This is game transcript from the ongoing game on Dreamlyrics. Largely unedited, which is why the tense isn’t consistent – my GM posts are in third person present, whereas Veluitara’s player was posting in past tense. Shouldn’t ruin readability, though.
In a large wood-panelled room of a mansion on the east bank of the river, four kandar of The Academy of the Mind discuss the issues of the day.
“Things are going from bad to worse”, says Althuis Zalyn, the finely-dressed noble whose residence this is, “I see we’ve gained yet another human apprentice, safe in the hands of the Guardians-damned Progressors, where we can’t touch her”.
“This is the one who allegedly killed a noble”, says Kardol d’n Ekeyn, the son of a merchant who’s risen rapidly through the Academy ranks, “If we had the Konaics running the show, the creature wouldn’t have been allowed a second chance”.
“Neither would anyone else”, replies Althuis, “Just remember, your enemy’s enemy is not always your friend. Friends of mine have died at Vorsath’s orders”.
“Some say she is implicated in the assassination of one of our own in Calbeyn”, says a third wizard, a stern-faced middle aged woman, known only as Uthale, whose background is shrouded in mystery. “The assassin was never identified, and mundane methods were used; but this human apprentice was never put to the question. Progressors shielding her, of course”.
“Meanwhile, we have some more pressing problems”, says Althuis, “Everyone in the city with any strength in The Way of Vision must have felt that effect from the north end of the city not long ago. I don’t know what in Vandrak’s name it was, but I think we ought to find out”.
“And where’s Dhermyrdh”, asks Kardol, “We are one short”.
“He vaninshed on some errand”, Althuis replies, “From which he has yet to return. It is enough to make me suspicious”.
He turns to Veluitara, who has yet to speak, “Don’t suppose you have any idea what our friend Dhermyrdh was up to, do you?”.
“No,” she said tersely. She hated these people, she really did… but she had to play nice, so they would never suspect. “I haven’t seen him in quite some time. And I do not care to speculate what he is up to.”
“Apart from the fact he’s clearly up to something”, says Althuis, “He’s been working a lot with the Gurnyla at lot lately, even though the two hate each other”.
“Anything to do with that effect in the north?”, asks Kardol.
“That wasn’t him”, says Uthale, “He’s not that powerful in the Way of the World. That was neither kandar nor human, it was a machine”.
Veluitara listened, arms crossed over her chest.
“So long as he isn’t going to compromise us, I honestly do not care what he is doing. But that effect… worryingly powerful.”
Almost on cue, the missing member of the group arrives.
Dhermyrdh is looking somewhat dishevelled. Not quite as if he’s been in a fight or a psionic duel, but it’s clear that something has happened to him.
All eyes turn on him.
Veluitara raised a brow. She didn’t say anything. Veluitara had a reputation as a woman of few words – valued by Kasraanth Sar because she wasn’t going to say anything to compromise them. Of course, the main reason she didn’t say anything was because it was hard enough concealing her disgust with them when she was silent…
“So”, says Althuis, “You have deemed to appear at last. Just what have you been up to?”.
“Spot of bother at the docks. Strictly personal, I assure you. Nothing of concern to this organisation”.
Veluitara can spot lies like that miles off. “Hmm,” she said, looking at him with a characteristic intense stare that made most people uncomfortable.
Still, now might not be the time or place to press…
Dhermyrdh fixes Veluitara with his attempt at the same stare. It’s not quite as effective.
“You’re not telling us the whole truth, are you”, says Althuis, “What happened down that part of the city? We all felt it; that was very strong use of The Ways. You were involved, weren’t you?”.
Veluitara’s reputation as the quiet but dangerous ‘troubleshooter’ type wasn’t about to be shattered at this juncture. She did, however, add a creepy little smile to her intense stare, and take a half step forward.
“Look”, says Dhermyrdh, “The fewer that people know, the better. But let it be said that Guruinath has been removed from Legion custody. If The Legion are allowed to torture the truth out of him, aided by the filthy human-loving Progressors, it will endanger us all”.
“And no, he’s not dead. We look after our own, you know”.
Veluitara’s stomach twisted itself into a knot. She was no lover of humanity herself. They were obviously inferior, in their short-livedness and their lack of perspective. And it was true that the Legion getting a hold of Guruinath again would be disastrous for her own plans. But if she had her way, every single one of her Kaasranth Sar companions would be gone. They had even less perspective than the Humans, could not see that they were only endangering the whole of Kandar civilization by alienating or, even worse, killing potential allies and cannon-fodder in the inevitable cataclysm that would occur when the Mirrors opened again.
If she could find a way to make Guruinath ‘disappear’, all the better. It would protect herself, while removing one of the odious people that her plans forced her to associate with.
“So where is he now?”, asks Uthale.
“Trust me, it’s better for all if I didn’t tell you”, replies Dhermyrdh, “It’s better for all of us if the only people who know are those who need to know”.
“And given how evasive you’re being” says Althuis, “Tell us why we should trust you”.
Veluitara smirked, and then spoke, “Don’t tell us. If anything happens to him, we know who to blame.”
There was an undercurrent of threat – if he turned up dead, and nobody else knew where he was, she would almost certainly be the one to punish the offender…
“There are far too many people who want Guruinath dead for there to be any shortage of people to blame”, Dhermyrth says defensively, “And, Veluitata, that sounded suspiciously like a threat. Surely we’re all supposed to be on the same side?”.
“We are?”, says Althuis, “I smell the hand of Karmork here. Let me remind you the official stated policy of Kasraanth Sar is neutrality towards the Koniac Empire. Not all of us support that megalomaniac would-be emperor on his throne of skulls, and don’t you forget it”.
“It’s not a threat”, said Veluitara, “It’s logic. If only you know where he is, and he dies, who should be blamed?”
It certainly sounded like a threat.
“Don’t you trust me?”, Dhermyrdh says, “I for one am getting sick of your attitude, Veluitara. You’re bloody secretive as well; all those times you disappear, and nobody knows what in Vandrak’s name you’re up to. Perhaps it’s time we asked some searching questions about what you’re up to. You’ve been very secretive lately”.
“You know that I need to be secretive, and you know that my movements must be hidden, even from my fellows”, insisted Veluitara, “It’s necessary for my job,” she said. This was the unvarnished truth. She operated outside the watch of her own faction for several reasons. Some of these reasons were known only to her. Others were apparently for the good of the faction.
One of the most pertinent ones was giving her companions an air of plausible deniability for her actions. She also needed to be able to investigate others within her faction for disloyalty without them suspecting she was on to them… or without being unduly influenced by politics within the faction.
“And you expect me to believe that?”, says Dhermyrth, “I’ve never trusted you. I bet you’re..”.
“Shut up”, interrupts Althuis, “You were the one who was supposed to be explaining their actions. You’re being evasive, and trying to deflect attention to another. So tell us. Where is Guruinath, and who has him?”
“Or at least convince us as to why we mustn’t know”, added Uthale, “Anyone would think you didn’t trust is with a secret”.
“Down! Everyone!”, cries Dhermyrth.
“What the..”, says Uthale. But before she can utter another word, she suddenly finds herself lifted off her feet with tremendous force, crashing into the window, shattering both glass and frames. She slumps to the floor, bloodied.
Althuis stands facing the window, a fire in his eyes, as he summons up the mental energy to attack the apparition floating outside the window – a human woman. Clearly a wizard of some sort, since nobody else can float in mid-air like that. The very nemesis of Kaasranth Sar, and all it stands for.
