No Tolerance for Heretics [Valentin]

[Hector]

TIMESTAMP: 13 Calid March, 122
NOTES: -

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Hector had received a missive a few days prior stating that his presence was required to accompany the OIC with another audit. Fun! Maybe? Well, yes if it were eventful. If not, then…whatever, he supposed. Job training is job training.

Personally, he hadn't spent much time Northside. Mostly this was due to a lack of interest; there wasn't much up there that caught his eye and thus far, he'd only had to on a few choice occasions following around more senior inquisitors. This time, however, he was being sent to go sniff around what was described as a gambling den overseen by the Ogrim family. Unfortunately for those who actually ran it, their benevolent overseers suspected them of some sort of foul play. Perhaps conspiratorial behavior? Anti-Imperial sentiment? Maybe the worship of a false god?

Worshipping any of the divines made Hector roll his eyes, frankly. Imagine paying reverence to some esoteric being that rarely deigned to even do anything instead of just gathering strength to make waves yourself. Or even if you couldn't do that, find a group to belong in that did literally anything other than pray. Maybe it was his upbringing as a Mender, but he really found the worship of gods– of any kind– to be pathetic. If that were the case here, he'd find his mercy lacking.

But oh, perhaps this trip would amount to exactly nothing.

Hector arrived making decent time, appearing near to the building in question a few minutes before the missive he received had instructed him to show up. There were people milling around, minding their business, going about their day, nobody he recognized, at least.

Except wait, yes there was! Flanked by a few officers stood the auditor that he'd worked with before. His name was…Valentin? Valentin…something. Maybe it was just Valentin twice, but that would be silly? Maybe his parents just had a sense of humor. Their son certainly didn't, but that made him all the more fun for Hector.

Approaching the man with a cheery smile, the elf waved when he got close enough. "Oh, greetings, dearest counselor! Fancy working with you again, huh?" His Kathalan wasn't the best, but it wasn't so different from the way people spoke in Zaichaer that he had any trouble saying the words correctly.

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Aidolon Speech

'Thoughts'

"Kathalan Tongue/Speech"

"Vallenor Tongue/Speech"

"Common Tongue/Speech"

"Mythrasi Tongue/Speech"

[Valentin]

Valentin Valentin stood amidst the crowd of officers, seething.

Valentin didn't especially enjoy being sent to do audit work- going over the numbers, comparing excuses in letters, combing through files and finally developing the theory of a scam, of a debtor, of another man... that was sublime. To take the data which suffused the Imperium like lightning and reconstruct the paths which the component particles had taken until he could see the tax evader's plans and purposes and schemes in his mind's eye was a joy which Valentin sincerely believed that few who came before him, before the advent of modern recordskeeping, could ever have known.

On the other hand, to walk into a smoky gambling hall and be delivered the same threats, the same glares, the same ill-advised bribes? Tedium.

But no man was truly master of his own destiny, and Valentin willingly gave himself for the Imperium. In this particular case, thankfully, it seemed like a very simple matter. The Ogrim syndicate was disgracefully sloppy with the way they handled their accounting, but they were also realistic about how much they could get away with. When he stormed in with a dozen Imperial officers and demanded to review their books, he expected that he'd get a few outraged mafiosos, cringing staff, and a quick and subtle decision from above to give him what he wanted to make the OIR go away. A quick visit, in and out, followed by a few thousand in unpaid taxes, paid in installments for the next six months.

This fantasy lived blissfully in Valentin's head as he prepared, until it came to an abrupt and violent end:

"Oh, greetings, dearest counselor! Fancy working with you again, huh?"

Emotions cycled through the civil servant's mind. First, anger; who the fuck was barging into his operation and calling him counselor? What a disrespectful little shit! Next, recognizance; he had met that particular shit before! Where...? Ah, the raid on the salon, it was the neonate Inquisitor who had summoned up the black spirit cloud. Then, sudden dread.

Why, exactly, would the Inquisition be sending a baby Inquisitor on a mission to press the Ogrim family into remitting a few more coins?

"... ah, hello." Valentin's voice was devoid of any of the emotions he'd just felt, totally colorless, "Inquisitor, I didn't know we'd have company today. Care to tell me what you're looking for, here?"

[Hector]

TIMESTAMP: -
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Hector watched as several emotions and a variety of microexpressions shifted over the man's familiar features. He found this particular mix to be rather entertaining. Ruffling Valentin's feathers was something he considered deeply entertaining, and thus he was very pleased to be working with this particular gentleman yet again!

Then, Valentin spoke, revealing that he wasn't actually told the particular nature of this visit. If he wasn't told, was he supposed to know? Hector hadn't been instructed either way, but he didn't want to lead either of them down a path that would incite the ire of his superiors. Thus, he decided he would be ever so slightly vague in his explanation.

"Oh, were you not told? …Interesting!" His eyes were as bright as his voice in the midday sun.

Realizing he actually did not possess fluent enough Kathalan for the required explanation, he hesitated before switching to common. "No matter– I am here because the Ogrim clan expressed discontent with this particular establishment, citing 'suspicious behavior' and claiming that your safety could be considered at risk should you perform this duty alone!" He paused to breathe, then continued, "...consequently, I have been dispatched to look for a few things the family was wary of in addition to any other behavior that could violate the Imperial Mandate."

He left out the parts about what exactly he'd been told to look for as well as the fact that those who resided within were known to be particularly violent if they felt at all threatened. Granted, they were known to use melee weapons over guns. Luckily, since the goal here was reconnaissance, Hector did hope to avoid inciting anyone's ire. For now. Maybe.

"We can begin unless you've any other questions," he sounded like he knew what he was talking about but there was still a non-zero chance he'd not actually be able to answer certain types of inquiries beyond the scope of his present knowledge.

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Aidolon Speech

'Thoughts'

"Kathalan Tongue/Speech"

"Vallenor Tongue/Speech"

"Common Tongue/Speech"

"Mythrasi Tongue/Speech"

[Valentin]

Violations of the Imperial Mandate, but he wouldn't say what, eh?

In theory, anything could be a violation of the Imperial Mandate. That was sort of the point of the thing; a tool which justified the Inquisition prying into any affair whatsoever within Gel'Grandal. Religious offenses, treason against the Emperor or his peers, forgery, tax evasion, even petty crimes like theft and murder could be rationalized as a challenge to the Imperial Mandate by a sufficiently motivated Inquisitor- and they were, to a man, sufficiently motivated.

In practice, the young acolyte's presence told Valentin a lot of things it couldn't be. If it was just a financial irregularity, they would tell him. If it were a matter of high treason, they would send an experienced Inquisitor, not entrust matters to a neonate. The same went for matters of national security, or foreign affairs. So this was either some kind of issue of internal politics--a peer becoming too free with his agents in the capitol, for example--or it was a religious matter.

It could also be an inquest into him, but he buried the thought at once. There were constructive and destructive kinds of paranoia. If the Inquisition decided to make an example of him, there was no more he could do about it than if a Dragon God reached out of the firmament and crushed him with a single talon.

"Fine" Valentin responded, shortly, "But tell me if you're going to deviate from my plans."

Valentin produced a paper from nowhere with the same flourish he'd done the last time, and invoked it solemnly, speaking to the officers surrounding him. "We are authorized by Magistrate Hagnell of the Imperial Court to search the premises and take possession of any records of incriminating nature showing that this establishment has had income differing from its reports."

That was almost certain, in Valentin's estimation. A gambling den under the Families had to do well, or it would be taken over by a stronger boss. This one had been reporting failing levels of income for nearly three years, which meant either it was a front, the failing scion of the Ogrim had managed to hide the dire straits from their relations, or they were lying about the taxes. And Valentin knew which one it was.

"Prior inquiries have produced damaged records." The gangsters thought themselves clever, to be sure. If they simply destroyed the records, the Imperium had no firm basis for prosecution! What could go wrong? Well... "As such we will be searching the establishment offices prior to notifying the owners of our presence. Do not open the office door until we have secured documents, yes? Good. In position, please."

The officers, all of whom had been trained for this, fell in near Valentin. The lawyer held up the warrant as though it were a talisman, which was a funny image for a moment before the paper began glowing. Space warped in front of Valentin, twisting and pulling itself thin until it finally tore apart, resolving into a great oval opening in the air.

The opening seemed to lead into... nothing, really, a great, dark, nothing. Just a few feet away, however, another opening tore the void apart, revealing a dark, empty room filled with books and ledgers, half-finished letters and a coatrack covered mostly in hats. Valentin stepped into the portal, and the officers filed in behind him.

[Hector]

TIMESTAMP: -
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Any time Hector saw Valentin pull a paper out of nothing, he found himself interested in the rune that he assumed was traversion. Such a thing would be infinitely convenient, though he wondered where he’d find somebody willing to share their rune. Surely, Valentin wouldn’t– it wasn’t as if they were friends or something. Granted, it’s not as if he’d be daft enough to say no should the offer ever come up. Hector would instantly accept any offered rune, for that matter. If he died, he died, who cares? The allure of more magic was worth risking any attachment he had to this dreary existence.

Though not everything Valentin said was interesting, he always did his best to follow the words of Kathalan speakers in an endeavor to advance his fluency just a little bit at a time. And, at least, he was pleasant to listen to. Hector genuinely hated the communication difficulties that occurred due to his lack of mastery of the language, especially since many in the Imperium looked down upon those who couldn’t speak it. Such demeaning treatment began to grow tiring at this point, so when he could, he would flex the fact that he was with the Inquisition to get people to drop the damn attitude. Learning things like that takes time.

‘Damaged records.’ Hah. Hector laughed internally, imagining that this was never an accident when establishments of this nature reported that as a reason. Cute excuse, though.

For a moment, the young elf did not understand what the other man meant when he’d said that they’d be performing this search without informing the owners of the establishment. How? As far as he was aware any proper entrance would definitely notify– and then, realization. The paper would appear to implode, but beyond that, another portal ripped open the fabric of reality, spinning with magic of a rather enchanting nature. Within, Hector could see what appeared to be either storage or a really rather dingy office. Ah, of course. He’d literally just thought about the rune of Traversion; how foolish of him to not connect the dots prior to the spell being cast.

He waited until the others went through before he stepped in, finding it a little disorienting to suddenly end up in such a drastically different space. It was a bit like going through a door, sure, but usually the two connected spaces by a mundane door made…a lot more sense.

While the others shifted through ledgers of a more financial nature, Hector began to poke around in places entirely unrelated. He leafed through books to see if anything were to fall out, shifted the contents of storage containers, and…man, it was moments like these that made him really wish he had Semblance. If there was anything magical in nature hidden, he’d at least be able to find that. Sure, if the information he sought was mundane, he’d still have to default to manual methods, but simply having the possibility of such a shortcut would likely save him a lot of time in the long run.

Hector struggled not to comment about various things he found. He would have, regardless of how annoying it might have been, if not for the fact that he was not supposed to attract any attention to this room. A stray voice passing through the walls would be really rather suspicious, would it not?

Luckily, it had only taken probably twenty minutes for him to compile a series of written notes that pointed towards the suspicions of the individual who had tipped them off. Apparently, some members of the Ogrim family, or perhaps their subordinates, were becoming displeased with the current Emperor’s preference for which divines one may worship. No names were listed, which was a shame, but to expect them to be that level of stupid would be…wishful thinking.

As of what he found, it was largely conspiratorial in nature, with nothing really actionable or offensive beyond the mention of their preference for worship most heretical. One thing that was of note, however, was the mention of an alternate address to a location in the north side that Hector didn’t recognize, as well as vague mentionings about setting up places of worship.

Approaching Valentin, Hector tapped the man on his shoulder. Speaking in a low voice, “...have you found that which you seek? I have.”

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Aidolon Speech

'Thoughts'

"Kathalan Tongue/Speech"

"Vallenor Tongue/Speech"

"Common Tongue/Speech"

"Mythrasi Tongue/Speech"

[Valentin]

"I want every single paper" Valentin responded, examining a safe. He closed his eyes, laying a hand against the safe, then slowly pulled it aside, opening a small window in the dull steel box. He reached within and removed three small leather-bound journals. "And that should be it. You, officer...?"

"Swartz."

"Swartz, 'sir.' I am in charge of this operation."

The officer grit his teeth, clearly wishing to object on some imagined technicality regarding the civilian service. Valentin did not look up at him, but one could almost feel his eagerness to verbally beat the officer down on this. After a moment, Swartz decided to simply get the operation over with.

"As you like, sir."

"Mmm." responded Valentin, sounding vaguely disappointed, "I'm entrusting you with the papers, yes? You should be able to get them back to the OIR building by yourself?"

"Yes. Sir."

"Good, get a good grip on these boxes... yes, let's lay these on top, here... and these little books, keep a good grip on these. Now then, hold them steady. Good, square stance, yes? And if you throw up, do not get any on the evidence or it'll be a month's salary."

"Sir? I don't un-"

Valentin waved, and Officer Swartz and his load of boxes seemed to warp and compress, space sucking him away as if through a straw. In the span of a second, he was gone.

"Chatty for an officer, don't you think, Inquisitor? I detest the talkers. Per protocol, I will now serve a copy of the warrant on the ownership, and my work here will be done, yes?"

The other two officers in the room glanced at each other, visibly unnerved by Swartz' disappearance, and fell silently into line behind Valentin. They clearly hoped that if they simply avoided the assessor's notice, they would not be subjected to the same Slipspace dumping as their colleague. To be silent and obedient- it was a strategy for underlings of which Valentin sincerely approved.

"And your own orders?"

[Hector]

TIMESTAMP: -
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Hector watched, blinking a few times in quick succession, as the interaction between Valentin and the officer played out before him. The elf was a bit baffled at the man’s request for…every single paper. Would he really take the time to thoroughly inspect all of them…? Or was this for some sort of protocol that he’d never be able to understand the purpose thereof? Either way, though it was strange, that wasn’t the strangest bit.

He watched on as he loaded this poor officer Swartz completely full with all kinds of boxes and containers filled with papers, a bit perplexed by the fact that he was putting everything on one man. That would be…until he employed his traversion magic to whisk the man away before their very eyes. The warping way the magic ripped at him almost made Hector nauseous as an observer.

Then, when Valentin addressed the elf directly, his words resulted in stifled laughter as a response. To call that man chatty was an absurd thought to him, especially given how much he knew himself capable of saying given the right subject matter and an enthusiastic conversation partner. Valentin’s very thin line of patience was a funny thing.

“...’chatty’ isn’t exactly the word I would use, but yes. You may proceed with serving the warrant and anything else dictated in your protocol.” Hector paused, taking a moment to think before he continued. “On my end, take these–” he handed over the papers he’d recovered, “...they aren’t sensitive in nature, more conspiratorial than anything, but they could lead to something worthy of greater intervention down the road. Log them as a note alongside whatever other evidence you come across and then send the entire case file to me when you’re done, I’ll push it forward to my superior.” Though the pronunciation of his Kathalan was still a bit suspect, he got his point across well enough despite having to pause to think up the right words and phrasing now and then.

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Aidolon Speech

'Thoughts'

"Kathalan Tongue/Speech"

"Vallenor Tongue/Speech"

"Common Tongue/Speech"

"Mythrasi Tongue/Speech"

[Valentin]

Valentin glanced down at the papers Hector was handing him. They seemed pretty unassuming at a glance, but you could never really tell what the Inquisition was snooping around for. Frankly, Valentin found it safer not to pry. Nobody ever got disappeared and tortured for minding their own business.

Well... almost nobody, anyway. The point was that it was somewhat safer.

"As you like. I'll have my secretary send a copy of the file first thing next week." Albright was an excellent assistant, not that Valentin would ever give him the satisfaction of hearing it aloud. Plus, it almost brought a smile to the man's lips to think how bored the Inquisitorial clerical workers would be, poring through the thousands of pages of casino records which they'd receive. The image of industrious clerks engaged in dry, productive work on behalf of a great apparatus which they did not understand... that, to Valentin, was a holy image.

"Alright, you two. Unsecure the door, two-file ahead. Shock and awe; we've got what we want, so we can afford to drop the warrant in the manager's hands and leave without arguing with them. Got it?"

"Yessir."

"Aye, sir."

Valentin gave the second officer a suspicious look--who said 'aye, sir'?--but decided it wasn't worth additional thought. The two officers fell into formation, unlocking the office doors and pushing out into the hallway, making sure that their service firearms were visible from the front.

The OIR bureaucrat stalked down the hall after them, glaring at startled back-room casino staff as they passed. None were stupid enough to say anything, and they made excellent time out to the hall, where it quickly became apparent just how they had managed to spend so much time in the back office without a single manager trying the door.

Some sort of event was going on in the main hall, which was a roughly ovoid room, replete with card tables, games of chance, and privacy bushes in raised planters to ensure that nobody's voices carried too far. On the other end of the hall, an orchestra was playing, and tables and chairs had been set out in front of it. The event was no fancy noble's gala, but all of the plain-faced men and women in attendance were wearing relatively nice clothes. Perhaps some business party?

Valentin approached one of the waiters, flanked by the two officers, and exchanged a few brief words. The young man practically fled out into the room, vanishing behind the maze of plants, and a few minutes later a besuited man approached.

"Officers, what seems to be the-"

"Herr Ogrin, yes?" not one of the Ogrim family's heads, but a member nonetheless, "I am Valentin, of the Office of Imperial Revenue. Here is a warrant for a search of the premises of your business office."

The man laughed, clearly trying to remain unflappable, "Of course, I shall need to call my attorney to-"

"Of course you may consult with your attorney, but the search has been completed. Here is a receipt of the items which were seized; you will receive a more detailed transcript from my office tomorrow, by post."

The casino boss' mouth worked, soundlessly. He blinked a few times. Clearly, he was not used to being walked over.

"Thank you, I will take up no more of your time. The contact for my office is written on the receipt, if you would like to have your solicitor get in touch."

Valentin waved off-handedly to the officers, who turned smartly on the spot and began to march towards the front door. He turned to follow, ignoring Ogrice's garbled protests behind him.

[Hector]

TIMESTAMP: -
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It was, in all likelihood, wise for Valentin to mind his business in a situation like this as opposed to trying to dig any deeper, but nonetheless, it was a mindset that Hector simply did not understand. Too curious, he was, to be able to so easily just put away things like that without much more than a cursory glance. Perhaps, then, this job better suited his nature than he’d thought if only because he’d be able to be incredibly nosy without much of a fuss being raised.

Then, regarding what Valentin actually said, the vampyre smiled something almost saccharine and nodded. “How efficient you and yours must be, then– though I expect nothing less,” the elf spoke with a tone to match his expression, something impish and meant to be obnoxious.

Why? For no real reason, really, puerile as Hector was.

He said little else when Valentin addressed the two officers and followed the group out of the room, keeping pace behind the bureaucrat as a means of covering the man from the back. Granted, from where he stood, Hector could effectively deflect any would-be attacker from any angle due to the nature of his magic, he would just need to react fast enough.

However, from the look of things, he doubted the situation would turn at all violent. The casino was a quaint place and nobody here looked particularly unruly just…bog standard businessmen and women, well dressed, but nothing flashy. Everything, from what he could tell, was rather milquetoast– business as usual. The elf’s ears perked at all the voices around him, but he was unable to discern snippets of any of the conversations that were at all interesting to him, unfortunately.

While he did so, Valentin had dispatched a waiter to go collect the man that ran this place, and when he came out, it was clear that he was not used to being, ah…the one so lacking in power. Flabbergasted, this member of the Ogrim clan looked. Hector regarded the man with a smile and a nod, mocking in nature.

Hector had nothing to add, and unless the Ogrim kinsman had a complaint, it would appear that they were, indeed, done here.

- - -

Aidolon Speech

'Thoughts'

"Kathalan Tongue/Speech"

"Vallenor Tongue/Speech"

"Common Tongue/Speech"

"Mythrasi Tongue/Speech"

[Hector]

Review

Valentin

Lore: 8 neatly organized lores
Points: 10
Injuries/Ailments: n/a
Loot: None

Hector

Lore: 10 poorly organized lores
Points: 10
Injuries/Ailments: n/a
Loot: None

Notes: I figure this is done enough & am trying to close out older threads so if these two see each other again it'll be in more present times uwu