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 Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 12:02 pm
( I hope it doesn't involve killing the emperor, not yet, but I am not going to tell you that you can't... )
Emperor Darius wasn't too busy, so he replied, "you may enter." On his desk were many papers and reports. The surrounding kingdoms were threatening everything from sanctions and blockades to open war for his attack on Drey Wood. The advance into Drey Wood had been stopped by the staunch resistance of the Wood Elves and eventually the Mordiheim forces fell back outside of the Drey Wood borders. Suffice it to say it had all been causing him a lot of stress, and still his brother was missing. Admiral Zalatel had informed him about a development in the search, but as of yet he had not heard back.
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Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 8:46 pm
" Thank you. " Karas entered the room and walked over to stand beside Darius. " I know the other nations have been becoming quite a pain to you my lord. It seems they have no respect for your divine linage, but I have found a way to show them how very wrong they are."
Smiling he laid down a map of of the land and its borders. " Is there anywhere on this map that has so displeased you that you wouldn't mind scouring it of all sentient life?"
(time to test our gas)
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Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 8:38 am
(hmm, manipulation through flattery won't be as easy as I think you think)
The Emperor was immediately offended by the idea of what Karas was suggesting, and it clearly registered on his face. "No!," he shouted, "yes, they have become an annoyance with not allowing me to search freely for the only family I have left, but that is not reason enough to commit mass murder." He paused and took a deep breath, the stress had clearly been building up, very rarely had he shown such direct anger, and never at his Vizier. "I apologize Karas for my harsh response, but you need to know that something like that is out of the question." He paused again, thinking back on old family secrets. "The Carpathia's have enough blood on their hands as it is, no need to stain them any further..."
(Also I think the term 'genocide' has not been invented yet... I mean, only now are they developing technology to commit such a thing)
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Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 3:05 pm
" And I had so wanted to test my newest breakthrough. I really did want to scare them into helping with the search." For a moment Karas remained silent then a slight smile spread over his face.
"Well how about one of those Wall strongholds that are always popping up. Those things are an abomination that no one would miss. You would look a hero to the common man and still show the other nations what you are capable of if they anger you."
( I needed to bring the Wall in somewhere. I might have some Wall troops attack one of the adventure groups.)
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Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2010 12:20 pm
It was true, the mysterious Wall had been a bother on the borders of Mordiheim for many years. He nodded, "very well, reclaim one of the Wall strongholds in the name of freedom and righteousness." He took a piece of paper with the Imperial Seal on his desk and wrote a note on it, then signed it and handed it to Karas. "Take that to Admiral Woodard in Montabaur, it will give you command of the Eastern Fleet for this operation."
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Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2010 1:24 pm
As he took it the paper made a small cut on the emperor's finger. With a look of shock on his face Karas immediately bent down to magical heal the wound. " I'm so sorry your highness. Let me take care of that."
With great care he tucked the note and the ever so precious blood into a pocket. The essence of gods was hard to come by and he couldn't waste the pure stock he already had on something so trivial as wiping out some soulless things in the boondocks.
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Posted: Sat May 29, 2010 7:15 pm
Darius Carapathia sat at his desk looking at a letter he had just received. He ran his fingers through his thick hair as he thought on what to do. His enemies surrounded him everywhere. Dokkalfur and Keslev had just declared war on Mordiheim. The Dwarven embassy hated both of those countries and would likely help Mordiheim in the conflict, but still, war was not something Darius wanted right now.
There came a knock on his door. He paused, not wanting to hear anymore news for the day. The knock came again, it must be urgent. "Enter," he said.
One of Darius' secretaries entered, "your majesty," she began. She held another letter in her hands, and the way she held onto it tightly suggested she did not want to hand it over to an already irritable Emperor.
"Just give it to me," Darius said.
The secretary nodded.
Darius opened the letter and after reading a few lines he threw it on the table with the other. Ellyrion had just declared war on Mordiheim as well. "You may leave," he said resignedly.
"Yes your majesty," the secretary left as quickly as possible.
Darius leaned back in his chair looking out his window at the cityscape of Altdorf, losing himself in the relaxing, methodical sight of everyday life for his city's residents. Then another knock came at his door. "Enter!" he yelled, tired of all of the interruptions and bad news he was getting.
The door opened and Darius heard the familiar clanking of metal boots behind him. He turned to see Admiral Zalatel and his younger brother standing in the door way. "Julian!," Darius said in relief as he jumped out of his seat and went to hug his brother. "I am glad you are safe."
"I know," Julian said, sadly, "I am sorry, I shouldn't have been so careless to get kidnapped like that...."
Darius stood back and looked at Julian in the eyes, "do not worry. I shall make them pay for taking you away from me."
"Thank you brother, they are a dangerous and evil group of sky pirates, I pray you destroy them swiftly."
"It shall be done," the Emperor promised. Darius sighed, because he had business with Admiral Zalatel that needed to be discussed. "Well, brother, I need to speak with the Admiral. We shall talk later. This evening, I promise."
Julian nodded, "I understand." Julian then left the Emperor's office to return to his room.
Darius walked back to his desk and sat down and he turned to look at Admiral Zalatel. "So," he began, trying to restrain his anger, "what happened?"
Admiral stood at attention, "I apologize your holy majesty. The sky pirates had taken the Prince deep within Dokkalfur. I could not wait for the bureaucrats to let me pursue them, I had to act at once."
"And then the Drow found you," Darius finished.
"Yes my lord."
"And the Keslevites just happened to be close by?"
Zalatel knew that sounded particularly bad, "yes. A stroke of bad luck I am afraid."
Darius shook his head, "are you sure?" Darius paused, to give the Admiral a chance to respond, but then he continued, "because I know you are a great warrior, and like many great warriors you have a love of battle. Are you sure! that you did not do all of this intentionally!?" Darius was very angry, far more so than most people had ever seen him.
"I would never bring war upon the Empire," Zalatel said. "If you think even for a moment I would dare to mar the prestige and respect and honor of the Empire then do with me as you will, my life is at your command. But you have my word that I have done no such thing."
"Then explain this!," Darius said as he tossed the letter from Ellyrion to Zalatel.
Zalatel read the letter. It reported of a lone Imperial infantry soldier attacking and killing a large number of Wood Elves in Drey Wood, as well as their most beloved idol: the Ellcrys. Subsequently the Elves declared war immediately in response to this most horrible loss.
Zalatel did not understand how a single Imperial soldier could even get close to the Ellcrys, much less kill her. He had to admit that she was even better guarded than Emperor Darius himself. "This was not my doing," Zalatel said.
"Then how do you explain it," Dairus yelled, he wanted someone to explain how his Empire was at war with 3 countries all within one afternoon.
"I do not know," Admiral Zalatel said. He had his suspicions though. Firstly was the Vizier Karas. He had been instrumental in the coup to take over the Empire, he certainly had the power and magic to attempt something like this, but of course the Admiral could not prove it; yet. "But if you wish I will find out," Zalatel finished.
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Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 7:27 pm
Darius took a deep breath to calm himself. "No," he said, "begin organizing the armies. The sooner we win this war the sooner there will be peace again."
"As you wish my lord," Zalatel said with a bow, although in his mind he also had plans to investigate who had done this anyway. "My lord, also we have recovered the ruby that you had been looking for. I know that now it is a small matter, but one of my servants is interested in examining it, with your permission-"
"Your servant may do as they will," Darius cut off his Admiral, and he got up from his seat. "I do not care. Now I have a dinner with my brother. Good night Admiral."
"Good night your highness," Zalatel said with another bow as Darius left the room.
Zalatel left also and received word that the Arbiter was about to arrive. He had someone radio a message to them informing Janet that she could examine the rubies in her spare time.
***
Darius and Julian sat across from each other on either side of the long table in the main dining room. It was dark and only illuminated by candles on the wall and table. The feeling was of immense loneliness if someone were to see the scene. Two individuals who were supposedly very close but physically 50 feet apart at either ends of an otherwise empty table. For the two "brothers" however it was a normal meal.
"I am glad you are safe and home again," Darius said to Julian as he ate.
"As am I brother," Julian replied, and then continued eating.
"Although you have missed out on many of your studies I was thinking you could take some time off," Darius said. "To recover from your experience. But I would like you to stay home, this war will make travel outside of Altdorf unsafe, I do not want to risk losing you again."
"Of course brother, I understand," Julian replied.
Cassandra sat in a chair next to Julian, she looked tired but to Dais she looked bored. It had been too long since she had the feel of ripping apart flesh, other than mice of course. Dais empathized with her boredom, but now that the wheels were turning he could let her loose on important missions that needed her special touch.
"What do you plan to do about your enemies," Julian asked.
Darius frowned, he did not want to think about it. "The Empire is invincible, we will defeat them."
Dais had to hide his smirk, "yes, but is that enough?" The Demon Lord began cultivating the emotions and thoughts he had been sowing for years. "Many people will die in this war, it must be dealt with swiftly and decisively."
Darius was confused, he had never really heard Julian speak this way, but it sounded so right to him, especially now.
Julian continued, "a wounded and defeated man will hate his enemy for the rest of his life. So much so that he will bide his time till he can defeat the one that defeated him. But if he is crippled or... destroyed completely, then he will never rise to harm anyone again."
Darius was slightly disturbed by the idea of total destruction of his enemies, but his brother's words made sense.
Dais glanced up to see Darius thinking, and he knew what was on the Emperor's mind. His words were sinking in just as he had planned. "What is the point of a quick victory if the another war will replace later?," Julian continued. "You are not just fighting for this generation, but you are fighting for future generations as well. Mankind is a short lived race, but our enemies are not. They will remember for a long time their defeat. And they have a long time to bide their time."
"So what do you suggest," Darius asked, almost begging for an answer to stop an endless cycle of war that would plague his people for generations to come.
Julian shrugged, "I am sorry... I do not know."
Darius looked disappointed, and at a loss. What was he to do?
Dais left it at that. He wished to drag out the Emperor's desperation, make him so desperate for anything, even something that he would never do under other circumstances.
The two brothers finished their dinners and then parted ways for the night. Darius went to his bedroom to get some sleep, while Julian went to go find another old friend.
(Hey Valencrow, where would Karas be?)
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Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2010 10:47 pm
Janet was happy to know she could fill up her sapre time finding stuff out about magic again. "Sir?" Janet said a little hesitantly to Zalatel. "Keslev is my home and while I hold alliance to the empire... I do hold personal people in my heart back at my home. With us at war with them I do not think I would like to be apart of those types of missions. However I will help in infiltration in other places with ease. I do not care for my home countries allies."
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Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 5:06 am
( at the moment karas is actually several hundred miles from here. He is going to be spreading a little terror to our bounty hunters once they find a village or town. poor unlucky saps)
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Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 9:54 am
Zalatel nodded, "very well. I had not intended to send you there anyway. Instead we shall protect the homeland." Zalatel looked over the reports of enemy troop movements that had been spotted. "And first we must secure our southern border with Brettonia. We shall hit them before they can launch a coordinated attack against us."
(Oh darn. I guess they will have to hang out later)
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 3:02 pm
Janet gave a short curt nod. "Alrtight that should be easy. What kind of attack are we planning? Do I need to get the mages ready? Are we burning forests or attacking a city?"
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Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 1:06 am
On the other side of the city brother Heron woke in a familiar bed. Looking around he remembered treating his wounds from the fight with the pirates, and then everything was a blur. He assumed his wounds had become infected. On a plus note the army had turned him over to his order for care.
" looks like I have a few new scars to look forward to." He said aloud. He almost immediately regretted it. His own voice made his head hurt so much he nearly passed out from it.
Fighting off the black spots that threatened to drag him under he decided to sit back and concentrate on healing.
( The flip side of anti magic. No magic healing. so the pirates nearly killed him just from compilations to his wounds.)
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Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 10:20 pm
Janet had been waiting for some news on Heron for a bit although she had gotten no word she had wanted to meet up with Heron for a test she was planning.
There was a note on Heron's side desk when he felt good enough to read it.
In old calligraphy the note said.
I hope you get better soon Heron! I would like to meet up sometime soon when you feel up to it and talk some. I have some questions for you.
~Janet
P.S. I bought magical paper that will transport to me once you leave your note and get out of range of it.
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Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 10:40 pm
"We will head to the Jade Pass," Zalatel said, "that is where they will likely launch their attack. The other passes are too dangerous for an army, and going over the mountains would be too difficult on the ground."
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