrador's sacred mark could build such fanaticism in them, and to an elf of all things...
*Thoughtfully, with another soft kiss* Or perhaps their loyalty is to someone else? *kiss* Vrolk seems to have no shortness of shadowy patrons and would-be masters... *kiss* I had always thought of the Vile as Lord Sunalel's creature, as much as any elf is ever true, but recently I have heard tell of another elf-traitor, a porcelain-skinned arch-magus and rival, despite his lack of faith, to Lord Sunalael. Does the Vile hold any true alliegence? Or are his loyalties as fickle as his faith? And what of this other Elf? The pawns upstairs seem to think that someone has hidden Vrolk's treasured eye from him; the act of a potential master to insure his loyalty, perhaps? Or something else?
Lady Ahimia
Smiling as the tall form of woman turns on her stomach, bare back free as if asking you to massage her sundry yet silken Sarcosan skin.
eheheh... the marks?... oh you mean the pig's scares to mark them under Vrolk's possession? Yes. Ingenious, this was one of the Vile's few master strokes. It was also the reason he became known as "the Vile". His way is that of the seer. The elf could worm his way into the crevaces of places no man could go - seeing into the past and catching glimpse of the future... They say it was through the Cadaverous artifact that he found method to march unhindered into dreams before his magery power aloud it with the casting of spells. His power to invade dream tortured many before he tread into the pig-men's heads. They say that is how the Sleepers went mad... Before any other knew of what the Vile could do to be on guard, the first Legates assigned to the Nail now sleep forever at his twisting. Hyuri never spoke of the times he came to her in dream. But I know what must have transpired. The Vile made his way into my place of sleep on one occassion - he was not welcome and were I a lesser woman he might have bent me backward to have his way. I do recall the sweet scent he made in my mind and the porcelin skin... He was beautiful once, but that was before I knew the traitor's heart...
It was this then how he turned the pig-men from the mother-wives of Izrador (the kurasatch udareen). At first the orc assigned to the Spire were confused, they became much more violent and disorderly, even for pigs... But then something happened. He did something to them in their dreams, perhaps standing up and slaying the mother-wives. I donot know, but it wasn't but a few days later that they ripped their hides and knelt when the elfling passed by.
Of the eye or this other elf, I can offer little lover. Neither broke the entry-way to the Spire. I can't imagine another traitor of elf-kind. But the thought makes me feel pity for the elf-kind...
Zal'Kazzir
*Softly, more interested, but eyes still roving over Ahimia* Do you know what he trying to accomplish with this ritual of his? It's terribly curious; why are these bumbling pathwalkers so important to his plans? We have seen their 'competence' *chuckling, sarcastically* and I cannot fathom why they are of any particular value.
It is especially puzzling *running his fingers lightly down Ahimia's spine* that he would put any faith in them at all; certainly he must have a back-up plan in case they fail to arrive on time, or are waylaid en route. How does Vrolk expect them to reach him on time? Has he some sort of transportation planned, perhaps that we might use? Or is there some other way we can travel quickly, should the need arise?
Lady Ahimia
Yes... their 'competence' is suspect for sure. I cannot believe they hold any value to the Shadow. If any plan has been made for them it is the Vile's and his alone.
Ahimia flips her curled black hair across her opposite shoulder, turning to look at Zal'Kazzir as if questioning his motives - was he here to pleasure her or to bore her into sleep. Whatever the motive, the outcome would seem to be the same... for now it seems.
Zal'Kazzir
*Quizzicly, still caressing Ahimia* I am especially confused as to why the vile left so many items for them to find; there seemed to be too many things of both personal and tangible value to leave to the tender mercies of such barbarians, especially his library and his personal notes. It is quite puzzling... did he curse them, are they marked so that he can track them, or is he arming and equipping them for some other reason?
Master Suman *looking suddenly furious in memory of his murdered teacher; but regaining composure, seemingly with great effort* told me that many had left with Vrolk for his ritual, and that three were to be 'initiated', but he never had the chance to explain what they were to be initiated into; do you know?
Lady Ahimia
unhappy with the presistance, Ahimia remembers her newfound fondness for "Zahar" and succums to his questioning again... for the moment.
heh... those things. Most things in that Vile lab were taken off the dead after having been used against them when they tried to stand against the elf. Cursed each thing within that laboratory. Cursed with an insidious fault in their magical make-up. When the Vile wishes to make them succumb to his wishes they WILL (as you know/saw they did at the ritual) ... when the Vile wishes to plunge his hate into them, ending the lives of the fools that take up his 'gifts' he will be 'welcomed in' as easily as he finds his way into the dreams of the pig-men. Those things are cursed to be subverted to the will of the Vile.
...turning her head away - perhaps to cloak any tear were it to form from the memory of Suman that was the closest thing to a father she had ever known...
...those whelps? They are children waiting to be given eyes that see in the dark (metaphorically) ...those men are but servators of the Shadow, not yet preachers of the word. On the ritual for which they will help prepare, this will make unto them the status going from Lesser to Soldier and Temple Legate. ... But YOU must know this lover. Did you not partake in such rituals yourself? She looks extremely confused, almost angry - when she turns back to you.
Zal'Kazzir
*Looking more serious, with smoldering, seething anger* I am sorry to have dampened our pleasure with the memory of the foul treachery that cost wise master Suman his life. He was like a second father to me *looking away, hands clenched*
*Turning back, ink-black eyes blazing* I must honor his memory!
I will avenge his murder, and I will continue his work. If you will help me, I will do all I can to do justice for him. I will need to gather some of his notes and papers from his room, and I will also need to collect a few of the things the pawns have left upstairs, but after we do that, we can pursue the Sarcosans and find the spy. If we can't find him, we can intercept him at Vrolk's ritual site; the Shadow's Shame the pawns killed said as much before he attacked them.
Lady Ahimia
with hate and lust in her eye at the same time - Ahimia takes you by the hair, pulling your head back - at first perhaps alarming Zal'Kazzir. But then it is obvious - she is taken by your vengence... and with that her eyes beg for you to take her again. Her lust for a man seems to have never been higher than it is this night.
[NOTE: in other conversation that is not recorded above, I would note that you've gotten the impression that Ahimia has had her way with many if not most of the men that are legates of the Spire and beyond. Often times with more than one at once. She is NOT a whore. But she drinks in with lust this form of love, it seems to be what drives her passion for life. That and the sword which stands by here headboard.]
2. Observations
- [Q]: What symbol does Lady Ahimia wear? The Izrador standard symbol or the Vrolk Modified one? [I assume the standard one]
- [A]: Ahimia wears the symbol given her by her adopted father - Suman. It is the symbol of the Shadow in the North, pure and true - intricately shaped by forge this "metal" is actually at close examination - "Dragonhide"
- [Q]: Do they seem to be devout or cabal? Suman seemed to be Cabal, as he referenced a Cabal Spy as one of 'the true', which seems an unusual epthet to apply to an enemy, however Ahimia referred the the Legates in the spire as 'the Devout' but I don't know if that is a factional title or a reference to the fact that they are legates.
- [A]: From all aspects Ahimia seemed to you to be of the Devout. "the True" is an alias for the Cabalists. Suman likely used it in sarcastic reverence. Even though they are of different beliefs, they must still deal with one another at times. That's what he calls them in a passive agressive attitude. It's likely that both (if not all of the Spire Legates) are Devout.
- [Q]: From smalltalk and observation, what can I tell of Ahimia's personality? [Sense Motive Check]
- [A]: Strong, Afraid of nothing except perhaps her on failures. She likely has a fear of, or problems with real intimacy (which might be a reason for your "ease" in overcoming her). She will never back down from someone that threatens her goals or dreams. She is extremely passionate. If she's able to 'lie' for sake of flowery words, she's so good that you haven't been able to see it. Ultimately she resents men a small deal. She knows that she's as strong as a man (in mind, spirit and martial prowess) and she makes sure everyone knows that. Almost being overconfident to hide her fears.
3. Actions/Goals
- [Q]: Gather Suman's papers (writing samples) stamps, inks, wax, seals, etc, as explained above.
- [A]: Done. No problem. TAKE NOTE in your 'Gear'. Having THIS "equipment" will give you a bonus to Forgery.
FORGERY KIT
It is a perfect kit for forgery of "the Devout" in service to Sunulael and Vrolk the Vile in the District of Cambrial and provides a +4 circumstance bonus on Forgery checks. If you use them for other purposes if you make a Forge skill check of DC15 you can add +2 to any NON-Devout papers. This Forgery kit will be exhausted after ten uses. While you can purchase new inks and such ALL further checks must first have a Forgery DC15 check before applying any bonuses (even those of the Devout of Cambrial District)
Forgery requires writing materials appropriate to the document being forged, enough light or sufficient visual acuity to see the details of what you’re writing, wax for seals (if appropriate), and some time. To forge a Suman's signature, you need an autograph of that person to copy, (which you have in the kit) and you gain a +4 bonus on the check. To forge a longer document written in the hand of some particular person, a large sample of that person’s handwriting is needed. (which you also have in the kit)
You can easily find a small box "kit" to place all these items in.
VALUE: 55gp
WEIGHT: 6 lbs.
- [Q]: Gather my items from the lab, especially the books, as explained above.
- [A]: No problem.
