Atlantic Roleplay Community Boards

[Thraxas]

---

"Where is my journal, Esric?" Thrax inquired, having searched his entire room and all the chests, even locked ones, within it. "I put it here yesterday and today I find it gone."

Esric had just placed dinner on the table and turned nonchalantly to address the questioner. "I have no idea, sir. I didn't even know you had one." He spoke the words as calmly and serenely as any professional liar could. "Shall I help you look for it?"

"You are sure you have not seen it? It is a thin, small, book with leather binding. I know you must have seen me writing in it."

Esric shook his head. "No sir. Are you sure you did not take it with you somewhere? Perhaps you did and left it, or maybe it fell out of your pack or something? Oh... dinner is ready, by the way."

Thrax sighed disgustedly and looked at the food. "I cannot eat right now. Help me look for it please."

The owner of the villa, hired by Thrax as his servant also, nodded and proceeded to oblige him. Together they found nothing.

"I don't like this! Someone has stolen it!" Thrax protested.

"Why would anyone want to do that, sir?"

"Nevermind. I'll find it, or will find out who."

Esric took a letter out of his pocket and offered it to him. "This came today sir... for you."

Thrax took it. "That will be all for now, Esric. Thank you," he said, sending him on his way.

He opened it. It was from Kayla.

Noble Sir,

Although your news to me yesterday was very disappointing, I have been authorized to ask you to meet with us tomorrow at sundown at the Heartwood moongate to guide you to our meeting place. There we can continue to discuss privately the issues that weigh heavily on our minds and to implement the next steps needed. Please come only with your trusted man, Esric and no other. Our plans and intents must not be prematurely discovered. We will announce them when they are finalized.

Your Friend,
Kayla Ariesus of Heartwood"

Thrax burned the letter and sat down to his dinner.

[to be continued]
_________________
"If a criminal has what you want, you do business with him."

[Thraxas]

---

Although depressed by Ceinwyn's stinging reply, and naturally anxious that his action could be perceived as traitorous if she reported it to his brother, Thrax nevertheless decided to keep the meeting with the elves.

He sent Esric on ahead to be a lookout at the moongate.

Thrax gave him a good thirty minutes, then set out from the villa according to the prearranged plan.

He walked slowly to the Abbey, watching carefully along the way to make sure he was not being followed. He was pleased to see that he was not. He went upstairs to the archives and perused a few old volumes, then left.

To make sure that he was not followed, and to give the impression he was indeed a monk, he entered the Winery and spoke briefly to the barkeep.

Satisfied that his ruse was successful, he departed and headed for the Heartwood moongate. Hiding by the corner of a building, he made sure Esric saw him. When he did, Esric motioned for them to meet in the shadows to talk.

Esric told him that a few people had been seen loitering around the moongate, but all seemed preoccupied and did not pose a threat.

Thrax ventured close, as Esric walked casually away from the area. A woman appeared beside him suddenly and they spoke briefly. Fearful that his plan had gone awry, Thrax left for home to throw off pursuit. Returning later, he saw no one by the moongate and entered it.

He had expected to be met there by Kayla Ariesus and a few of her companions, but he surmised that his sudden exit earlier had caused a delay and they had returned to the predetermined meeting place. Suddenly he was met by a monk who asked him for directions to the Abbey.

This troubled him. What was a monk doing here and asking for directions to the Abbey? What monk did not know where the Abbey was? He offered small talk as he prepared to leave. Before he could, the monk made his intentions clear... they had come for him!

Out of the shadows several hooded figures appeared on all sides. Thrax fumbled at his robe to take out a weapon to defend himself, but they were too fast and too skilled. He had no chance. Blades pierced him, their poisoned points striking deep into his unarmored chest. He barely had time to sigh or even feel the pain before he fell to the ground quite dead.

As the killers fled out of the moongate to escape, one used a dagger to pin a parchment onto his chest that read:

"The payment price for spies and deception! The first of many! - The Heartwood Faction"

Esric entered the moongate shortly after and went to the body. He took out the dagger and the note...
_________________
"If a criminal has what you want, you do business with him."

[Thraxas]

---

Kayla hurried to the entrance of Heartwood, having heard the report that a human had just been attacked and murdered there. She hoped against hope that it was not Thrax, but as she approached the corpse she could see his red goatee and mustache, and the lock of red hair that lay outside the hood of the monk's robe. Her heart sank. She rushed forward, ignoring the by standing elves to kneel at his side. Tears fell from her eyes, something that had she not allowed in a very long time. “I am sorry!” she muttered. “So very sorry!” She carefully observed the condition of the body, noting that it was pierced with many stab wounds. However, it was the pallor of his flesh that elicited the most horrific reaction... it was greenish-blue and mottled. She knew immediately he had been poisoned, but of what type, she had no clue.

An elf stood nearby, tussle-haired and dark-skinned, holding a scrap of paper. He folded it neatly and placed it inside a fold of his robe, then quietly and slowly exited the scene, walking through the moongate to Yew.

She had several elves help her carry the body further inside Heartwood. They placed it on a bench in the arboretum area. Then she sent a messenger to contact the Archwarden of Yew telling him to come quickly.
_________________
"If a criminal has what you want, you do business with him."

[Itannar]

---

Itannar, just back from a trip to Zento to deliver two crates of Yew wine to the Teahouse there, arrived on the scene. He spoke to the first elf he saw standing by that looked remotely like an official. "I am the Archwarden of Yew, Itannar Darkanor. I got word of a murder. Who is in charge here?"

Kayla, who had been standing over the body spoke first. "I am not in charge, nor is anyone else. We have leaders, but Heartwood is a community, a society, not a town as you understand it, sir," she told him. "However, I knew the man, and can help you as much or more than anyone else."

Itannar nodded and knelt to examine the body. "It is Lord Thrax, the Regent of Yew's twin brother," he announced somberly. He stood back up. "Were there any witnesses?"

Kayla shook her head. "None to the deed, sir. It happened so fast. All anyone saw were figures wearing the robes of the monks in Yew. They fled back through the moongate."

Itannar considered calling in a forensics expert, but he could tell this was a professional job. Likely as not the blades were stolen. He could see that each wound was not random, but very accurately placed so that almost every major body organ would have been pierced. The worst of it was the effects of the poison; it was unlike anything he had ever seen before. The corpse's flesh naturally took on a greenish pallor slowly easing toward blackness, but blended in and forming large mottled blue-green circles, were numerous blister-like pustules at each wound site.

"The wounds were not made by elven weapons," Kayla pointed out. "We know what they would look like," she added, knowing he would get the implication.

"That requires an extremely good forensics specialist, but even if that is true, it proves nothing. Assassins use various weapons of choice and often do things to add to the confusion to throw off pursuit."

Kayla, defeated, simply nodded.

"I want his body taken to the Abbey. I will have my men take it to the Lord Regent," Itannar ordered. He looked at Kayla. "I want you to come with me to make a statement."

"You have no jurisdiction here," complained an elf. "Get your own men to remove the body."

Itannar cast a glare at the elf. He stepped closer to him to enhance the effect of his ire. "A human has been murdered in Heartwood. I think it would be a kindly gesture for its citizens to assist me in the disposition of the body. Or is that asking too much?!"

Cowed, the elf nodded. "I am sorry. We will help you."

Itannar stepped back. "Thank you." Then he turned to Kayla. "Would you please come with me?"

She nodded and they both left together.
_________________
-The bonds of fellowship are forged in the flames of adversity-

[Itannar]

---

Having questioned Kayla and taking her deposition, Itannar began his report to the Lord Regent. Before he started, however, he remembered the document Thrax had given him shortly after his return. He found it in a locked chest and sat down in his office to open and read it...

The Last Will and Testament of Thraxanduril of Yew

I, Thraxanduril (Thrax), of Yew, being sound of mind and body, do by this document attest to the following facts and desire the dispersal of my worldy titles and goods.

Item One: I do testify that my twin, named Thraxas, is not truly my brother in the normal sense, but has been created by the genius of Ceinwyn ab' Arawn and the god Oggaroth. She is the creator of the body, and he the infuser of a daemon into it. I learned this by his own admission to me when he believed he had nothing to lose by it. I realize this sounds fantastic, but it can be verified if one takes the trouble to do so.

Item Two: I bequeath all my worldly goods to the elf, Kayla Ariesus of Heartwood. Kayla has been my close confidant since my return. This includes my villa in Yew.

Item Three: I appoint as Executor of my Estate the elf Black Swan, if she be willing. She will direct the affairs of Alderglen in my absence, except those regarding the holdings of Itannar Darkanor, which is, at it now stands, only the Academy of Alderglen and his office.

Item Four: I am certain that if I die violently, that it is my twin, Thraxas, who is responsible. With aid, he had me banished to the spirit world, but I was returned to it by Ceinwyn ab' Arawn. While I do not intend to harm him personally, I do intend to resist his depradations with as much help as I can muster, as it would not do to have a daemon ruling Yew or anywhere else. I am sure he will find my mere presence awkward in the least, and threatening at most, so I believe it will be only a matter of time before he has me assassinated.

I sign and affix this with the seal of my House,

Thraxanduril
Governor of Alderglen"

Itannar was shocked by some of the revelations, surprised by others, but largely skeptical. He remembered Thrax as a cruel man who used his power to murder and to destroy the lives of many innocent people. He truly believed that whatever happened, Thrax had gotten some of what he had deserved, but had really gotten off quite easy. And as for Thraxas being a daemon, he remain almost entirely unconvinced.

He did note that, by her receiving his goods and the villa at his death, Kayla would be the prime suspect in the crime, especially if she were aware of the contents of the will.

Nevertheless, he went about to implement what aspects of the will that he could. Then he would turn it over to the Lord Regent for his own perusal.
_________________
-The bonds of fellowship are forged in the flames of adversity-

[Black Swan]

---

The Black Swan arrived at the Alderglen Adademy, hoping to learn a bit of the history of the recent settlers in tokuno, a land of beauty and wonder. It was almost as though she had dreamed the quietly elegant city, with its waterways and fountains, pathways of stones worn smooth after eons of use.

The first class she had attended a few weeks earlier, intrigued by the culture and background of Tokuno, she made a point of returning for the second in the series of presentations.

During the dinner break, she was quietly passed a note asking if she would meet with the Headmaster privately after the class. She was shy, and and was flattered when he sought her out. She lingered as the others left, and was taken to his private quarters. A bit of polite conversation about the evenings class and a glass of wine, and Itannar Darkanor, Archwarden of Yew (also Headmaster of the Academy) inquired if she recalled meeting Thraxanduril and if so, asked that she tell of the meeting.

She recognized the name, could recall the meeting, but only that it concerned some sort of business and an exchange of gold and merchandise, possibly books? The two chatted briefly about the harvest from the vines, then conducted the business at hand. He presented her with a bottle of the season's excellent wine as she prepared to leave. This had been the extent of their meeting. It was, she informed him, relatively uneventful.

Itannar darkanor said that Thraxanduril had been killed the evening before, and a few days prior to his death had written a new will. He did not go into detail, but told her that she had been made Executor of the Estate of Thraxanduril, and wished to know if there was any exchange of information which might have prompted her being named in the will.

"I do believe there has been a mistake," she commented, "our meeting was brief and impersonal, though quite pleasant, we spoke of a mutual love for the richly wooded lands, the gently rolling terrain, and the peace and tranquility it provided. There was no discussion of such an appointment."

As Black Swan had expressed great interest in the academy, the curriculum, and what had been scheduled for future classes, it was agreed that she would act as requested in the Will, and in addition would assume the duties of the Headmistress of the Alderglen Academy. Itannar Darkanor would maintain a small office behind the Academy and would be available for advice and consultation as needed.

As she departed the Academy, she trembled, suddenly chilled to the bone. It passed quickly, almost forgotten, as she began to plan what she hoped would be an exciting schedule for the remainder of the academic year.