The Ivory Citadel

Lord_Deathstalker

Lord_Deathstalker

The bleeding nose perv
The Ivory Citadel Carved into the side of a mountain. The Citadel was a city onto itself. And the Grand Master has died. The Grand Master lord of magic, Now the high Mages will begin snapping for power. Plotting for who will sit in the Throne of Glass.
In normal times the High Mages are teachers of the craft in all its forms. The songs of the Elves. The Blood magic of the Neth of the Swamps. The War casters of the Savage Iles. High magic's of the royal courts. On the last count there where Fifty-seven High Mages. Four hundred and twenty-two students, Two thousand six hundred fifty-nine Ungifted .
It is here in this power vacuum that history will remember as the Mage wars will have it's opening moves.
 
Sin High Mage of Combat sat in his office. It was a spartan room even though his station was high enough the desk he was going over his notes could have been made of gold. The desk was oak and had clearly seen better days. The three chairs were simple wood and the one on Sin's right had a wobble he had been meaning to fix. The walls were covered in both weapons and book shelves. The state of the book shelves said that it was not a show library. Books had makers in them. While others were open on tops of other books. The Weapons ranging from the newest matchlocks that were difficult to acquire, large wooden clubs, by contrast, The weapons were immaculately cared for.
Sin's mind was racing as he read the message again. It said that the Grand Master had passed under unknown causes. And that all the High Mages were to cast votes in the next four moons.
 
Rune shuffled through a long corridor to get to his chamber.


'What do you believe happened to the Grand Master, Rune?' asked Rune's mother, whose life force resided within his stave.


'I can't say mother. It's just a lot of odd coincidences. He didn't greet the Citadel this morning as he usually does. There are also whispers all about, that the Grand Master has met a fatal end. Honestly, anyone could have gone through with such an act for any number of reasons, given what is stood to be gained from his untimely departure, if in a position to inherite some promotion of influence in the governing power. All I know is that his death would not be an accident or spontaneous if it is the case. I know our Grand Master's death would be an assassination if it is truly so.' Rune telepathically communicated to his enchanted mother non-hesitantly.


Rune finally made his way to his chamber. He sat at his station and opened his tome. His father wrote to him on the blank right page he had opened the tome at:


'Rune, this theory is far too dangerous to explore any further. You know very well the powerful wielders of magic do not like being questioned, much less doubted.' Rune read upon the lexicon that was for all intents and purposes his father, before the words meant for him faded from the tome's page.


'Dad, he took me in. He saw potential in me and encouraged me to pursue it. Despite the constant condescension I've had to shoulder my entire life, I was somehow able to achieve more than the world would ever allow me thanks to the Grand Master. I owe him the chance to let his death have dignity by seeking justice for whoever would go through with this atrocity to end his life, if the whispers carry any truth to them.' Rune telepathically shared with his father as his thoughts were reflected upon the left page alongside the right page where his father had communicated with him, before gradually fading from the tome's pages as quickly as Rune expressed the words in thought.


"I need to request an audience with Sin." Rune finally declared out loud to himself and his parents.
 
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Sin stood up from his desk. The note hitting the floor. He rubbed his chin Sin was always lousy at politics. It's why he signed up to swing a sword, to begin with.

Sin moved to a box on his desk and pulled out a slim cigar lighting it with a snap of his fingers. He raised his voice "V. Get in here."

Sin sat on his desk as V walked in. She was of south sea human decent so her olive skin and dark wavy hair. Made her look like a goddess of some forgotten pantheon. "That bad ?" She asked as she took in him sitting there smoking.

V had been an information dealer for as long as Sin had been swinging a sword. "Yeah Tell me do you know of any Necromancers that are trustworthy and not...." Sin waved his hand in a sweeping motion.

V cut in saying " off? Strange ? more than a little crazy ? " She smiled her full lips parting to show daintily pointed teeth.

Sin cleared his throat. " you know what I meant some of them can be eccentric. However, it can't be the High Mage for all I know The High Mage of Necromancy could have been the one to kill him. " Sin said flicking a bit of ash onto the floor.

V. leaned on the wall her statuesque body crossing her arms " Then I suggest Master Rune. He seems honest enough. Though he is a bit strange when it comes to his staff, don't know why. But even among his peers he is withdrawn "

Sin nodded "Right then go fetch him, I would go myself but I have some things to do gears to move. And I have yet to meet a man alive who has not been swayed by your charms V." V had once bitten a man's throat out who had refused to pay his bill. She was as unforgiving as the mountain they stood on. But flashing some eye candy to the boy. Might help loosen him up and bring him out of his shell.
V nodded and left to go fetch the boy. V was ungifted but she was a valued member of Sin's household part steward and adviser . She always found a way to come out ahead. No doubt she would find some way to hang this favor or Sin's head. And milk it for all it was worth.
Sin shook his head as he began to brew a pot of coffee and tea for his guest. He then sat down and began writing a note.
 
Just as Rune was preparing to seek Sin's council - a tactical fellow whom seemed to Rune to discern the factors that would lead to such a grim outcome and who was widely known to manage to survive his share of skirmishes in certain instances - a knock unexpectedly echoed in Run's chamber.

"You may proceed." Rune granted to his visitor as he filled his travel gear with the last of the ingredients he kept in his supply for potion making.

He looked up to find V standing over him, glancing at his fevered sifting of viles and jars filled with all manner of herbs and dissected renderings.

"You sure don't travel lightly, do you Necromancer?" retorted V in a light yet firm tone.

"One can never bring too much when uncertain of where their wandering may ultimately lead them to during times like these. You go by the name of 'V', I believe. I haven't formally introduced myself, I am-"

"Rune. I know very well whom you are. This is no time for pleasantries, however. I've heard of your skill and have recommended you to Sin. You seemed to be on your way to another affair. It would appear I have caught you in time." V added rather casually. Her lively dark hair embellished her healthy complexion as a set of pale azure eyes confidently observed his reaction.

"I... was actually about to request an audience with your superior."

"Then we're in agreement, it would seem. Follow me." V concluded as Rune stood up to pick up his staff before joining her to meet Sin at his study.
 
Elliot sat in the street by the post office, pulling out parchment, brush, and blood-ink, and gathered his thoughts. He had been escorted to the Ivory Citadel a short while ago, and was quite ill-prepared for his stay. Pictographs of ears and an opened mouth were drawn, and Elliot chanted:

"Blood-ink red and parchment white,
Record my talk then speak it right."

Elliot, seeing the runes glow as the magic took hold, began his message:

"My sincere apologies for this most unusual form of communication, High Mage Sin; I am uncertain as to my aptitude for the written form of this tongue, and would not wish to slight you by communicating clumsily. I hope to master the runes of this speech during my stay here. Speaking of which, I have been informed that I am to reside in this place, and would like to be informed of the details of this arrangement. I was wandering through the lower kingdoms when I came into contact with one of your employees: a high mage, I believe; his robes matched the style of the other high mages I have seen during my short time here. Circumstances forced me to reveal my magic, a form of incantation, and the high mage decided that you and I were best served aiding each other; I would serve you to the best of my abilities, and you would provide the necessities for living and an education in the magical arts. I was then delivered by his servants to this Citadel, and left here. I can only assume that the mage I met has sent word ahead, and that this is enough information to identify myself. As of writing this, I am loitering outside the post office and predict I will remain so until evicted.

From your future servant and student,
Elliot Lars Ferretkin."

Once the message was complete, Elliot spent much of his dwindling money supply on sending the now carefully rolled parchment to the office of Sin, and proceeded to loiter once more.
 
Sin sat in his office sipping coffee. When a Page entered his office a rolled parchment in his hands. Sin took it and his eyes flashed from side to side. Sin opened a cabinet and pulled out a pouch of gold. Bouncing it in his had a few times he heads out of his office. Heading down the hall he opened the door to the balcony. Looking from one side to the other. Sin leaped from the balcony and fell the twelve flights to the ground. "Slow" Sin commanded brushing his power and his fall abruptly slowed to if he was walking a few feet above the ground. Sin cut off his power and landed with nearly a sound. In front of the post area. Realizing he still had his cigar in his mouth he hurriedly slight of handed it into one of the pockets of his robe. Clearing his throat he regarded the young man behind is serpent-like eyes. "Welcome to The Ivory Citadel." Sin said in his High Mage voice. He flashed a smile to make him feel welcome.
 
Elliot hastily rose from where he was sitting and greeted the man who fell out of the sky in high mage's robes. "Salutations, sir. Am I correct in assuming that you are High Mage Sin?"
 
Sin smiled and waved " I am The High Mage of Combat no need to lean on the formality." Sin said as he brushed off his robe. " Would you kindly follow me to the office. I can answer any question you may have about the Ivory Citadel" Sin said as he moved to the large door.
 
"Thank you, sir," Elliot said as he followed behind Sin. "May I ask why I was summoned to the Citadel? I was informed by High Mage Issac that you would find my services useful, and told to assure you that 'It's not kidnapping if it's consensual.' I must confess that High Mage Issac confuses me in no small amount."
 
Sin smile "Well formal training from the Citadel carries a lot of weight." Sin Spoke as he entered the Citadel The ground floor was busy. Clerks and students moving like a tide. " And if you make alumni status we will pay you a wage. To pursue your field of study. That and hedge mages are dangerous magic practiced without constraint can and has cost lives." Sin laughed "as to use how are you at spontaneous spell casting ? " Sin thought for a momment and elaborated " Like working the craft with out thought. Or without focuses." To demonstraght he held out his hand and with a brush of his talent. A ball of lighting formed in Sin's hand. Flicking his wrist the lighting took the form of birds and shot up to the ceiling where it was eaten by the white stone.
 
"Well, my school of magic is incantation. I am not certain what you mean by focus, but the words I speak are not a 'crutch' or a 'lens' for my magic. It's as if... I speak, and I know what I speak is true, and what I speak happens. I must prepare what I say, but if I think too much about it, I begin to doubt it, and I cannot speak it. The message I sent you was made using my magic; I spoke an incantation that I bound to the parchment. It was to make the parchment record what I said, and then speak it."
 
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