LonelyWorlds 2024/02/22(Thu)14:07 No. 1084178 ID: 0d1c28
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Castle Crym has become a lonely place
It's been that way for a long time.

Three weeks have passed since the fifth acolyte was lost.
second acolyte has fallen deadly ill.
The mistress has left with her favored attendants.

The first acolyte no longer numbers among them.
So instead he manages the castle, he trains the next acolyte, he defends his lord and lady's treasures.

He searches for the dead traitor.
Diavola Channeler.

He does all this from his personal chambers.
He names it "research".

LonelyWorlds 2024/02/22(Thu)14:09 No. 1084181 ID: 0d1c28
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his research however is disturbed.
Music echoes through out the halls.
The morose singing of some accursed minstrel

This can't be.
Music is forbidden in Castle Crym and has not graced it's halls in ten years.

yet music now there is.

Yeah, somehow I doubt she's dead.
Get dressed and be prepared to critique minstrels with extreme prejudice.

>>1084178
Music? For the first time in years? Let's do some dancing while we go to investigate

Also, who are the five acolytes?

Alright, let's consider what we're in for.

A: Some idiot servant forgot the rule or is ignoring it because they don't expect they'll get caught.

In this scenario, another servant would likely call them out on it quickly, not wanting to get in trouble through association, so you'd likely hear the singing come to a stop before you even arrive. It isn't impossible that other servants would stay uninvolved though, perhaps wanting the singer to get in trouble or because they're far-enough away that they feel safe from whatever punishment they'll receive. This is a harmless possibility, as well as the most likely.

B: Someone of greater status than you is present, and they sing because they are above the rules.

In this scenario, you mostly only have to be concerned with presenting yourself well. You'd hate to see Kalez while looking slovenly for example.

C: There is an invader.

This is the least likely option, as the sound of the invader singing would almost never be the FIRST warning you get. There would be alarms, shouting, maybe the sound of fighting. While it is a possibility, it is low enough that we can discard it until all others are proven false.

D: There is a reason for singing that overrules the rule against it.

What, did somebody bring their infant to the castle and could come up with no better way of calming it down? This would fall under A if it were a servant, but what if, for example, singing was necessary to calm a dangerous creature being transported? This may seem like a very niche and unlikely scenario, but consider the circumstances for a moment. It has been ten years since music has graced these halls, and someone has gone out and broken that streak. If ignorance can be ruled out as a suspect, would necessity not be the next most likely possibility? It's hard to know for certain what need for music could present itself, but it would do you well to investigate before issuing a judgment.

With all of this in mind: Perform some quick and simple grooming, and then head out to investigate the source of the music.

Duchess Kalez did refer to Diavola as a minsrel... Head on a swivel, this may an ambush.

Nethar 2024/03/11(Mon)21:51 No. 1086179 ID: 0d1c28
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Nethar reminds himself of his place in his order

he is second only to his High Priestess, Zarcadia Kalez. thought to Terrotha she is Kalez Multero wife of Arch-Duke Midas Multero, she is absent for this reason.
a tournament is being hosted and she is needed to represent her husband, who has fallen ill, or so the story goes...

He is first Acolyte, he is Aebin Nurom Thar, though most know him as Vizier N'Thar or some variation. names have power and it rarely serves to hold only one.
Kalez has left him behind, this is both symbolic and a warning. he has disappointed her in not finding Diavola Channeler she expects him to try harder.

Second Acolyte is Sir Garrin Veraki, he is no longer in Kalez' favor, he acted against her wishes and did battle with forth acolyte. infection and fever wracks his body while healers tend to him in the City of Herrone to the north. If he lives Kalez will likely give him another chance.

Third Acolyte is Oragatt Ruingarth, she works the forge normally but his been given a mission to prove her worth, she has made good progress.

Forth Acolyte is Laterna Rabollo, the most powerful of Kalez' acolytes, the high priestess was very impressed with her restraint in recovering a spy and overcoming second Acolyte's interference. Kalez is keeping her at her side now to imply protentional of higher placement in the hierarchy of the order.

Fifth Acolyte is a recent addition, called "The Hydra" by the few that know of her, she is actually five conjoined sisters; Remia, Mifal, Fason, Solia and Laret officially of house Teedo, they are bastard children of stronger blood and potential, much to the contrast of their predecessor Eeyfel scrounge.
They are the only other acolyte still in Castle Crym, currently in the adjoining chamber still conducting their initial training in-

Nethar 2024/03/11(Mon)21:52 No. 1086180 ID: 0d1c28
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-'that blasted singing' Nethar mutters as his thoughts are interrupted.
Was it the Teedo Sisters chanting the repetitive tune? he didn't think so. The voice was not deep enough, besides the Hydra couldn't carry a tune to save thier lives.

The voice had the spirit of a tavern goer, and only barely anymore talent.

Nethar dressed quickly to be prepared to challenge whatever minstrel graced these halls. Diavolo Channel had been the last minstrel, and this invader would suffer no less.

Be sure to look before you leap. Try and see who is singing while undetected. sneaky sneaky.

>>1086186

Definitely this. If you can identify them before they notice you, you'll have initiative to determine how to respond.

Arm yourself. It is probably Vriolo having finally escaped. Even if it is just some passerby we will need to silence them.

Very kind of her to give the second acolyte another chance since her atrocious communication skills put him into traction to begin with.
Grab some stuffing for your ears, this singing is horrendously loud!

>>1086186
This

Nethar 2024/04/05(Fri)20:48 No. 1088060 ID: 0d1c28
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Nethar thinks about the events that led to the suffering of the second acolyte Garrin. he voices them aloud, to drown out the music

'Kalez had learned that her scribe Xietzu had escaped from the city and was intending to betray secrets to the crown.
She needed to be eliminated immediately, Garrin and Laterna were the closest agents, Kalez worried about sending Laterna into the city and chooses to contact Garrin to bring in Xietzu instead

I however advised caution, for Garrin is a xenophile with a weakness for noble blooded moralist, Xietzu fits his ideal, in addition his prolonged proximity to the princess was straining his faith in our mission. Kalez had promised Garrin the Princess for his loyalty, frustratingly he still wants her approval which he will not get through anything other then deception or betraying Kalez, she could hardly be expected to be complicit in overthrowing her own claim to the throne.

Kalez trusted that Garrin would only deceive the Princess, so she contacts Garrin despite my misgivings, yet still caution guided her hand and she gave him a test of loyalty.
Kalez and I had understood Eeyfel's condition was beyond our power, Garrin was given the same delema yet couldn't come to the same conclusion.
He had failed the test. Garrin was distracted by Eeyfel's illness and repeatedly evaded taking responsibility for Eeyfels fate and instead condemned Kalez.

As I already suggested Garrin was useless for the task, he lacked faith in Kalez lacked faith in the mission, and in no mental condition to deal with a traitor, assuming he could be trusted at all.
I recommended he be removed immediately, Kalez instead favored leaving him to his prior mission bringing the princess here, I suppose one last chance to redeem himself.'

Nethar 2024/04/05(Fri)20:50 No. 1088061 ID: 0d1c28
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'We had no choice but to use Laterna and hope for the best, I suggested to have Laterna bring Xietzu in alive.
She was desperate to prove herself and this would limit violent outburst and might inspire more creative solutions instead

Kalez told her to avoid Garrin if at all possible and that her mission takes priority to his, but should she encounter her superior she is is explicitly instructed to only take new order from Kalez.
Kalez additionally made it clear that Garrin was not an enemy and should not be harmed nor should his escort mission to the princess be interrupted nor interfered with, Laterna seemed to understand.

We did not hear back from Laterna for some time. when we did it was to report that Garrin's stooge Garcio was skulking about making things difficult, Kalez denied permission to remove him, and reiterated that if Garrin interferes to remind him of his loyalties as delicately as possible.

It was Garrin who contacted us next, he had met Laterna and things had not gone well, he was badly injured despite Kalez' orders.
whether he had learned from his mistakes or was just dying of blood-loss he finally seemed pliant to Kalez's orders.

we heard nothing more about the mission for another two days, when Laterna had returned with Xietzu
she gave a long report on her actions, after arriving in Heronne she charmed a few poor laborers to find where Xietzu was staying: The verdant field
This is when she found Garcio watching for suspicious activity. This is when she contacted Kalez'

Nethar 2024/04/05(Fri)20:51 No. 1088062 ID: 0d1c28
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'Garcio left on his own shortly after. Laterna set up a rainstorm to drive most of the remaining witness indoors, to cut down on visibility and mask the sound of most of her spells.
getting Xietzu out of town would be easiest in Laterna's home domain, water, the riverway would be key to this.
Even through the rain the guard houses would notice a floating carriage and would have time to close the Seagate all of them would have to be delt with.

First she disabled the guardhouses at the Seagate mouth to the city, and after she moved to Bellgate.
charming the guards was simple but taxing. and there were too many garrisoned, she was certain that some would return from drinking in the cellar in at most thirty minutes.
she was about to leave when she heard movement, she was shocked that her charm seemed to have failed and just as she was planning some manner of desperate intervention
but instead it was Garrin who would appear.

Garrin ordered her to end the storm, but her plan would fail if she did, she tried reasoning with him he remained stubborn. she tried using her charms to persuade him but he responded with violence. Garrin grabbed at her lure if he damaged her lure she would be crippled, she bit him in self defense, he then fell down a ladder and ran off. Laterna did not see Garrin again.
the rest of the mission went as predicted, save for the surprise assistance of the coachman who turned out to be a servant of mine. the coachman usher Xietzu into the wagon and-'

The Music cuts in and over powers Aebin's thoughts

Nethar 2024/04/05(Fri)20:52 No. 1088063 ID: 0d1c28
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again the music ever pervasive troubles Aebin

he peaks out of his study carefully,
The Hydra is still in his audience chamber reading tomb on basic ether syphoning
Laret seems to have earned her sisters ire yet again.

Ask if she hears that too, and request that they stomp out the source.

...She risked her own mission regarding the princess? Laterna's power once caused a flood. Had that happened here she would have lost Garrin and Reefa plus Xietzu would not be taken alive. Of course the bridge might also be destroyed which would complicate logistics vs the undead if they made a move. Was she the only option to extract xietzu because this was a huge roll of the dice. Surely there were better ways?

Interesting how the hydra is able to concentrate on reading when there is annoying music around here.

Maybe this is no ordinary music

An idea: if the hydra cant hear it and only you can, maybe you should listen to the lyrics. The song might be somehow directed towards only you through some form of magic.

Nethar 2024/04/25(Thu)10:37 No. 1089686 ID: 0d1c28
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Nethar can't bother himself further dwelling on the Heronne incident, ultimately everyone in the city was and still are expendable as far as he's concerned.
Kalez's misguided attachments and fickle goals are meaningless when compared to the dictates of the King of Pentacles.

The dreadful song now that deserves his attention. 'That blasted music, girls doesn't it drive you mad?'

Mifal snaps back first 'Oh definitely! We had to shut Laret up right fast!'

Fason growls 'It was driving us mad, would that we had a more permanent solution for Laret'

'So you don't hear it anymore?'Nethar questions Laret muffles a response but it's unintelligible.

'I still hear echoes sometimes reading is enough to drown it out though'Solia muses

Remia bows her head 'it's hard not to have it stuck in our heads, so annoying, forgive us for disturbing your first acolyte'

Nethar thinks, was it just a tune stuck in his head? a haunting memory? no too unfamiliar too loud, he hears it even know.
he focusses on the words.

... burning....
..... So filled with wrath, so filled..... hate!
such an endless need.... the world great!

It’s possibly a song about Kalez and not one that’d get past the censors. If she can’t hear it, if it’s only you, your mind may be vulnerable right now.

I think whatever song is playing in your head is in Laret's head too. Perhaps she is suffering the same curse you are? she looks like she is suffering, and not just because of getting gagged.

lets remove that pumpkin and question her about her current condition.

maybe the song is the same but her lyrics are different? maybe she is hearing one verse and you are hearing another? if she and you can hear it and not her sisters, this song might be directed only towards certain people for some reason

What exactly did that one head do to make the others want to muzzle it with a……is that a pumpkin?

>>1089702
they said she was singing, and it was annoying them. Whether she is singing because she has the same issue we have is something we need to know.