Description
Cadel has, as one would expect of an elven woman, the usual svelte grace
which, to the eyes of some, might pass for beauty, though there is nothing
outstandingly, atypically beautiful about her to set her apart from other
elves in that respect. Put differently - her features, slender and smooth as
they are, would be beautiful for a human, but as Elves go she is nothing to
write home about. Blonde hair, straight, frames a rather severe sort of mien:
piercing blue eyes, a perpetually severe look, all cast upon a facial
structure reminiscent of the head of an axe, all sudden planes and absolutely
no nonsense.
She is tall, of course, and thin as a rail, hovering near the two-metre mark
but with barely any of the mass that such a height would suggest. She almost
appears frail, though not quite there yet, not quite. With that said, this
stretched-taffy look that her limbs and torso share leaves her with an
austere sort of build - to not put too fine a spin on things, she hasn't any
sex appeal to speak of, nothing to draw the eye of any lech or leer.
Her movements are conservative, subdued, as though she were ever wearied
under some burden or another. Besides what gear of hers can be seen
immediately, hers is a sartor of layered whites and blues, designed for
insulation, one speculates, against cold and wind, expressed in cloth and
furs where practical, robes and mantle bedecked with embroidered sigils - to
those able to read them, they are clearly wards, words of protection and
defence against molestation both from the attacks of this plane and,
occasionally, those beyond.
Role
Background
Added Sat Jan 30 07:06:29 2021 at level 4:
One does not strike out into the world of summoning extraplanar beings
without spending a lot of time first reading up on them. And one does
not have the chance to read up on them without a background of
privilege - after all, the world needs its workers, and only the lucky
few are able to instead spend their days reading and researching.
And then there are the doubly lucky, such as Cadel...
Not only did he have the opportunity to enter the ivory tower early on
in life, he took it! He was...
...he?
Yes, Cadel is actually a male. The academy that he was able to attend
was a womens' school, and the only way he could attend was to do a rev-
erse Polly Oliver and make do. He doesn't have any strange gender com-
punctions or any doubts about his true sex, but instead simply finds it
more convenient to continue playing the role of somewhat-airheaded mai-
den even if the age of such being necessary has come and gone.
Anyway...
His naivete is half act and half sincere. He left his studies to try to
put them into practice, but the Guildmasters hold him back (or so he
thinks). He is impatient to get on with the summoning, to see firsthand
the otherworldly beings that he had previously only studied on the
pages of textbooks. His sheltered upbringing makes him prone to
overestimating how common happy endings are. He is quick to trust,
much too quick, and whenever he DOES get smashed in the face with
reality, it will be quite a fall indeed. Until then, though, he will
drift blithely through life in blissful ignorance.
NOTE TO ANY IMMS READING THIS:
I am not at all competent or knowledgeable about the world's lore, and
if this role that I've created doesn't make much sense in the setting,
I'm more than open to reworking it!
Sphere of Knowledge
Added Sun Jan 31 07:11:08 2021 at level 10:
As Cadel's adventures have taken him around the world, he has found there
to be an endless amount of new things to learn even on this plane, which
he had previously thought of as rather mundane and boring (which, given
his cloistered beginnings, was perhaps to be expected). Though he still
has his eyes turned to the outer planes, and is most eager to see and
plumb them, he is discovering that learning about Thera can be its own
reward.
Thus, he has chosen the sphere of Knowledge - he wants to learn more
about the worlds around him - both this plane and the ones beyond. And
what's more, he met someone who believed that magic was an evil to be
washed from the world. He found himself unable to counter the argument*
and as such wants to learn exactly why this person was wrong.
*Probably at odds with his scholarly background - I will admit that the
ignorance is on the part of the player (me!) and not the character. In
a perfectly consistent world, Cadel would know why this person's
accusations/suppositions were wrong, or at least the theories that
surround and inform them, but I don't!
A New Teacher
Added Sun Jan 31 08:07:22 2021 at level 11:
Upon one return to the Guild, Cadel came upon another Elf named
Galathaniel. The two hit it off quickly, and Cadel, being used to and
accustomed to an academic role, immediately leapt upon Galathaniel and
asked to be taken on as an apprentice. Galathaniel agreed, and thus did
Cadel find his first new friend in this strange, wide world.
Young Cadel's Ambitions and Questions p1
Added Wed Feb 3 10:16:24 2021 at level 13:
The Month of Shadows, 299. Perhaps the name was an omen for the fate
that awaited Cadel during this time. It began when he was practicing
his invisibility magics within the Galadon Conjurers' Guild - a
course chosen mostly because of a Dark Elf that he detected lurking
not far from the Guild hall's doors. It seemed the prudent course to
lay low rather than risk meeting eyes with the dread Zorbel lying in
wait just outside.
But practicing invisibility time and again grew a bit tiresome, and
there came a point when Cadel could no longer detect his would-be
killer outside. He took the chance to steal out of the Guild, seeking
shelter instead in Hamsah Mu'tazz. But the guardian ifrit did not allow
him inside, so on he went to Arkham.
The journey went without a hitch. But in Arkham he found himself
wanting to try new spells instead...he tried to teleport.
Regrettably, it worked, landing him at the feet of an aggressive fire
giant, who soon made short work of the young conjurer. Cadel's first
departure from this mortal coil.
As such things go it was rather clean-cut when all was said and done.
Cadel did, though, start to contemplate the great beyond hereafter,
and it was with fortunate timing that Galathaniel started up a talk
about Cadel's post-graduation ambitions.
Cadel spoke of others that he had met, of why he feels the way he does,
which is being recounted here for posterity:
Early in Cadel's post-Academy life, he had an encounter with another
elf, Thalanil, who turned out to be an aspirant Battlerager. Some of
what Thalanil said - particularly about magic being a source of evil
in these lands - shook Cadel's deepest philosophies. "But how could
this be," wondered the Conjurer, "when magic can be used to usher even
angels and their kin into the world? Doubtlessly magic CAN be used for
evil, of course, but ALL of it being tainted to its core simply cannot
be true, unless you are suggesting that angels themselves are
the unwitting agents of evil!" Though this was his response, Cadel was
ultimately unsatisfied with this rebuttal, and this served to fortify
his desire to learn not only about the planes he inhabits but also of
the angelic ones that he will soon - barring any great mishap, of
course - have access to.
What is the nature of the angels, truly? Is there an immutable, total
Good that angels draw one?
What of the Gods? Do they draw from a holy, divine wellspring? Are they
flawed and varied? Does it depend on the individual? What is the nature
of good (small-g) vs. Good (capital-G)?
These questions and more does Cadel wrestle with now. He spoke to
Galathaniel, his trusted mentor, about them, but while he was pleased
with his mentor's patience with a youth's impertinent questions, he
remains internally unsatisfied with his response to the battlerager-
to-be that he spoke with so early on.
Young Cadel's Ambitions and Questions p2
Added Wed Feb 3 10:18:00 2021 at level 13:
On the subject, while talking with Galathaniel, Cadel also discussed
his desire to learn of the planes themselves. What is the nature of
the heaven from whence angels come? Are there celestial hierarchies,
notable angelic figures, sacred histories, entire cultures rising and
falling upon the heavenly dais, totally beyond mortal comprehension or
reach?
If so, fine - let the angels have their ways. Not for mortals to
understand or trifle with, if they could not comprehend them in the
first place.
If not, though - if these heavenly societies could be fathomed - then
they could be learned from. And if such divine perfection could be
studied, it could be replicated. And surely Theran society would
vastly improve by the application of such a perfectly-functioning
zeitgeist.
Assuming, anyway, that it WAS perfectly functioning. But surely Heaven
itself would be?
These questions and Galathaniel's guidance have encouraged Cadel to
seek out Ishuli, Goddess of Knowledge. He has been directed by
Galathaniel to inquire after Primdella Stormwind, Provost of the
Tribunal, who is said to be a follower.
And, as a last side note (the role is quite long as is!), Cadel has
also been inspired to seek the scholarly arm of the Fortress of Light,
believing them to have scholarly resources that he could use to take
the first few steps towards answers about the nature of the angels and
the planes they inhabit, as well as the aforementioned questions about
the Gods themselves - from whence cometh Divinity? From where do the
Gods draw their powers? What is its source? Does each God have their
own host of angels, or are the angels of the celestial planes that
those of Cadel's guild draw from unique to that plane alone?
In a nutshell, this sums up how much Cadel has to learn, narrows his
focus somewhat to give him direction, and sets out pathways for how
he intends to pursue his goals of acquiring the knowledge he seeks,
as well as outlining his motivations for wanting to know these things
at all.
Treachery
Added Fri Feb 5 08:18:57 2021 at level 14:
Recently, Cadel met the scythe again, but this time, unlike the others,
it came at the hands of another adventurer. Worse, it was one whom he
had considered a tentative ally: Karnver the necromancer.
Cadel had initially aided the dark mage because he had been following
the example of her mentor, Galathaniel. Galathaniel had spoken of be-
friending a wight, which surprised Cadel greatly, but he took it as a
teach-by-example lesson. So, when he discovered a necromancer who was
similarly strengthed as he, Cadel decided to forego his intial reaction
of disgust and follow in his mentor's footsteps, attempting to befriend
despite his misgivings.
Of course, we all see how that ended up - suffering and shivering under
magics most foul. Yet Cadel could understand why the necromancer would
act this way, since they had spoken before of the necessity of keeping
a certain professional distance between them. Cadel was, of course,
fine with this arrangement, as he'd have preferred to keep the evil
practitioner at arm's length, anyway. The moment of betrayal was not,
necessarily, the turning point in Cadel's feelings.
After a post-mortem discussion, Cadel spoke with Karnver for a while.
No apology was forthcoming, and Karnver proved to be continually un-
pleasant. This, rather than the betrayal, was the point where Cadel
chose that he would not forgive Karnver until a more proper apology
was made. Since this is unlikely, Cadel's path has turned slightly...
A Turn in the Path
Added Fri Feb 5 08:21:33 2021 at level 14:
Before this incident described in the Treachery entry, Cadel had been,
as previously mentioned, willing to set aside his misgivings towards
dealing with those who dabble in the darker arts, having seen his dear
mentor Galathaniel's behaviour as an inspiration. But now he is more
sympathetic to those who say that darkness and its allies should be
eradicated, are not to be trusted, do not deserve aid (as such aid is
inevitably used to further dark deeds rather than foster redemption).
While he does not (yet?) advocate for the utter destruction of all who
dabble in dark forces, he is more sympathetic to that viewpoint, and
less so towards Galathaniel's perspective of giving aid and help.
This change of heart is not wholly brought about by what happened,
however; one young Human named Dollerveim gave aid and advice when
Cadel had been feeling put out. It is mostly from Dollerveim that
these notions came, and thus form and shape was given to Cadel's hurt
feelings.
In practical terms, Cadel feels not hatred but deep mistrust towards
Karnver and does not intend to extend trust to him or his kind again
without significant changes in behaviour. Furthermore, he is more
inclined than before to seek the Fortress' sponsorship, rather than
the Tribunal's (which Galathaniel had been suggesting); both his
poor experience with following his mentor's way and his newfound
firsthand experience with betrayal have turned him somewhat away from
his prior, credulous method of extending the benefit of the doubt to
all.
Pertinently, he found his way to the Goddess Ishuli's temple after all
of this had come to pass, and for the time being he believes that Her
guidance and advice would be helpful; as such he is turning his
attention towards Her and offering prayer when he can.
By and large, though, the question that bothers him the most remains
fixated on whether magic is evil or not. Recent experiences of being
slain by a necromancer would suggest so, and while the experience isn't
enough to make him doubt himself entirely (after all, his conjurative
magics have yet to even manifest, let alone be turned to dark purpose),
he is still overall focused on the deeper philosophies of not just
magic, but also of the nature of Good.
Part of his inspiration for seeking out Ishuli is the unbidden thought
that a Goddess of Knowledge may be host to especially knowledgeable
Angels that might be able to help him sort through the difficlut moral
questions that he is now faced with.
He is also somewhat homesick. How much simpler things were when the
world did not extend beyond the covers of a book...!
The Wizard and the Knight
Added Fri Feb 5 11:43:25 2021 at level 16:
Cadel made a pilgrimage to Ishuli's shrine - the second such journey.
This time, however, a noble Paladin awaited him there, Sir Elarian. The
two spoke at length of Ishuli, and to Cadel's surprise, the paladin had
been supplicating for a decade, patiently awaiting response from the
Goddess...for ten years.
Ten. Years.
Cadel was shaken. He had not anticipated this degree of patience being
required. But he was simultaneously discouraged and intrigued. The
Paladin spoke of devotion, of patience, and eventually of the Tenets
that dictated his Guild and his life. Cadel found it riveting, and
all the more so when his newfound friend mentioned that he was a squire
of the Fortress.
The last few spans had been troubling for Cadel, full of betrayal and
doubt and uncertainty. But this encounter with a holy man in a holy
place has served to bolster his faith and strengthen his conviction -
there is little now that can sway him from seeking to join the Fortress
as an acolyte, mentor or no.
The Wizard and the Bard
Added Fri Feb 5 12:07:47 2021 at level 16:
Upon the docks of Hamsah Mu'tazz, Cadel had been trying to observe new
things aplenty to report to his Guildmaster in the hopes of culling
favour.
He got what he was looking for when an elven bard, Khysandra, appeared
from one of the ships. The two were briefly acquainted, but Cadel, wary
of a nearby minotaur that was known to be affiliated with Evil, made an
exit from the desert city lest he be thought of as suitable fodder.
Khysandra, however, promised that she and Cadel would soon join forces.
Cadel was doubtful, not least of all because Khysandra seemed not even
half through the Academy's usual errands, with a rudimentary title to
match such scant time in Thera.
Khysandra, however, showing more animation and verve than Cadel had at
a similar time, soon roared her way through title after title, earning
accolades that put her and Cadel on arguably equal footing. Now,
Khysandra seeks to recruit Cadel to join her in hunting down the forces
of evil - with the intent of signing on to the Maran thereafter.
Cadel is not uninterested, though his interests lie more in the
direction of acolytes than the Maran. All the same, he finds Khysandra
to be a bright and welcome presence in these troubled times. Between
this encounter and that with the Paladin, his ennui is perhaps not as
complete as it may otherwise have been in the wake of the disastrous
encounter with the vile necromancer Kavran.
Cadel's Familiar
Added Fri Feb 5 17:06:40 2021 at level 17:
Though Cadel hoped dearly for an angelic familiar, he was instead
blessed with this mischievous djinn. Consequently, he believes that
this fate is not without its hints of irony, considering that his fated
encounter with Karnver had its beginnings in Hamsah Mu'tazz.
In his heart of hearts, he is resentful and frustrated and perhaps even
somewhat mistrustful of his newfound partner. But he is careful not to
show these things - he avoids even entertaining the thoughts. Indeed,
it is not the djinn's fault, and the creature did not mean to intrude
intentionally...did it? It is a mysterious thing, devious perhaps,
eager maybe, to throw a proverbial wrench into...no!
The djinn is shrouded in mystery, though no more or less so than Cadel
and his future. Unhappy with the lack of a cherubic familiar, he now
wonders if the blame is not on him. Was he not devout enough, not pure
enough? Does this represent some failing in his past...? Or is the
failure in the future, lying in wait should he choose to give in to his
resentment? Is the test passed, or yet to come?
The Witch and the Assassin
Added Sat Feb 6 10:39:23 2021 at level 17:
Cadel has recently been plagued by an annoyingly persistent (or per-
sistently annoying, or both!) Aviar assassin named Hiiraki, who has,
twice now, ambushed him at the Temple of the Moon in Galadon. Further-
more, when Cadel spoke to the Tribunal representative Zindwick about
this, the minotaur seemed pleased to hear of these attacks, rather than
wishing to take action, as Cadel had expected of the Tribunal.
Here, then, is Cadel's first major....moral break. Crisis of faith.
Call it what you will. The Tribunal is meant to uphold the Law, is it
not?, he thinks. Is not the line between Order and Chaos no more clear-
ly drawn than where it is formed on the battle lines between the Out-
landers and the Tribunal? Yet here is the latter being at best un-
caring and at worse complicit with the former.
Though Cadel had considered the Tribunal as a worthy organization (al-
beit not one he himself wanted to join, as outlined in previous notes),
this incident has shattered all faith he has in the Tribunal - mentor's
membership in it be damned.
Repeated attacks in what should be the safest part of the safest area
of the putative seat of civilization have left Cadel paranoid. Loss of
faith and trust in an organization that he had thought would protect
him from this exact kind of assault have made him yet more mistrustful.
And having the extended even hand repeatedly slapped away has burned
away any notion Cadel may have had of mercy or kindness towards evil-
doers.
Cadel will now avoid them when possible rather than extending kindness
or offering the benefit of the doubt. When that is not possible, they
will be dismissed with all the elven haughtiness he can muster.
And when the time comes, their screams for mercy will find deaf ears.
In Ishuli's Library p1
Added Sat Feb 6 16:45:14 2021 at level 18:
To say that much was discussed would be an understatement, but sim-
ilarly, too much was talked over to reasonably sum up. All the same...
Cadel and his Goddess spoke of his proposed book - a treatise on types
of angels, their roles, their taxonomy, and the Plane they occupy. The
Goddess seemed pleased, named Cadel a student of the Eternal Library,
and bid him to work on his book, beginning with a working title and a
preface. Cadel, now christened 'humble summoner', set to work at once.
Unfortunately, mentor Galathaniel was there after this joyous meeting.
And the Empire-sponsored assassin Laq was with him. The same Laq who
had made such a show of passing off the Darsylon House's signet rings
and crown to Cadel some time prior.
To see his mentor casually fraternizing with such a figure disgusted
Cadel greatly. Particularly when Galathaniel seemed utterly shocked
after Cadel spoke of what the Assassin had done. Triply so when the
man showed neither remorse nor even pretended to be troubled at the
revealing of his acts.
Laq joked that he found the artifacts in some old shop someplace. Such
an insult to Cadel's racial heritage! And here Cadel had only sought
to write out his much-desired preface. To break ground on an exciting
new project. Balked again, and by this irreverent, dark-hearted...!
Worse still was seeing his mentor continue to blithely evince friend-
ship and tout the putative value of redemption to this Laq, who (Cadel
could now see) was taking full advantage of Galathaniel's kindness and
grace.
This was the final straw. Cadel now saw laid bare before him the futil-
ity of tolerance. Here was Laq making an open mockery of the grace he
had undeservingly been extended. Here was Galathaniel made to look
utterly foolish, totally naive, in front of Cadel's very eyes! Where
once Cadel had looked upon Galathaniel with admiration, now, behind
his eyes...there would be pity.
Eventually, Laq was called off to do other things, and Galathaniel too
left Cadel to his writing. But not before Tristhana Moorlebund - yes,
another evil guest of Galathaniel's, funny how that works, and also a
part of the Tribunal, and doesn't THAT cabal just look more and more
corrupt with each passing glance, stopped to inquire about Cadel's
writing.
The conversation went poorly, Cadel currently suffering tremendous
internal conflict and in no mood for nicety. In a nutshell, Tristhana
left the conversation promising Cadel that she would slaughter an Elf
child in front of the summoner, in lieu of an angel, for to prove a
point.
Somehow, the preface was completed, and the remaining span passed in
as uneventful a fashion as things ever do in the turbulent world of
Thera. With guildmate Tisquantum and his friend Xarlok, Cadel went off
on an adventure, aiding the two in their growth (though he gained lit-
tle enough of his own in so doing).
come of this.
In Ishuli's Library p2
Added Sat Feb 6 16:46:07 2021 at level 18:
Cadel spoke also with Dollerveim of the Tribunal about the suspected
corruption in the organization (as he perceived it). Dollerveim, at
least, promised that something would be done. Though buoyed somewhat
by his friend's promise, Cadel remains doubtful that any good will
come of this.
In sum:
Cadel feels open suspicion of the Tribunal, has renewed devotion and
desire to investigate joining with the Fortress instead, and visited
with Ishuli to discuss a new book in the making. While working on his
book, he was annoyed by Laq and appalled at Galathaniel's naivete.
He made an apparent enemy of Tristhana, and passed his concerns about
the Tribunal on to Dollerveim.
I Get Knocked Down...
Added Wed Feb 10 00:25:51 2021 at level 27:
Despite never wishing harm on anyone, despite wanting only to study,
write and be left alone and in peace, Cadel has found himself
targeted time and again, either by scorn and mockery or, more often,
blade and barb. Because his multiple pleas for protection and help -
to the Fortress, the Tribunal, and even the putative safety of the
Eternal Star - have yielded nothing whatsoever, Cadel has become
embittered and resentful.
Think of this as, perhaps, documentation of the first major crack in
Cadel's moral foundation. He begins to have doubts. The Light does not
protect, nor chastise, as evidenced by her harassers never facing any
justice or retribution. The Law does not protect - except wrongdoers,
as shown by the Tribunal's lack of response towards assailants in the
past, which allows them to continue unabated while hindering Cadel's
attempts at securing justice or protection.
In practical terms, Cadel is finding himself disillusioned with not
just his chosen path, but perhaps the world in general. And as the
old adage goes: "A child that is not embraced by the village will
burn it down to feel its warmth."
NB: This role is not saying "Cadel is evil now, so someone pls change
align so I can get on with disemboweling nuns and pouring sugar into
angels' gas tanks kthxbai." It just shows that Cadel's faith in the
benefits of goodness and light and so on - for whatever quantitative
values such abstractions might represent (I as a player am not yet
versed enough to use a brush any less broad than this one) - has been
shaken enough times that he's starting to lose it.
...but I Get Up Again?
Added Fri Feb 12 11:15:10 2021 at level 27:
The other Conjurers of the guild were beginning to worry about the
once-promising, once-eager Geomancer, Cadel. Rare indeed were his appearances
of late, acerbic was his manner, and paranoia and terror seemed the watchword
of his routines.
Indeed, reports were coming from the Guild functionaries that Cadel was being
seen less and less, and that on the rare occasion he did emerge from his
recused studies, he would keep fiercely to himself, lashing out at those who
extended a helping hand, obsessively casting and recasting his defensive
wards and magics.
Even the Guildmaster had advised him to get out more, and was rebuked with as
much etiquette as one would dare speak to their guildmaster with. "Not safe
out there," perhaps, or "not worth setting foot beyond these halls" or "has
the guardian been checked recently?" That way lies madness, the elders would
say, shaking their heads and remembering the unfortunate fate of Magister
Kopple, compressed into a (very, very) small cube by an inopportune
defensive-shield feedback loop...
But back to Cadel. To him, leaving was not an option. The outer world was not
safe. Death, pain, and anguish - these are all that he has found outside of
his Guild's halls, whether in Arkham or Galadon or, occasionally, Hamsah
Mu'tazz. The adventure itself, it seems, was fading to its ignominious end.
And then...
Even bitter, reclusive scholars need to eat. Cadel had set out to resupply on
the barest necessities. And through the dark shroud of his depression came a
voice: Sir Umbrand. Of the Fortress.
Oh, yes. He had applied, hadn't he? Why, that seemed like a lifetime ago.
Wanting to meet for tea at the Inn.
The Inn...another supposedly 'safe' haven, another monument of the
failure of the law to protect him...! He couldn't possibly go. Not
safe. Not safe...Death awaits...
But elven etiquette won the day. One does -not- snub the Elder Prophet of the
Light -- nor the kin. Reluctantly, Cadel set out for this chat, for this tea.
He intended to admit his failure, his loss of hope since he had submitted his
application. How could he be expected to maintain it for others, having none
himself? How could he ever have thought that the idea of applying in the
first place was anything short of laughable? Yes, this was a farce from the
start. He would go, and see himself next to the pinnacle of elven virtue, the
embodiment of goodness and wisdom both, and that would be that. From there
forward, him and his books. As it had been. As it should be.
They spoke. Cadel, melancholy and somber, laid bare his shame and failure,
intending to bid farewell to his ambitions. But instead, Umbrand offered
hope. But would Cadel accept? The magician was skeptical, jaded, lonely. But
here was someone who seemed to care.
Internal Monologue while Talking with Umbrand
Added Fri Feb 12 11:20:00 2021 at level 27:
Remember Karnver, he thought, who also seemed to care. See how that ended
up...
....but this is no necromancer!
...None of them can be trusted. All of them have failed to aid you...
...and always when you needed them most!
...If the Elder Prophet cannot be trusted, who can?
...not a one of them. You have seen this firsthand - felt the blades...
...Perhaps that is why they call it 'faith', and not 'knowledge'.
By the time the conversation was done, Cadel had gained a book. And a friend?
And a multitude of doubts about doubts, layered upon doubts. Thus vexed, the
two parted ways.
COULD Cadel be helpful to the Fortress? COULD he find verve and
purpose again?
Experience suggests not.
But the heart...
The Journey Home
Added Mon Feb 15 06:17:46 2021 at level 33:
The time had come. Paranoia was not enough, for Cadel had been plucked from
within the Fortress by evil magicians, and slain by their hordes of undead,
even as he spoke with Elder Prophet Umbrand about joining.
And so, when all hope had faded, when Cadel had cast off his pretense as a
conjurer and was prepared to join other travelers to return to the
Academy...he paused. He turned to look at Galadon one last time, at the Guild
he would not see again. He thought of the life ahead of him, of the Academy
that he had given up everything to leave behind, which now loomed ahead as
his only future.
"The future you chose."
He sighed drawing the cloak about him. Nothing for it, he thought. The world
is a wretched place. As always, nowhere, nowhere is safe. Not even the
Fortress of Light. Only in obscurity and semiretirement could he be assured
of anything approaching security.
The journey wore on. Past the Temple of the Moon - Cadel thought sourly of
the murderous Outlanders and Villagers who probably stalked the area even
now, waiting to strike.
Past High Road, at whose end lay the graveyard - and by extension, the
mausoleum, site of pain and horror and gore not worth recounting, crawling
with the dead and worse. Where he had posted his familiar as a sentry against
incursion--
--that had been a clever thing, hadn't it? A brief and prideful feeling --
Past the crossroads, south of which sat the Inn of the Eternal Star,
eliciting a shiver. The touch of iron...
also, another memory, of
speaking with the Elder Prophet. Speaking of hope, of perseverance. Was that
all for nothing?
Past the Azreth Forest, likely full of tresnores still, spears in hand...
...where adventure had been had, hadn't it? Where he had grown? Learned?
Applied his magic? Tch! All for naught. Pointless to persist in such a world,
where battleragers would happily snuff that magic out like blowing a
candle...
The journey drew on. Nostalgia, sentimentality, despair, maudlin: these, more
than the other refugees and travelers, were Cadel's companions. For every
happy memory, it seemed, another wretched vision of his own murder, another
reminder of his helplessness...
Past the Fortress. Or, rather, past the crossroads that would take him there,
if he chose. Had he once sought to count himself among the ranks of the
Acolytes? To think, the hope he felt...
...hope...and for what? For a better future? For to research the heavens for
a Goddess? To better understand angels, and Elysium, and Heaven?
Why...yes.
Past the Fortress. And no further. He turned back. There was research to be
done, field research. Cadel had a book to write. He had promised his Goddess.
He had a Light to serve. He had promised The Eld---no, his friend.
Too much to be done, all of it too important to leave undone. Hope burned
anew.
Called Out, and Called Upon
Added Tue Feb 16 17:40:45 2021 at level 34:
Cadel had finally managed to find entry into the Fortress, and there thrive
somewhat, but for the missive given to him by Umbrand, to lay bare his prior
transgression of slaying an elf.
Not only another of the Light, but kin besides! Woe...
Cadel instead threw himself into his angelic research, finding what
information he could and writing it down for Goddess Ishuli. But still the
light burned at his back, throwing this shadow in front of him, making it
clear indeed. Too clear. All the same, he continued with his adventuring,
having found surprising but nonetheless worthy companions in Detso and Kaken.
But in the arials' city, that was soon to change. Sqrebik, knight of evil,
launched an attack that ultimately saw the group driven to rout, and from
there, no further adventuring could be had. No more distractions, one might
suppose, from this task given him by the Elder Prophet.
Still it lay undone. Not...necessarily due to laziness on Cadel's part. There
were simply other thing to do. Acquaintances to be made. Battles - martial
and rhetorical - to be fought. Summoning circle formulae to be perfected.
Words of recall to master.
Yet...
The Light burned uncomfortably strong. Now that Umbrand had made it doubly
clear, the memory was like a stone in a shoe, ever present and ever an
irritant. How much longer could Cadel keep his face turned from the gravity
of what had happened?
Not much longer, it turned out. The Goddess Azorinne made the urgency clear -
inescapably, undeniably clear - when She summoned Cadel to Her temple, to
impress upon him the urgency of the matter. Of course Cadel made excuses. Of
course he was hesitant. How could he be anything else?
Here he was, in a world that had repeatedly shown him that the slightest
lapse was met with brutal murder. How could he possibly expose a grave
mistake from his past to those whom he hoped would welcome and accept him?
But it had to be done. It must. No less than a Goddess' command had demanded
it be so.
And so, the missive was wrote. The sin of betrayal laid bare. One wonders now
what effect this will have on Cadel's future, within the Fortress and
without.
Cadel Turns a Corner, p1
Added Wed Feb 17 10:05:16 2021 at level 36:
Cadel's scholarly work continues apace, and is beginning to reflect on his
life, as well. Having been taught the ways of archon-summoning by his
Guildmaster, he certainly feels as if a corner has been turned. Now that he
is free - so to speak - to go about by day or night with an archon looking
out for him, his attention turns back to his writing - after all, he is not
in constant, immediate mortal danger anymore...right?
Regardless, his work on the nature of angels has benefited greatly, and much
progress has been made on that front. With angels satisfactorily documented,
now he turns his attention to the Archons, whose bizarre forms dazzle, amaze,
and confound. Much work to be done there...
...and Azorinne seems to have a thing to say about that. "It's been a while,"
she said to Cadel's angel, there when they met - a detail that made its way
into the footnotes of his work. Dare he publicize such a thing?
Most pertinently, though, the combination of Azorinne's discussion and the
nefound courage brought about by a trustworthy archon conspire to influence
Cadel's thoughts. Where there had been terrified, recused paranoia before,
now Cadel turns his gaze outward. How will he interact with the evil that
does yet stalk the world? For now he has the ability to, if not face it down,
at least survive when they do the same to him.
And this is not the first time that he has had this chance. Memories turn to
Karnver, the necromancer to whom a hand of friendship had been extended, and
slapped away. To Tjur, minotaur who murdered in cold blood at the Inn of the
Eternal Star, in front of Gods and everyone.
And of other, less-memorable murderers: Hiiraki. Kresaba. Rhayze. Gone is the
time for them to eliminate him before he can react, so long as the Archon
remains present. Now is the time for interaction, if not with these wordless,
faceless nobodies, then with the more dynamic of his foes.
Now is the time...for Cielne. A battlerager, who puts far more emphasis on
the second half than the first, has been a tormentor and a rival. Cadel felt
sympathy at first, but this turned to pity upon seeing the 'rager assaulting
his corpse. It proved to him that evils cannot be compared with each other.
That at the end, they are all no more or less interactive, treacherous, or
redeemable than the other. Some only take a few more steps to show it.
Is this true, though? Lady Azorinne spoke of forgiveness. So too did Elder
Prophet Umbrand. But forgiveness yields nothing. The solution seems to lie in
the same wheelhouse as the prior terrified seclusion. A discussion with
Umbrand yields the same: Do not forgive, and do not forget. But
simultaneously, do not dismiss the sinner outright. Keep them at arm's
length. Allow them the chance to return...if they show the initiative.
Cadel Turns a Corner, p2
Added Wed Feb 17 10:05:27 2021 at level 36:
Cadel, however, is not sure. He is not sure at all. Presently his philosophy
is that evils cannot be compared. One is as bad as another. After all,
Karnver did not seem as immediately evil as Rhayze, but the end result was
the same. Give them no chance.
But this is the fortress, and rather than hiding in solitude this time, there
will be, as Lady Azorinne requests, outreach. For better or worse. Whether
Cadel radicalizes the Scribes or is deradicalized by them remains to be seen!
PK Deaths
Feb 5, 2021 |Lv 13|Aldevari|vs 1: [19] Karnver (100%, poison)
Feb 5, 2021 |Lv 17|Galadon|vs 1: [15] Hiiraki (100%, slash)
Feb 7, 2021 |Lv 26|The Dragon Sea|vs 1: [30] Itthan (100%, familiar's death)
Feb 7, 2021 |Lv 27|Galadon|vs 1: [35] Rhayze (100%, venomous slash)
Feb 9, 2021 |Lv 27|The Inn of the Eternal Star|vs 1: [31] Tjur (100%, cut)
Feb 12, 2021|Lv 27|The Open Plains|vs 1: [30] Cielne (100%, cleave)
Feb 13, 2021|Lv 28|Mausoleum|vs 2: [30] Soraya (34%, burning, weeping sores), [27] Karnver (65%)
Feb 13, 2021|Lv 28|Galadon|vs 1: [35] Rhayze (100%, stab)
Feb 16, 2021|Lv 34|The Redhorn Mountains|vs 1: [37] Kreseba (100%, disruption)
Feb 16, 2021|Lv 35|The Eastern Road|vs 1: [38] Cielne (100%, punch)
Mar 23, 2021|Lv 41|Fortress of Light|vs 1: [50] Zarchimeedez (100%, claw)