The Council of the Forgotten Seasonal Meeting: Winter/Spring
Oct 7, 2014 16:25:29 GMT -5
Post by Thorlah on Oct 7, 2014 16:25:29 GMT -5
"Meetings are never supposed to be this intense." Councilor Errman told me, upon my introduction.
"You'll get used to it." Councilwoman Emily whispered to me, attempting to smooth my transition.
"We may not see eye to eye, but in the end, I think that will help us cover one another's weaknesses." Andreus said, acknowledging our mutual dislike, and our mutual respect for eachother.
"Just don't do anything too brazen. You might upset some of the older councilors." Councilor Matthew advised, having been the latest addition, until I was added.
Funny how all of the aforementioned folks weren't here now.
Councilor Errman seemed to slowly lose his grip on reality, before locking himself up in his fancy compound within the city walls. Supplies are routed through, and proof of life is always given every day, but no one that sees him leaves the complex.
Next up is the Councilium Dux's childhood crush (or so I assume, judging from the affectionate, albeit awkward interactions between one another), Councilwoman Emily. Her disappearance was completely unexpected, and I had a sinking feeling she was the unidentifiable body found the second morning after Neil's departure.
Councilor Matthew meanwhile was just plain missing, with no evidence of a possible death, or of him losing his sanity.
Andreus was rather self-explanatory. He was murdered in the central square, by the same assailant that took down Councilwoman Margot, leaving the same calling card sign at the scene.
That left Councilors Annabelle, Earl LeMoorenig, Herman, and myself as the remaining present members, and including Neil, the only known living Councilors.
More than half of the Councilors that had been in place for five or more years were wiped away in less than a third of the time they were in charge.
Per the unspoken rule of seniority being in charge when the Councilium Dux is absent, all turned to the second oldest in the room, but by in large the most appreciated and well-liked Councilor aside from Neil.
This, unsurprisingly, was none other than Councilor Herman himself, a man I myself respect quite a bit.
He stands firm and tall in his suit, his well-kept and combed hair, his meticulously trimmed mustache over his upper lip, and stern look on his face.
If I sound highly complimentary, it is due to his whole presence engendering respect, authority, and obedience. I myself employ similar tactics, when necessary, and appreciate a well-done application by a fellow tactician.
"Council of the Forgotten Seasonal Meeting for Winter, and Early Spring Sessions has now begun. Due to the issues at hand, role call would be asinine and will be skipped. As you all are aware, we once again have key members missing and unaccounted for at the table. Councilors Emily and Matthew are missing, and in the case of Councilor Emily, we have reason to presume she is deceased, and is the Jane Doe found two mornings after the morning the Councilium Dux left."
At this, Councilor Earl LeMoorenig fidgeted, and Councilor Annabelle began to nibble at her fingernails.
Seems those two have something already nibbling at their minds.
The doors burst open, and Herman and my suspicions were confirmed.
Offices from the First Ward, home of Councilor Emily, came in with a folder held tightly, so as to not lose a single slip.
"Lords and lady, I have terrible news. We found Councilor Emily this morning."
...or not? The officers just found her, yet the one both Herman and I had suspected was dead months ago.
"Then where has Councilor Emily been?"
"We don't know for sure. Just...her corpse is held up in the street, like some gruesome ornament, untouched from the moment of death."
"And how come no one reported it? People walk that street all the time!" Councilor Annabelle, clearly upset, yelled.
"Settle down councilors, settle down." I interjected, spotting that my compatriots were about to lose any semblance of composure.
"Officers, is it not the case that the main thoroughfare that the Councilwoman was found on is being worked on, to integrate it with the regional road system?"
"Yessir."
"As I figured. That means lessened traffic for the act of placing her. If I had to guess, she was not killed there. Ward One is the most prominent of the wards, and is bursting with security. Perhaps her murderer could get away with the time-consuming placement, but to do that, and commit the murder seems...unlikely."
Councilor Herman nodded in agreement, and looked over to the seat where Councilium Dux Neil would be at normally, and for a moment, revealed a frown of sadness for his godson.
"Was it as cruel as the last murder from the Council Killer?"
The officer was quick to shake his head, then clinch his fists.
"Worse. Not as immediately noticeable but..."
Suddenly more officers barged in, this time from the Eighth Ward, home of Councilor Matthew, another tell-tale sign of yet another murder.
"Two? At once? Councilor Herman, how in the world is this..."
Councilor Herman's eyes sharpened, and he became icy to even behold.
"That's just it Councilor. It's *not* possible. Not with this much effort."
"Councilors...It's Councilor Matthew. We've been sent his...well...I..."
"OUT WITH IT!" Councilwoman Annabelle, rightfully indignant at our fleeting numbers yelled.
Though I personally would've been at least a little more tactful with the nervous officer. Whatever the police force was sent from Councilor Matthew's body, it was likely a gruesome 'totem' of confirmation of his fate.
"Officer, please forgive Councilor Annabelle. She, like the rest of us, is quite agitated that we, the supposedly most prepared for such events, are being picked off like targets at a shooting range, or a fruit stall unattended save for a starving thief. Councilor Matthew was an accomplished duelist with dual-rapiers, and yet he is murdered? Councilor Emily was likewise skilled in her own rights, and yet she too is killed, without any sort of signs of mounting a useful struggle." Councilor Herman said calmly.
"Who would go to such lengths to murder all of us?" Councilor Earl LeMoorenig said, clinching his head tightly, as if to hold his mind together against the pressure of stress.
"Andreus may have flubbed his political attempts, but never to this extent. None of the nations we have contact with, nor know of us have that sort of vendetta against us."
"Could it be an enemy of the past perhaps?" Councilor Annabelle replied, flipping open one of the reference books in the chamber.
"It says here...Well, this helps us not even in the slightest. Gentlemen, this book says our predecessors were the most loathed, aside from the extinguished Godless."
"Perhaps, but we are not our predecessors. There is no Zaros alive to subtly move us as his pieces on the chessboard, no Azzanadra to inspire and invigorate the masses with his tremendous courage and intellect, and there is no Sliske spurning on action by subtle subterfuge. We are inheritors of a name, and are the sculptors of a purpose all our own. We accept our predecessors mistakes, and we are remorseful for them. But I will not stand here, and let this kingdom come to pieces because we're afraid we'll upset long dead Mahjarrat and an equally long dead god!"
I did not think I'd yell all of that so furiously, but this all too common notion of the dead controlling our fates has always been a disturbing school of thought to me. If the gods' followers persisted as we had, they too were far more likely to accept their gods' fates, or at least be willing to contemplate a new world, with new players, new methods and styles of strategy.
Being blind to the future, and wholly attentive to the past only guarantees you to be a fool, and one that history will not waste its bated breath and its waiting ink upon.
To my immense pleasure, all of the Councilors present agreed with my rallying call, and Councilor Annabelle closed the reference book.
"Officers, take up Protocol Five. Any civilian asks, be honest, but withhold key details. If any fill in gaps, you have a clear suspect. The rest of us will stay in the palace here, and send word to the Councilium Dux."
"That will take months to reach him Gram." Councilor Herman rightfully predicted.
"I would've suggested we have Andreus seek him out, but..."
"Then what of the new Pontifex Maximus?"
"None has been selected. In fact, the infrastructure of the church has been remarkably coy about it when I asked."
"Perhaps that's because they were attempting to solve the crime as well."
The voice was remarkably distorted, and sounded tremendously more powerful than the quiet, and sometimes quirky (and not in a good way) sound I had remembered, but I could tell, barely, that it was indeed the same person.
Donning an updated and more impressive looking set of the Pontifex Maximus robes was none other than the clearly murdered Andreus Agatho.
His hands, pale as snow, sat unmoving at his sides, and his hood covered his face, and also showed the Zarosian symbol prominently instead. His head seemed slightly hunched down, but he stood normally, an oddity I could not fully place.
"That...Andreus?! Neil said he saw you die!?" Councilor Herman gasped in disbelief.
"He did, though I did not actually fully 'die'. Allow me to explain it in short. The wound was fatal, but I was rescued by my fellow Pontifexes. After many sleepless weeks, here I stand before you. I am not fully well, and will need to remain within the city to recover for a few more months, but after hearing of the latest spate in murders, I knew you needed to know I still live."
"Do you know who murdered you?"
Andreus stood motionless.
"No. I am, however, ready to face them should they come to finish their job."
"Lad, is there any reason why you will not show your face?" Councilor LeMoorenig asked.
"Look not any further into it, Councilor. For what you seek is an answer that lies not in the Abyss or the Shadow Realm, but within the Void. What enters, cannot return."
Andreus turned to have his back face us, and in a flash of purple light, vanished from the chamber.
"Councilors...I call this meeting...adjourned."
-Councilor's Log, Supplementary:
Haunted by another sleepless night. This time, more councilors are claimed, including Councilor Emily...my childhood and teenaged love. I also watch Andreus be swallowed by a shadowy maw, and his form changed, but into what...I don't know for sure.
I also see a blue light with a green light, illuminating a dark world.
Whenever I get close enough to start to be able to discern who or what they are, a man I presume is my mind's interpretation of Chief Heimdall appears, and begins to say something I can't quite hear.
Then...Then, I am always stirred away by a frightening clattering nose, like creatures chomping at an invisible bit to devour me and anyone near me.
I'll mention it to the local seers if they are willing to accept my request to train to pass the Trials.
Maybe tonight I will get some rest.
Perhaps the fanciful dream of the one I cherish will revisit me.
How I hope you're out there...Anna-lise.
-Neil Allenby, Councilium Dux
"You'll get used to it." Councilwoman Emily whispered to me, attempting to smooth my transition.
"We may not see eye to eye, but in the end, I think that will help us cover one another's weaknesses." Andreus said, acknowledging our mutual dislike, and our mutual respect for eachother.
"Just don't do anything too brazen. You might upset some of the older councilors." Councilor Matthew advised, having been the latest addition, until I was added.
Funny how all of the aforementioned folks weren't here now.
Councilor Errman seemed to slowly lose his grip on reality, before locking himself up in his fancy compound within the city walls. Supplies are routed through, and proof of life is always given every day, but no one that sees him leaves the complex.
Next up is the Councilium Dux's childhood crush (or so I assume, judging from the affectionate, albeit awkward interactions between one another), Councilwoman Emily. Her disappearance was completely unexpected, and I had a sinking feeling she was the unidentifiable body found the second morning after Neil's departure.
Councilor Matthew meanwhile was just plain missing, with no evidence of a possible death, or of him losing his sanity.
Andreus was rather self-explanatory. He was murdered in the central square, by the same assailant that took down Councilwoman Margot, leaving the same calling card sign at the scene.
That left Councilors Annabelle, Earl LeMoorenig, Herman, and myself as the remaining present members, and including Neil, the only known living Councilors.
More than half of the Councilors that had been in place for five or more years were wiped away in less than a third of the time they were in charge.
Per the unspoken rule of seniority being in charge when the Councilium Dux is absent, all turned to the second oldest in the room, but by in large the most appreciated and well-liked Councilor aside from Neil.
This, unsurprisingly, was none other than Councilor Herman himself, a man I myself respect quite a bit.
He stands firm and tall in his suit, his well-kept and combed hair, his meticulously trimmed mustache over his upper lip, and stern look on his face.
If I sound highly complimentary, it is due to his whole presence engendering respect, authority, and obedience. I myself employ similar tactics, when necessary, and appreciate a well-done application by a fellow tactician.
"Council of the Forgotten Seasonal Meeting for Winter, and Early Spring Sessions has now begun. Due to the issues at hand, role call would be asinine and will be skipped. As you all are aware, we once again have key members missing and unaccounted for at the table. Councilors Emily and Matthew are missing, and in the case of Councilor Emily, we have reason to presume she is deceased, and is the Jane Doe found two mornings after the morning the Councilium Dux left."
At this, Councilor Earl LeMoorenig fidgeted, and Councilor Annabelle began to nibble at her fingernails.
Seems those two have something already nibbling at their minds.
The doors burst open, and Herman and my suspicions were confirmed.
Offices from the First Ward, home of Councilor Emily, came in with a folder held tightly, so as to not lose a single slip.
"Lords and lady, I have terrible news. We found Councilor Emily this morning."
...or not? The officers just found her, yet the one both Herman and I had suspected was dead months ago.
"Then where has Councilor Emily been?"
"We don't know for sure. Just...her corpse is held up in the street, like some gruesome ornament, untouched from the moment of death."
"And how come no one reported it? People walk that street all the time!" Councilor Annabelle, clearly upset, yelled.
"Settle down councilors, settle down." I interjected, spotting that my compatriots were about to lose any semblance of composure.
"Officers, is it not the case that the main thoroughfare that the Councilwoman was found on is being worked on, to integrate it with the regional road system?"
"Yessir."
"As I figured. That means lessened traffic for the act of placing her. If I had to guess, she was not killed there. Ward One is the most prominent of the wards, and is bursting with security. Perhaps her murderer could get away with the time-consuming placement, but to do that, and commit the murder seems...unlikely."
Councilor Herman nodded in agreement, and looked over to the seat where Councilium Dux Neil would be at normally, and for a moment, revealed a frown of sadness for his godson.
"Was it as cruel as the last murder from the Council Killer?"
The officer was quick to shake his head, then clinch his fists.
"Worse. Not as immediately noticeable but..."
Suddenly more officers barged in, this time from the Eighth Ward, home of Councilor Matthew, another tell-tale sign of yet another murder.
"Two? At once? Councilor Herman, how in the world is this..."
Councilor Herman's eyes sharpened, and he became icy to even behold.
"That's just it Councilor. It's *not* possible. Not with this much effort."
"Councilors...It's Councilor Matthew. We've been sent his...well...I..."
"OUT WITH IT!" Councilwoman Annabelle, rightfully indignant at our fleeting numbers yelled.
Though I personally would've been at least a little more tactful with the nervous officer. Whatever the police force was sent from Councilor Matthew's body, it was likely a gruesome 'totem' of confirmation of his fate.
"Officer, please forgive Councilor Annabelle. She, like the rest of us, is quite agitated that we, the supposedly most prepared for such events, are being picked off like targets at a shooting range, or a fruit stall unattended save for a starving thief. Councilor Matthew was an accomplished duelist with dual-rapiers, and yet he is murdered? Councilor Emily was likewise skilled in her own rights, and yet she too is killed, without any sort of signs of mounting a useful struggle." Councilor Herman said calmly.
"Who would go to such lengths to murder all of us?" Councilor Earl LeMoorenig said, clinching his head tightly, as if to hold his mind together against the pressure of stress.
"Andreus may have flubbed his political attempts, but never to this extent. None of the nations we have contact with, nor know of us have that sort of vendetta against us."
"Could it be an enemy of the past perhaps?" Councilor Annabelle replied, flipping open one of the reference books in the chamber.
"It says here...Well, this helps us not even in the slightest. Gentlemen, this book says our predecessors were the most loathed, aside from the extinguished Godless."
"Perhaps, but we are not our predecessors. There is no Zaros alive to subtly move us as his pieces on the chessboard, no Azzanadra to inspire and invigorate the masses with his tremendous courage and intellect, and there is no Sliske spurning on action by subtle subterfuge. We are inheritors of a name, and are the sculptors of a purpose all our own. We accept our predecessors mistakes, and we are remorseful for them. But I will not stand here, and let this kingdom come to pieces because we're afraid we'll upset long dead Mahjarrat and an equally long dead god!"
I did not think I'd yell all of that so furiously, but this all too common notion of the dead controlling our fates has always been a disturbing school of thought to me. If the gods' followers persisted as we had, they too were far more likely to accept their gods' fates, or at least be willing to contemplate a new world, with new players, new methods and styles of strategy.
Being blind to the future, and wholly attentive to the past only guarantees you to be a fool, and one that history will not waste its bated breath and its waiting ink upon.
To my immense pleasure, all of the Councilors present agreed with my rallying call, and Councilor Annabelle closed the reference book.
"Officers, take up Protocol Five. Any civilian asks, be honest, but withhold key details. If any fill in gaps, you have a clear suspect. The rest of us will stay in the palace here, and send word to the Councilium Dux."
"That will take months to reach him Gram." Councilor Herman rightfully predicted.
"I would've suggested we have Andreus seek him out, but..."
"Then what of the new Pontifex Maximus?"
"None has been selected. In fact, the infrastructure of the church has been remarkably coy about it when I asked."
"Perhaps that's because they were attempting to solve the crime as well."
The voice was remarkably distorted, and sounded tremendously more powerful than the quiet, and sometimes quirky (and not in a good way) sound I had remembered, but I could tell, barely, that it was indeed the same person.
Donning an updated and more impressive looking set of the Pontifex Maximus robes was none other than the clearly murdered Andreus Agatho.
His hands, pale as snow, sat unmoving at his sides, and his hood covered his face, and also showed the Zarosian symbol prominently instead. His head seemed slightly hunched down, but he stood normally, an oddity I could not fully place.
"That...Andreus?! Neil said he saw you die!?" Councilor Herman gasped in disbelief.
"He did, though I did not actually fully 'die'. Allow me to explain it in short. The wound was fatal, but I was rescued by my fellow Pontifexes. After many sleepless weeks, here I stand before you. I am not fully well, and will need to remain within the city to recover for a few more months, but after hearing of the latest spate in murders, I knew you needed to know I still live."
"Do you know who murdered you?"
Andreus stood motionless.
"No. I am, however, ready to face them should they come to finish their job."
"Lad, is there any reason why you will not show your face?" Councilor LeMoorenig asked.
"Look not any further into it, Councilor. For what you seek is an answer that lies not in the Abyss or the Shadow Realm, but within the Void. What enters, cannot return."
Andreus turned to have his back face us, and in a flash of purple light, vanished from the chamber.
"Councilors...I call this meeting...adjourned."
-Councilor's Log, Supplementary:
Haunted by another sleepless night. This time, more councilors are claimed, including Councilor Emily...my childhood and teenaged love. I also watch Andreus be swallowed by a shadowy maw, and his form changed, but into what...I don't know for sure.
I also see a blue light with a green light, illuminating a dark world.
Whenever I get close enough to start to be able to discern who or what they are, a man I presume is my mind's interpretation of Chief Heimdall appears, and begins to say something I can't quite hear.
Then...Then, I am always stirred away by a frightening clattering nose, like creatures chomping at an invisible bit to devour me and anyone near me.
I'll mention it to the local seers if they are willing to accept my request to train to pass the Trials.
Maybe tonight I will get some rest.
Perhaps the fanciful dream of the one I cherish will revisit me.
How I hope you're out there...Anna-lise.
-Neil Allenby, Councilium Dux
