Closed What's in a Painting? (Inoadar)

[Marcus Ahysen]

Marcus listened silently through it all, his confidence returning in full, probably in no small part due to the fact that Inoadar had put up his weapons. Inoadar wanted to rebel, he did not want to be a slave, but neither did he want to make an enemy of the Black Sun, not if it could be avoided. Marcus first decided to comment on a less important matter, however. "Your former assistant is being detained until we can determine what to do with him. He is not a citizen of Ravok and there are people, for whatever their reasons, who are after him." Marcus in truth did not know much of anything about Burke. It did not concern his mission, and therefore he had not been informed. Marcus was just an agent, he wasn't privy to every detail about everything that went on in the Black Sun. "As for you, Nolan Parnell, you are a citizen of Ravok and thus, you are immune to slavery. The crimes you speak of were committed by Trandino, were they not?" "The Black Sun is only interested in what you know about the Rising Dawn. So far I have found no evidence that you are actually one of them, but we know you have been in contact with them in the past. If they contact you again, we merely ask you let us know what they say to you. You'll be rewarded, of course. And so long as you do not actually act against Ravok or the Black Sun, you may continue your business as normal. We might even give you back your old assistant, if you desire. Though he may be more trouble than he's worth."

[Inoadar]

The possible return of Burke felt like something less than triumph. What Marcus said was true. Inoadar had originally rescued him from a squad of slavers. So it could not be denied that there was a troublesome history connected to the man. Inoadar had only wanted him because he would be indebted to him and had no loyalty to the city. But with his cover blown, that was worth nothing. But that wasn't what was bothering him.

He was not distressed about selling out the damned rebels. They had done nothing to earn any loyalty from him. The wizard, Ervin, had kept him at a distance in a one-way contact system that served only the wizard's interest. The lone thug had engaged him to sneak him out of town and had shown only spite for the uncomfortable necessities of guaranteeing success. The fact that he HAD gotten him out was treated as beside the point. He owed the rebels nothing. That wasn't what was bothering him.

Now, he would be allowed to carry on his 'business as usual'. The only requirements imposed on his self-serving faction was to do no harm to the city's forces, and to sell out the rebels. Both completely reasonable requests. He could go on indulging his research and taking his jobs to further his own individual place within the population '...My own...individual...place within...'Within'...but not 'part of'...'

The thought was an ever increasing pit in his view of himself. He would not be hassled, but neither would he be included. He had come to revel in the atmosphere and attitude of this town. He knew how true Marcus' previous words had been. This was no slave-camp. This was a community. A society, a city, a people! He did not want to be an isolated bubble in this town, regardless of the ability to work his connections in peace.

He had denied it at the time, but even in that painting, the pride on Marcus' young face had stung him inside. Marcus belonged! He lived and served with pride! Where had that gone from his own life? He had had it once. But Nyka had been a travesty of what existed here. Every quarter at odds with every other. Every group undermining every other. His determination to be the best had been diluted, used to assure everyone that they no longer needed to push for the best. After all, 'They had me to be that FOR them!'

He had done it again here. With no help but his own wits, he had established a respectable faction of his own. Formidable enough to win a second look from the forces of the very God that resided here. He had thrived and achieved! And when stooges from Nyka had come for him, the Ebonstryfe had even taken a hand in allowing him his reprisals against them. He had their respect. And he found now, he could no longer deny, they too, had his.

But now, the situation being what it was. Were he to take that tact, it would appear false. A grasping, begging lie to escape retribution...no...Justice! He had come to their town and he had inflicted injury and mayhem upon it. And yet, they gave him a second chance! He wanted to accept, he was certain of it now. But he was stricken with the certainty that it would seem a ploy, an act, a charade.

He realized suddenly that a fair amount of time had passed with no additional comments from Marcus. He dragged himself limply to a chair and flopped into it, not being able to look Marcus in the eye. "How did it come to this? How could I have resisted it so long? After all I have done, how can anyone believe that I truly want this?"

[Marcus Ahysen]

Inoadar.. no, Nolan's words were not exactly what Marcus had expected, but they drew a smile across his lips. A smile which he quickly suppressed. Inoadar was coming around, just as everyone eventually did. And he had just confirmed it. One of the jobs of the Black Sun was to bring new people into Rhysol's fold, and Inoadar was primed and ready. "I believe you want it. I can tell from the way you speak. And even if I did not, Rhysol would know the truth. Do not think his eyes haven't been upon you. If he were angry with the things you've done, he would have had us kill you and be done with it." It was in fact very rare that Rhysol actually asked for someone to be killed. In truth, Inoadar's actions to date had probably amused the god more than anything else. It was usually the Black Sun or Ebonstryfe that decided when people needed to die, not Rhysol. Even the Rising Dawn was probably amusing the the Defiler. If he had wanted them gone he could have easily done it himself, and though no agent would ever admit it, the Rising Dawn had done more to strengthen the people's faith and reliance on Rhysol than anything the Black Sun could have done themselves. "So what will it be. Work with us? Give us any information you have on the Rising Dawn, and anything you may come to find out in the future, and your crimes will be forgiven. You could even take your old name back, for all I care. In time I think you'll come to see that working with the Black Sun can be quite rewarding. Or.. You can work against us." Marcus didn't bother to explain what would happen if he chose the latter. He was certain Inoadar could figure that out for himself. Of course, if he went that route, there was a good chance Marcus would wind up dead in a canal before he had a chance to report to anybody, but the agent hoped that Inoadar would see the Black Sun as threatening enough not to risk that.

[Inoadar]

'Rhysol would know the truth...' the words were salvation to Inoadar. He did not take it to mean that Ravok's resident god would know exactly what took place back in Nyka. But it would mean that he knew the heart of this displaced, dissatisfied, overachieving loner. He would know that what took place there had left Inoadar with the belief that all gods were bickering narcissists, oblivious to the population counting on them for leadership and receiving only disregard and delegated bands of self-important monks, glorifying their conflicting agendas at the expense of efficiency.

And now he knew that Inoadar had seen the truth. Where Nyka had scolded him for setting a bar that left others content to embrace mediocrity, Rhysol's Ravok was a bastion of strength. This was a god that looked at the fact that a stranger had BEEN ABLE to work efficiently against the grain of enforcement and authority, and appreciated it, not punished it. This man had slain Ebonstryfe soldiers and it was being held as a CREDIT, not a stain, on his account.

Moreover, this was a god that took care of his own. It was no coincidence that Ravok enjoyed the best weather in the land. No cleaner water could be found than that beneath their feet. Every citizen an equal, lauded or lowered only by their own choices. Foreigners were given leeway, for what benefit they may present, but they dared not lord their station over a citizen, or even a citizen's slave! How could a citizen not love Rhysol?

Marcus' next words triggered a rise to his feet, his eyes set on a glorious future, in a town where your own drive to succeed was your best asset. He turned a look of cautious gratitude to his pseudo-assistant. "What will it be? I would burn my foolish bridges behind me! I would embrace the recognition of strength and resolve that your city embodies! The fact that Lord Rhysol gives me this chance is more reward than I deserve. Can it really be true? I can maintain my network of contacts and go on as I have?"

He waved away his last remark to correct it. "No no, of course I can not go on exactly as I have. But, with proper deference to Lord Rhysol and his forces, I can continue my research and my...indulgences?" a shadow crossed his face and he grimaced with a bitter sigh. "I must, in all honesty, confess that I recently helped one of these Rising Dawn loiterers escape Ravok." His head hung a moment in regret. Then he jerked with a look of sudden reprieve. A smile of redemption, of atonement, of vengeance rose as his eyes found Marcus', "...but I have something potentially much better than a mere low-level stooge like him."

He remembered with grateful loathing, the wizard that toyed with him as he destroyed the CEB building. That allowed him to survive as some sort of maid-in-waiting, expected to await his master's pleasure. Given a token to allow contact, but only at the wizard's leisure. He still possessed this bauble. And while there was little he could do to alter the nature of its purpose, perhaps someone...someone gifted in the arts of glyphing, could decipher a way to reverse its access and betray the cadaverous old mage to those capable of flaying the djed from his bones.

While he was at it. There was another tidbit that may amount to a serious disclosure. He nodded as his smile set with resolve. He held up two fingers, "Two things...I had an encounter that leads me to believe that there is some sort of uprising brewing at the Kelvic...research place...There are a number of files that have been switched with phonies and hidden in Dr...Azell...Alezin?...I can't recall, but they are hidden in his "deceased" file in his storeroom. There is a discharged researcher named 'Harvek' that is working with one of the messenger class birds, intended for the military, named 'Selaya', to stage a breakout. Actually, her name is 'Cawleena' but her files may be under 'Selaya'. I stalled their progress and may have worried them enough to abandon THAT plan, but I can not promise they won't try again."

His grin grew more pronounced, "But one thing I AM sure of...I have a glyphed bird skull, given me by Ervin, the Rising Dawn mage that brought down the CEB building. I kept it because he told me it would allow him to contact me. It does not work in reverse, as far as I know, but I am no djed-crafter, so I can not say what someone else may be able to do with it."

[Marcus Ahysen]

Marcus listened to it all. He was pleased that Inoadar had made the right decision. It would look good on his record that Marcus could show he was capable of converting outsiders, even if Inoadar had come to the decision mostly on his own. And it would also mean Inoadar was not likely to kill him, and not being dead was always a good thing. The part about the KRI was a bit surprising. Marcus did not know much about the institute, personally, but he did know the KRI was largely funded by the Black Sun. If there was trouble brewing there, it would be useful to know about it in advance. What was most interesting, however, was the part about the skull. "Ervin... you mean.. Ervis? Ervis Revine!?" Marcus was not an expert on the Rising Dawn files, but all agents knew the key names to look out for. Siriana. Harrol. Ervis Revine. All believed to be leaders of the Rising Dawn. "Where is the item now? You should turn it over to me at once." Marcus paused, considering his words. He was not a crafter of djed either. He did not know how such items worked. "No.. wait. He might be able to tell if it changes hands. Keep it for now, and the Black Sun will send someone to examine it. Yes.. that would probably be the safer route. Just hold on to it until we figure out what to do next." Marcus did not even care about the part involving the Rising Dawn escapee. With the information Inoadar had just given him, his mission would be labeled a success, and they would both benefit from it. A single escaped Rising Dawn member was hardly of any consequence when the possibility of tracking down one of their leaders was on the table. "Well.. it looks like I have a lot to report. I will see to it that your former assistant is returned to you, if you want him. If you hear anything from the terrorists before I get back in touch with you, come to the temple and tell somebody there. If it looks like they are on to you, let us know as well. I don't want to send any Ebonstryfe unless you need it though."

[Alric Wilmot]

Grades Inoadar acting +1 intelligence +4 interrogation +2 intimidation +1 rhetoric +2 philosophy +2 Lores: Marcus's true nature, my assistant may become free, Confirmation of suspicions Marcus Ahysen persuasion +5 intelligence +1 acting +2 Intimidation +2 Lores: Cover Blown, Convincing Inoadar Notes Secret : Very good read. Any questions or comments, just PM me. Remember to edit your post in the grade request thread.