"Now, now, we were getting along so beautifully Brianne. Don't ruin it now." Corvo said dangerously, narrowing his eyes. "There are things going on that you're not aware of. My role has been extended. And I am doing this for the sake of the Accords, for the sake of us Nephilim. What we will be doing is working with these Downworlders in order to allow us to do our jobs better. They'll need to come to Alicante, but this is for the betterment of all." And it was true. His purpose, and Yorick's purpose, were higher than anything these people could possibly know. Their work was one of ascension, something to take them beyond their limitations and allow them to protect and serve, just as the Angel Raziel had commanded them. He decided to try to take a different approach. "I realise that I have been... Harsh in my presentation of this. As you can imagine, this is the attitude I am used to taking with people." He explained. "Truly, it is vital that you help me in this. Tell me, is there anything that you want to protect? By helping me, by helping the Clave, you can guarantee its safety now, and for all time to come." It was perhaps overdramatised, but to him it was the truth. The power that they would be able to wield would be astounding. What they could do would be beyond anything they, simple Nephilim, had been able to do before. They could fulfil their purpose of protection on a grand scale. And the best part? It only required a small sacrifice. Compared to the immense price that would be paid over the years of missing that bit of extra power, it was nothing. Compared to what already had been lost, and what could have been saved, this small sacrifice of a few Downworlders meant nothing. "Do you understand why I am asking for your help now? Not because I have poor intentions, or that I am some kind of zealot, but because I believe that this will help us serve our duty better."
When the Andaran Prince entered, the Inheritor gestured for him to take a seat. He set down the report he was reading and the door was closed behind the man. Jaden stood up and offered a hand across the table. "Greetings to you, Prince of the Andaran Highlands. I'm afraid I don't know your name, so you'll have to introduce yourself. My name is Inheritor Jaden Samarost, leader of the Shards of Hope and current Regent of Sarn." He explained. With the introductions done, he took a seat again and resumed talking. "I understand that you have come here for a reason, though it is unknown to me. I thought that the Highlands decided to remain neutral in this conflict?" An officer came in with another report. Another planned attack? Very well... I have Zahariel spare and David unassigned. I'll send them to handle it. Somebody else then walked in. Jaden rolled his eyes. Grif, from Zahariel's division. "Go back to him and tell Zahariel that he's being deployed soon with David. They're dealing with an offensive. I imagine that it'll be led by a Demi-God." Jaden ordered, gesturing the soldier out of the room. The phone on his desk rang and he sighed. "Apologies, I have to take this call." There was somebody at the gate apparently. Someone that called themselves a princess. They had the same name as Onamakritos. Ah, the troublesome sister has arrived. "Tell her that I'm talking to a prince at the moment and that she is going to have to wait. Thank you soldier." He sighed emphatically. "Once again, apologies. Now, where were we?" He looked at another report that he was given. David filled this entire thing out so soon? What is it that he wants? I'll read the document and deal with him when he comes back. The captain in the room listened in on what people were saying. It seemed that their new recruit who came without the clothes whose name appeared to be Kala did not quite understand authority. He cleared his throat. "Ms. Kala, I believe you misunderstood. You have joined the Shards of Hope. This means that you follow orders. What the Inheritor said was not a suggestion. It was a command." He pointed out. "I promise you, the process is not invasive and we are simply giving you clothes. Something that you appear to be lacking in at the moment." He concluded the sentence pointedly. "Princess I do not know where you brother is. Allow me to call the Inheritor to see if he will see you now." The current guard on duty explained. He was merely a sergeant, because they were running out of captains of the guard at the moment. He called, and the typically frosty response of Jaden Samarost came down the line. He grimaced. People of authority tended to respond badly to this. "Your highness, the Inheritor is talking to a prince right now. You may go to the command building and await him outside his office when he will be able to speak. As I understand, he will see you as soon as he can." Summary of where people need to be: Reitan - With Carissa Kala and Timothy - With Carissa When you guys are all in position we can get the missions started. We've waited long enough here. Zahariel - Please fetch David David - Needs to be fetched Once fetched, Zahariel and David can be deployed. "Very well. We'll need to wait here a while for anyone that Jaden is deploying with us to arrive." Carissa stated after Rose was transferred into one of the armoured transport vans. A squad of troops entered each in preparation for them to move out. "What's with you and that journal Onamakritos? You're always writing in it." "Oh good, sounds like she might have calmed down from earlier then. If she hadn't, she'd have said something much icier and probably wittier than that." Kalak commented, folding his arms.
"Indeed, indeed. No matter. Eventually someone else will take the job and I'll be able to find time for all that." He reclined into the chair, keeping a very close eye on her body language. She was trying to distract herself. He didn't need to point out the fact that the fear of his position that she mentioned was very much working on her. He felt a certain degree of satisfaction in that. She knew who she was dealing with. "Ah yes, the ceremony. I remember that now that you mention it." There wasn't much to say about it other than that. It probably meant something to her, but to him it was another occasion which he attended and merely followed procedure in. There was nothing particularly noteworthy about it. Indeed, she was simply the next Lightwood to take charge of this Institute. It seemed to have been working so far. Really, it couldn't have been any less extraordinary. Her age and relative competence was the only truly notable part of the whole affair. "Indeed. Driving through New York traffic to get here was an exercise in patience I don't particularly care to repeat any time soon." He commented, picking up one of the fruits and eating it. He savoured the taste, then took another. "You're extremely competent Brianne. That's how you came to be selected. Although truthfully, it is to be expected. Your family has a history of competence. Your brother Alarick is no exception." She continued on, commenting on how she was grateful for her post because she was able to evade the necessary family business. "I agree. For someone with my position it is an even greater burden. I cannot afford to be seen in any light less than the high and mighty righteous Inquisitor. It is not a burden that can be accepted lightly. My family at least, had no expectations of me marrying to continue their line. On the contrary, they were proud. That makes us opposites in that regard." Corvo ate two more strawberry slices. "Now then, I suppose I should inform you a little of what I am doing here. I am looking for people, and I expect your help in finding them. They have done nothing wrong and they are only required temporarily. We require their help. Downworlders are not known for their instantaneous co-operation. This is why I require the services of your Shadow Hunters." He decided that it was best to explain that much to her. A third test, as it were.
"I see. You're defiant. You don't fear pain or death, do you?" Jaden asked, watching it happen with his hands behind his back. He derived no pleasure from it, nor did he feel particularly disgusted. He just didn't care. She was an enemy agent and it was a means to an end. What none of them knew was what happened here didn't matter anyway. Now that they had her, she was already factored into the plan. "No matter, we'll elicit the truth from you in other ways. Onamakritos -" He was about to give further orders but then the cell door opened and an officer ran in, panting heavily. "Sir, insurrection on the Western Front!" The soldier reported. He whirled around. "Where?" He had to hide his smile. "Barthal, sir!" The soldier had snapped to attention to deliver his report. "How irritating, the citadel." At that moment, he realised where he was. "Follow me soldier, this isn't the place to discuss this. Carissa, take the so-called Black Rose to the transport depot. I've already made arrangements for her transfer to our main prison facility. Take a team, I'll make some additions and changes as I see fit, - You're making sure that she gets there." "Yes, Inheritor!" Carissa saluted as Jaden left the room with the officer. An insurrection was bad news, it meant that there was an Order presence that would need to be dealt with as soon as possible. "Aster, you're in charge of holding her chains. Onamakritos, you're with me. If they attempt a rescue, they may send a Demi-God and we need your flames. I'll wait to see who else we're assigned." She turned on a heel and left, expecting the others to follow her. She led them towards the transport depot where a trio of secure armoured transports. "Aster, pick one and put her in there. It looks like we're using decoys." As Jaden returned to his office having already congratulated the officer on his work, he saw something going on in his Captain's office. There appeared to be a group of new people that were having some sort of discussion. Folding his hands behind his back, he entered through the open door. A robot, someone wearing only a jacket for clothes, Reitan and someone who looked Andaran. Someone from the Highlands? They've been neutral so far. Interesting. "I assume we have new recruits then, Captain?" He spoke. Immediately, the Captain and everyone in the vicinity snapped to attention. "Yes, Inheritor." He nodded. "Other than the Andaran prince, who is here for his own reasons. You will want to speak to him sir." "Very well. Find the woman some clothes, we can have her sized at the Quartermaster by a female member of staff so she's comfortable. We're accommodating. Then dispatch her and the construct to Carissa's team. You're going with her too Reitan." Jaden ordered. "Prince of Andar, kindly follow me. We will discuss matters in my office." He started to walk out of the room, and then stopped. "And Captain, send someone to wrangle Zahariel. Tell them to tell him that if he's being difficult then I'm slashing the research group's budget on his personal matter for a month. Feel free to send someone you don't like." Jaden returned to his office down the corridor and sat down at his desk. Someone had placed another report on his desk. A breakthrough on AVENGER? His eyes glinted and a wicked grin crossed his face. They were going to be able to take the fight to the Demi-Gods on a whole new level soon... Meanwhile, in the camp the Captain on duty was on patrol when someone approached him at the gate. He was a shifty looking character by all rights. He didn't trust the man as far as he could throw him, however what he said was most interesting. "I see. Follow me. We'll see what you're offering." He led Ransak to a heavily reinforced building near the entrance of the camp. Inside, it was a plain room with a large table. The doors were just as heavily reinforced. "Please relax as best you can. This building is highly reinforced in case someone in the guise of a trader comes in with explosives. If you've been referred here, then what you have must be highly valuable. Now then, what is it that you wish to sell to us?" "I heard that Teliana." Kalak smirked. "You're probably right in that regard Sophia. Jaden is known for his strategies. It's a good thing that Jayce is recovering, otherwise he'd probably fall straight into the trap." He was raring to go now. Vasher was calling out for blood. "Let's go. Send my regards to Ashleigh for me Jayce." He was going to call her en route to figure out what was going on with that little strop of hers earlier. He led them to the shuttle in the bay and got on board. "Is everyone ready?"
"You're right. Absolutely right. I don't regret this choice. I think it was the best that it could have been." Derrick agreed. He smiled at the last part. "Dealing with you two isn't that traumatic. You just caught me off guard at the wrong time. Any other day I'd have met you two wit for wit until someone forced us to stop." He rode along quietly after that in deep thought. Eventually, his eyes flicked up to the sky and he saw that there was going to be little time left to set up a camp in the light. Night was coming, and it was coming fast. "We ought to make camp while it's still light." Derrick called back to Treasa. He led them a little off the road behind a hill. Not directly in sight, but not too far either. He got off his horse and began to unpack his camping materials, including his tent and his blankets. He started pitching it all up. "In the other bag still on the horse there's the materials to make a fire pit. Grab those and get to work. If you want to make use of anything, just let me know." "Of course. We're a cavalry squad didn't you know?" He smiled and led them out of the tent (Apart from Matilda, who was collecting herself) and pointed to a paddock. There were a group of horses milling about not doing anything. "I'll requisition them. I'll record that they're out for a day and we'll bring them back imminently." He wasn't gone for long. Corporal Ardal came back with two horses, armoured and with his sword. He was clearly trying to present himself at his best for Gordon and Matilda's parents. He patted one on the head. "This one's gentle. You can borrow this Gordon. Matilda is riding with me, she's not confident on a horse." Gordon was going to mention that he wasn't confident either, but he wasn't in any position to complain. Instead, he looked helplessly at Ellyn. "Thank you." The farm boy mumbled. Matilda came out of the tent. She was fully covered up with a hood over her head and she was wearing some of Ardal's clothes. Ardal smiled when he saw her and she smiled back underneath the hood. He gently helped her up on to the horse and got up himself, while Gordon struggled into the saddle. After a moment where it seemed that he was going to fall straight off the other side of it, he caught and steadied himself. "Let's ride!" Ardal barked, assuming his aura of command. Then he remembered what he was actually doing. "I mean, let's go." They rode out of the camp, and Gordon struggled out of the camp.
"Wait, a big dragon burning down a forest? And not trusting Zythia? What are you talking about Greenbeard? There haven't been dragon sightings around Tyrrus for years I thought." Aedan inquired. He looked at the old man quizzically. "And what do you know about Zythia anyway? I can't imagine that you've met her to get to know her personally." This line of conversation was interrupted by the drake. It seemed that the Winter Man was some kind of sorcerer, powerful enough to affect the weather. Unfortunately, they had been standing around too long and it was now feeling hungry. And apparently, he looked tasty. He looked down at himself. He was thin. I imagine the mayor of the town is probably eating more food than everyone else so he would probably make a good meal but me? No. He did not transmit that thought to the drake. If he was that careless then it could be bad. Instead, Aedan looked at it disapprovingly. "I am not tasty. I am very thin. And I will get rid of the Winter Man if you stop eating people. Then Winter can end properly and you can have your bears and your deer back." Aedan reasoned. He had to stop to consider the next bit of phrasing. How did you explain a gun to a drake? "Also, if you don't stop eating humans men with thundersticks and long pointy sticks and magic will come to eat you. No more eating bears and deer for you, and no more drakes. So, we will get rid of the Winter Man so that men with thundersticks, long pointy sticks and magic don't come to kill you, and you don't eat humans while we're doing that. Okay?" He didn't know whether Drakes could really be trusted, but at this point he had no idea how else to reason with it. Fogwarden coming tomorrow.
"To be fair, my life is no more pointless now than it was when I was younger, back home with my sh*tty parents where I was just an accident. They were happy to get rid of me. I suppose that my life is better now. There are people who actually want me around. But they'll die the same as me. I can't rely on Veceslav, or Veera, or Olivia to live to be by my side. Aaron, the youngest of us already has died." He stopped himself. He was starting to go on again, and she didn't ask to hear his life story or personal woes. But something felt good about it, voicing all of this. It was something that they all seemed to try to avoid talking about until they couldn't run away from it anymore. All the Witchers tried to run away from the future, from that depressing fate. There was a comfort in facing it as honestly as he could. He listened to what she was saying about them. About Witchers. The good things. He nodded in agreement. "You're right about that. We do act to save people. It's the one thing that we can do. It doesn't stop people hating us. The times of the noble, heroic Witcher are gone though. There are some in the world who consider us archaic. Remnants of another time. And that sacrifice you mentioned... Is it always a choice that we get to make? I'd love to say that this was the path I chose for some high altruistic reason, but it's not. I was given to a passing Witcher because there was nothing better to do with me. And nobody wants to risk death and a life devoid of joy just to help other people... Apart from perhaps you. And I respect your wish." But what else do you have to lose, Treasa? It sounds like you've already lost it all. Those are the other types that choose to become Witchers. He looked wistfully into the distance, happy to believe that she was doing it for the noble reasons she described. "I hope you're right though." He said, his voice quieter and softer. "I hope that I live to see a day that I'm not needed any more. I'd love to put these swords down one day and live another life as best I can." He decided to omit the "With someone to love" that was always added to the end of that. For all of his cynical commentary on the legend of the White Wolf, he preferred the other endings. Ones of hope and peace. An ending that he would like to live.
"No more beautiful than watching me at work." That was also to say, not at all. "You're in the army, your date can wait as long as it takes." People going on dates in wartime... Honestly. He listened intently to what Jayce was saying. Intercepting a prisoner transfer likely wasn't going to be a problem. The interrogation was probably going to be easy as well. Teliana's eyes, as she had perfectly identified, would be useful. Jaden waited for CAL TO GODDAMNED POST ALREADY BY THE NINE DIVINES OR WHATEVER DEITY YOU CHOOSE! The captain did nothing, satisfied to watch everything happening and taking notes on who the new recruits were. The interrogation sure was taking a while. He wondered what OR WHO was holding it up.
The Dwarf and the Elf regrouped at the edge of the forest. There was no other pursuit. The bloody work had been done and now it was over. The sound of screams no longer echoed in the village - There was no one left to scream. "Yer lucky Boenn, ye weren't en the village. Ah doon't think Ah'll forgat that fer the rest of my life." Panted the dwarf with an expression of relief on his face, but the horror reflected still in his eyes. "The world is full of monsters my friend, but that... Ah've never seen anything like it... An' Ah hope Ah never will again... They ate them Boenn... They f*cking bit and tore and the ones that didnae get eaten got up again with those blue eyes..." The Elf looked down at Wilfred sadly. He got down on a knee and put his hand on his shoulder. "I understand that you're terrified, and rightfully so." He said sagely. "But now we must go. Come, we will go to my cabin. We will gather some supplies, and we will leave this place. It's a distance away from the village, but it isn't safe. We'll walk to Novigrad, You can set up a smithy again, and you'll rebuild." With an arm around the Dwarf's shoulder, he led him back to the hunting cabin that he stayed in. Outside was a wooden hand drawn cart that he carried his goods in. Boenn opened the door and sat Wilfred down. He handed the dwarf a piece of bread, which Wilfred began to chew quietly. In the meantime, the Elf moved to and fro, picking up meats, cheeses and bread and placing them in sacks which he took to the cart. He put herbs into small pouches which he placed on his belt and put his skins on to the cart as well. Finally, he covered it up with a large sheet of cloth. He waited for Wilfred to finish. They'd move out soon after. The plan had worked seemingly perfectly, but the mage wasn't stopping. An expression of shock crossed his face as the fire mage attempted one last charge, his skin a glow and his eyes (metaphorically) on fire. "Alanna!" Adolin barked. He stepped in front of the sorceress and pulled her close, trying to run for an alleyway. They didn't get far. The world was bathed in an orange glow and he felt the fires of hell on his back and that was all he knew. She saw that the guards had penetrated the shield as she retreated in a panic. She had to reduce the shield boundaries and stop them from entering. If they did it was over. She shrunk the boundary, but Kyle made his move. She saw what was coming and as Adolin swooped in, she reduced it to a small dome around them. It wasn't quite enough though. The blast threw them back, breaking the shield and she could feel the heat near her. She regained her senses momentarily, seeing that she had been thrown into the alleyway a short distance and Adolin just outside. She groaned, getting to her feet and saw Adolin, lying face down on the road with a bloodied face and a scorched back. Much of the thick leather had been scorched off and she could see raw red skin. She was tired, but she could still cast spells. She used her telekinesis to drag Adolin into the alleyway and propped him up against the wall. "Adolin, wake up!" She hissed, slapping his face to bring him round. She looked outside. She had no idea how much time they had. "Adolin, we don't have much time, get up you idiot!" He groaned and put his hand up to his face. "Alanna...? Where are we?" He mumbled. "In an alleyway, now pick up your arse and let's go!" She stood up and started to tug his arm. He started to get to his feet shakily. She put his arm over her shoulder for support and put her arm around his lower back. She started to lead them down the alley. Hopefully the soldiers didn't come too soon so that they could get away. "It's not my place to say. I suppose it's nice in a way. You have someone that you care about that much, and cares about you likewise from what I can tell." Derrick replied. He considered what she was saying, and thought to himself for a while on the subject before replying. "For the most part... Yes. Although, you can't speak in absolutes. What's true for me may not be true for another. But in my experience, I've been primarily alone except with other Witchers. It's the eyes and the mutations. Nobody wants to be seen with us. We're strange, we're cold hearted, emotionless killers with inhuman bodies and capabilities. Sadly, most people tend to discriminate. Some Witchers don't acknowledge themselves as human, they call people "humans" because they feel that they're not part of the species anymore. I still think of myself as human though. There's no reason to distance myself any further from people. Yes, isolating is a good word. That's why I... Well you know what I do. It helps stave it off, you know?" It was odd, to acknowledge that part of it. He had always told himself that it wasn't because he was lonely, but it was true. He was. And like everything else, he tried to run away from admitting that. "The trials are a risk. I doubt it's because he fears to be alone." He said. "Did you know that only three in ten survive the process? As one particular student from Oxenfurt told me, that's a seventy percent chance to die. The odds are against us. That means that seven families lose a child pointlessly. And that's only an average. And if we survive, then we don't have families, we don't get married and we die alone in a cave, on a mountain top... Choose your place. We'll die anywhere but in our own beds, happy with our legacy and with our life. The story of a Witcher never has a happy ending. Do you know the legend of the White Wolf? It has many different endings, but of the three distinctive endings there's one in particular - His death, alone and surrounded by the monsters that he hunted his whole life, wishing that he had done more, wishing that he had not lost all that he had lost. It's a tragic end, to bring tears to the eyes of all the little rich ladies who read the tales, or harden the hearts of tough men so that they don't cry like the women. But it's the truest ending. We'll always die alone to a monster that we're paid paltry sums to kill, if we even live to get the chance. That Treasa, is why he doesn't want you to take the Trial of the Grasses. So you don't die a pointless death, or live to live a pointless life."
She said that they would provide assistance, and there was a reasonable amount of caution in her thinly veiled request for more information on the matter. He was undecided on what to make of her, until she insisted on adding the little joke at the end. It seemed forced. The gears in his brain began turning. He was not convinced that she was entirely on his side, but that did not make her a traitor. That, so far, meant that she was uneasy working with him, and if he were to take his suspicions further she may have something to hide behind it all. "It won't be anything too demanding I should think. It should be well within the capabilities of this Institute to bring about." He forced a smile as a reaction to her joke. "Perhaps. I can't say that I've been on many dates, let alone bad ones." It seems that having the task of charging fellow Nephilim of betraying the Accords or the Clave really turns people off you. Maybe it's just the way I am. Other Inquisitors have had relationships. Alas, not much can be done. Eventually another Inquisitor shall be elected and I will be able to pursue such interests. "Hendrick? I assume you mean Cyrus Tiberius? We should not disturb him if he is recovering from wounds." He's here. Good. That means that Aethelrick will find his way soon enough. I should look into how he sustained those injuries as well at some point. "If Roxanne's location is unknown then perhaps it would be a good idea to find her later. After I've seen Alarick and Nick of course. And yes, food would be nice." So, now she's digging for information. Very, very interesting indeed. Corvo followed her back to the kitchen and sat down at the table while she prepared some strawberries. Watching her body language, she was unnerved by him. He could hear her muttering too. "Have we met before then?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'm afraid I don't recall."
"Relax, etiquette is the least of my concerns. This is no formal occasion at Alicante." Corvo gave a gentle smile to reassure her that there would be no repercussions for failing to adhere to proper tradition. He noticed that her smile was forced and her handshake was weak. She is not pleased to see me here. "As you are aware, the other Institutes have closed and as this is the last remaining open Institute, the Clave has asked to come here to supervise. There are additional things that I would like the assistance of yourself and the other Shadow Hunters in completion, but for now there is no need to be concerned about those. I'm sure that will not be a problem, will it?" The first test. This could confirm his suspicions about her particular dispositions towards him and give him some leverage over her. If she promised co-operation, and did not provide it later on, then that would give him room to apply pressure. Or evidence that she is guilty of something. Indeed, if she doesn't agree here then it will become clear that she's hiding something. After all, why else would you refuse to help the Inquisitor? "Where are the other Shadow Hunters here? I'd like to meet them. After all, I'll be here for some time and it would be good to introduce myself to, and become acquainted with, those that I will be working with." Second test. To refuse that on weak grounds would be further confirmation that there was more going on here than it would initially appear, and I don't buy her story about not expecting company. That Rune was active for a reason. His expression nor body language betrayed his suspicion. Naturally, they would all be somewhat wary of him, however he planned to try to dispel some of the wariness when he spoke to the people here. He wouldn't be able to work with people that were cautious about him.
Derrick heard her muttering, but decided tactically not to bring it up. It sounded like quite the serious issue, and he didn't want to try to drag up old memories yet. She probably wasn't ready to discuss that issue with him yet, as they were barely acquainted. Besides, based off what Alastar had said to him as well, he could come to a rough conclusion as to what happened to her on his own. It wasn't a good conclusion. He understood some of her grievances and suspicions now, and he could see why she might be inclined to dislike him in particular. He made a mental note to watch what he said around her. No reason to give her other reasons to hold a grudge against him, or to remind her of something that she probably wanted to forget. He wasn't going to offer her that particular service either. He had already given one person amnesia, even though it was by accident. He had no desire to erase other memories regardless of how much more precise he would be with the Axii Sign. "Better company than me? Hah, don't be silly." He replied with a light, jovial tone. He changed his expression to one of mock horror at the mention of Alastar bathing. "I have no desire to see that. Poor girl, having to put up with such a sight! You'll have a break from it for now, although I imagine you'll be missing the bearded bugger by the end of this trip." He kept his tone easy and in light humour. He wanted to develop a pleasant atmosphere for them to travel in. It would facilitate a friendship, which would make the whole trip a lot more bearable. He couldn't imagine anything worse than travelling with someone that he despised. He was sure that it went both ways. Well, maybe she could imagine something worse.
The presence of the Barrier Rune at the Institute's door was not unprecedented, but it was certainly unusual. As he wandered, he reflected upon this and concluded that they must be facing trouble with certain Downworlders. Indeed, certain amongst them had been identified to him, so it was worth considering the possibility that some of these people had been interfering with the business of the Shadow Hunters. A daunting prospect. When in the kitchen, he saw that it was a well equipped facility, but also that there was a Rune of Silence cast. He frowned and examined this curiously. For what reason is a Rune of Silence placed in the kitchen? It wouldn't be to dampen the noise of the oven alarm or the microwave would it? He did also pick up some footsteps, an unusual gait, but it was possible that someone was injured. If his hypothesis about the Downworlder problems was correct, then that would suffice for an explanation. The nagging suspicion in his mind called for another explanation, that these people had something to hide and the Cancellation of the Barrier Rune would not have gone unnoticed by its caster. That seemed more likely, considering that he, the Inquisitor, was deployed. Though he hadn't been expressly informed, he could only presume that a certain amount of suspicion fell on to these people. As he thought, Corvo poured himself a pint of water and downed it swiftly, pleased for the drink even if it was just tap water. Before anything else, he should probably locate Brianne. It would not serve him well to seem presumptuous. He walked out of the kitchen after finishing his water and set about looking for the master of this institute. As it turned out, he did not have to go far, as she was coming towards the kitchen. Presumably, she had detected his presence from the Barrier Rune and his footsteps. He gave a formal nod in greeting. "Greetings, Brianne Lightwood, esteemed leader of the New York Institute." He offered a hand for her to shake. "I am Inquisitor Corvo Eismauer, the Clave sent me here to oversee the operation of the last open institute. It is a pleasure to be working with one of such good repute as yourself. The Lightwood family is known for its loyalty and reliability, so I am honoured to be here." It pays to be polite, after all, I need to befriend these people to ensure that they are wiling to work with me. Remember, the Clave deployed you for a reason Corvo. Even Lightwood cannot be beyond suspicion. If it were a simple matter, they would not have sent me. "Has the Institute faced difficulties recently? I can only presume so, given the presence of the Barrier Rune at the front door. My apologies for compromising security if so, because I was forced to break it. You may wish to write in an exception for fellow Nephilim in future." He suggested.
The Inquisitor navigated the streets of New York, using the humans' rather helpful smartphone to find his way through the city. For all their magic, human technology could do things that they were quite limited in, in certain regards. And in many ways, mundanes were limited as well due to their lack of magic, or of runes. That was for the best, however. It was doubtful that they could handle the truth of the world. The many wars that plagued humanity spoke wonders to their responsibility - They couldn't be trusted with their technology, let alone the higher mysteries of the world. He set a brisk pace as he examined the area surrounding the Institute, getting a good sense of the routes around it. After that, he decided that it was time to make his entrance. His plans had changed from what he had thought of in the hotel, but it might be more appropriate to introduce himself. After all, there was more to his mission than the hunt for Cyrus' Parabatai. He had to locate certain Downworlders and bring them into the fold, as well as ensure the co-operation of his fellow Nephilim. He reminded himself that they were not the enemy here. They were Shadow Hunters, as he was, and as such they were his best allies. To direct his eternal suspicions towards them without cause would be to cut himself off from the best allies available to him. Corvo Eismauer entered the Institute. The first point of call would be to meet with Brianne Lightwood, the head of this institute, but that would come in time. The walk to the Institute from his hotel had worked up a hunger in him, and his throat was parched. He needed to find something to eat and drink. The Inquisitor set himself upon the task to find the kitchen, though he wasn't quite sure where that was yet.
Aedan frowned at the mention of the 'Winter Man'. That sounded ominous, as well as the problem at the heart of this. He looked to Greenbeard, who seemed a little surprised about the fact that he knew how to communicate. The druid was not surprised that Greenbeard could both hear, and could do so as well. Perhaps this strange old man would be a good teacher, if he could only convince him. That, and he had obligations to the society. Maybe one day, he would go to Greenbeard for some training when he had the time and the permission of Sanderson. "Yes... I thought that there would be some deeper reason behind all this. Good thing we figured it out so soon and can tell Sanderson. He's a good man, but he would have loaded his guns and tried to kill them all unnecessarily." Aedan replied, tapping his fingers on his staff thoughtfully. He looked to the drake again. "What is the Winter Man? What did the Winter Man do?" It was possible that this Winter Man was some sort of powerful wizard, which they could deal with. If he could get a little bit more out of the drake, it would help. They might even be able to convince the drakes to help them get rid of the winter man so that they could have their original home back. "Well, to be honest I pulled you along here to help so, of course I'm accepting your help Baldy. Even though you're only a little better looking than I am and smell like a marsh, you're a helpful, reliable friend." Was he really that reliable? Really? Kellan honestly wasn't sure if that was necessarily true. It made him sound nicer to everyone else, so there was that. After all, most of them probably weren't going to be so happy about the whole not telling them everything thing. He looked at the quiet girl who hadn't yet said anything and nodded emphatically. "Right you are, Chri- What was your name again? Was it Christina? I didn't catch it."
"It's perfectly fine for you to ask. She was caught by who we now know to be Witch Hunters." Derrick explained grimly. "You can imagine how that must have been. Vyle rescued her from them. He's an interesting one, and a reminder that even monsters can display signs of humanity. Nicest vampire I'll ever meet. To be honest, it feels a bit like an honour because such beings only really appear once a century - If we're being optimistic." He nodded to her commentary on Oxenfurt. "It really was a nice city, and it's a shame to see it gone. I didn't really get to have a look around the University and such, given my profession and all, but I remember going to the city and enjoying my time there." He reminisced. It was ridiculous really, to realise that those were lighter days. It really said a lot for how the times had changed. Nowadays there were Witch Hunters active and the Doppler massacre. Before it wasn't perfect, but it seemed like an age of chaos was dawning - A time of contempt, a baptism of fire. Maybe it would be followed by an age of peace. If it was, Derrick the Witcher hoped that he lived to see it. An age where he could lay down his swords. He smiled at Treasa. "When we stop to camp I'll switch horses. It'll be a while before we get to the Kaer. I hope you don't mind my company because we're going to be stuck together for a bit." He smiled wryly. Bertha's surprise at Solomon's exclamation only lasted as long as her remaining lifespan, which wasn't overly long. She didn't even have time to feel the pain before she died. The remaining villagers of Pontarsfork sank into despair, seeing their one glimmer of hope being crushed beneath the tides of the dead. Delaine didn't struggle as her fate came to her. It was far too late for that. She merely covered her eyes, and allowed it to happen. Corwyn was dead. Seemingly everyone was dead. How could she go on, when all the others had died? Her only comfort would be that it was over quickly. Meanwhile, towards the back of a village the battle of epic proportions played out. The dwarf, Wilfred Hoover fought back against the Plaguebearer that beset him, however it was reaching its climax. The creature was reaching forwards, forcing its body along the fence post that he was using to hold it at bay, however the Dwarf was made of sterner stuff than its mind could have believed, considering the weak wills of the villagers. With a shout of defiance, he raised his axe and cut its arm, the diseased limb falling to the ground. He released the makeshift stake and took his axe in both hands and beheaded it. It fell to the floor, its (un)life now ended. He panted, feeling sweat running down his body. He was hot, but the adrenaline coursing through his veins made him feel alive in this time of death. He turned and continued to flee Pontarsfork, praying that they hadn't got to Boenn too. The Elf saw the dwarf coming from a short distance away and raised his hand in greeting. He saw Wilfred return the gesture as he ran towards the only other survivor in Pontarsfork. Boenn nocked an arrow and kept a careful eye out, ready to shoot if the plucky dwarf was pursued.
"It's nothing personal, the old Crow's horse is just a bit finnicky." Derrick hauled himself atop Hawk and started it moving. He nodded to Treasa. Luckily for her, he hadn't noticed the smile that had almost developed on her face earlier on. "You're right, but we can bypass that. If we go through Novigrad then we should be okay. That's what annoying about the route, because we have to go through the place that I want to go. I can't exactly go and ask Archon for a job, only to continue on my own way though." He led the way towards Novigrad, keeping the Zerrikanian Warhorse at a steady pace that his own could keep up with. If he really wanted to, he could spur on Hawk who would far outrun any steed that he had ever seen. "That being said, Novigrad is full of Sorcerers and Sorceresses. We might be able to pay someone to portal us. Maybe someone more competent than Teliana." He said lightly, but his tone turned serious. "Not that it's entirely her fault. She's been through a lot recently. I can hardly blame her for her concentration slipping and I don't know whether that Zephyr guy would have done any better. Does make you wonder though, did the rest of them get to the Kaer okay?"
Corvo Eismauer tapped his steering wheel impatiently as he waited in the endless New York traffic. The only good thing about this situation was that it wasn't raining. He flicked the air conditioning on in the car and relaxed back into the chair, sighing. He hummed along to Muse's Black Holes and Revelations album as he waited for the traffic to move again. There was one good thing to be said for humans - They made good music. Halfway through Assassin, the lights changed again and he took off the handbreak, flicked the gearstick up into first and drove along. It was one of the precautions he had taken when deciding a car to drive in the human world. A lot of humans in this country couldn't drive 'stick', which would be enough to deter most thieves as far as he was concerned. There was a lucky break in the traffic and he was able to turn off the jammed up street down to a side road. He looked at his GPS. He was nearly at the hotel he was staying at whilst he was here in this city. He decided that he was not overly fond of New York. He could have simply gone to the institute in the city, however he wasn't ready to do that. Not yet. That would reveal his position, too early for his liking. Right now, he wanted to keep incognito, otherwise his prey might not show up as he wanted. That, and Cyrus Tiberius might go to ground. He would have no love for him. The Inquisitor parked up and checked into his hotel, pulling his suitcase behind him. He reached his room and placed the case on his bed. He opened it up and picked up a case which took up a quarter of the space. He unlocked the clasps and lifted the lid, revealing his Thompson Contender inside as well as the ammunition for it. Corvo Eismauer loaded one of the bullets into the weapon and strapped the rest of his ammunition to him underneath his coat. He was ready to head out on the hunt. The Inquisitor left the hotel and walked to the area of the city where the Institute was found. That was his best chance for finding a lead.
"If that's what you want Aias, that's fine by me. After all, you're here to test yourselves. I'm just here to observe and help where I'm needed." Dale replied, walking out of the bar with a casual wave towards the secretary. It was unfortunate that he had to leave her so rudely, but it seemed that it was necessary. "Your magic is suited to this sort of thing as well I believe."
Character Name: Corvo Eismauer Age: 43 Gender: Male Race: Nephilim Appearance: https://i.imgur.com/5WBa1SV.png Backstory: The Nephilim are the protectors of humanity, those who watch for dangers and deal with each new threat as it arises. But who watches the watchers? Which agency keeps them in check, and who is it that deals with those that stray from their duty? That is where Corvo Eismauer comes in. Corvo is an Inquisitor who has presided over the trials of many over the years. He came into the role early on in his time in the Shadow Hunters due to discovering a Nephilim who had been killing and otherwise using humans in tandem with a demon for reasons unknown. He reported the incident after having conducted a thorough investigation of his own accord and, the Inquisitor he informed finding his investigation suitably thorough and believing him to be capable, was recommended for training for the part. Ever since, he has been keeping a close eye on the affairs of his fellow Shadow Hunters, leaving him little room for friendships with other Shadow Hunters because of his role of natural suspicion. In this sense, Corvo earned a reputation for being suspicious of everybody, and almost a zealot in his pursuits. However, his actions have always been within the bounds of the Clave, leaving them with little room to complain. What is notable about Corvo is that he takes a very personal hand in the tasks he undertakes and, with the permission and assistance of the Silent Brothers and Iron Sisters, as well as the Clave and Council of course, uses very rare and specialised Runes found deep within the Grey Book. These Runes are not allowed for most Nephilim, due to the somewhat cruel nature of them. He is the exception to the rule, such is the degree of trust that they have in him. If he were ever to defy the Accords even once, he would be immediately be turned into a Forsaken as for one who works beyond the standard rules, they must be punished beyond the standard rules. One of the other notable things about Corvo is his use of a firearm, something highly infrequent in Nephilim circles. His unorthodox and unprecedented access to Runes not available to most Nephilim led him to believe that he also required a non-standard weapon. To this end, by examining human firearms he was able to find a weapon that suited him. As well as being versatile, it suited his methods as he could inscribe each bullet with a Rune before firing and didn't require him to pre-Rune an entire magazine. With a heavy calibre of bullet loaded in one shot, he believed, was all that was necessary. Weapons: Stele, Hand and a Half Sword-length Seraph Blade (Name - Zahariel), Thompson Contender (Single shot, break action hunting pistol) and the ammunition to go with it. Magic: Selection of non-standard Runes, in addition to the standard complement. Rune of Binding - Must be applied directly to a person with a Stele. Causes full body paralysis. Rune of Pain - Can be applied to objects/weapons to inflict the effect of the Rune. Target's entire body is wracked with pain. Rune of Judgement - Can be applied to objects/weapons to inflct the effect of the Rune. Informs Corvo of whether the target has broken the Accords in a binary manner - Either they have or have not. The target must be convinced to give more information. Rune of Amplification - Must be applied to another Rune. Doubles the effect of any given rune, though the rune lasts half as long. Makes the first rune take longer to apply. Does not affect the Rune of Judgement, Silence or Cancellation. Rune of Silence - Can be applied to objects/weapons to inflict the effect of the rune on the target. Prevents the person from speaking. Rune of Cancellation - Can be applied to objects/weapons to inflict the effect of the rune on the target. Cancels a Rune's effect. Other: The Contender currently loads .44 Magnum rounds.
