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The War To Come?
Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 11:56 am
by Taelian
3rd of Glade, Year 120
"Things are often less complex than we believe," he whispered, proceeded by a heavy breath that dispersed the smoky salts he had cindered by the candle's flame. As they blew into the wind, they proliferated their unique aroma, and the two men both appeared to mutually smile as they laid back into the grass beneath them. They were set upon the slope of a grassy knoll, each with a bottle in hand. Renfier's was a Daravinic vintage, while Taelian's was an unsurprisingly creamy dairy drink, as was generally his favorite. Ever since he'd found a taste for the sweet, upon leaving Elainian lands, he had indulged in it far too much for his own well-being. As Renfier, and Riven, often pointed out.
"And they are often more," Taelian added, looking towards the opaque blue of the sky. The man beside him nodded in agreement, though he would not offer him more than that. "Tell me of Daravin, Lord Valran." The Siltori faintly grinned. "I read recently that Daravin was not always as it is now -- that once, it was far more unified, held beneath the adjudicating fist of the Emperor. That only in recent decades did it begin to waiver, divided by the hegemonic interests of the Entente."
"You read correctly," Renfier replied. "When I was a boy -- younger than you are now, the Empire was at peace. The Montese did not fear for their survival; they were protected by the Emperor from one another, and their subjects were not treated quite as the serfs they are now. Some remain even-handed; fair, or at least closer to their original vision. For example, my Lady Lierril has not changed much since this warring period began, though I place that upon her Elven traditionalism. In order to survive the climate we now dwell within, however, most have taken to an exploitation that is constant and vast. They tax at exceptional rates, and horde stockpiles of food for their Halamire-Knights. They must always, they believe, be prepared for war. And they are right."
Taelian looked to the other man with a faint glint of curiosity. Then, his eyes returned at first to the hills before him, and then the clouds.
"They are right, Renfier," he said. "Daravin is surrounded by enemies - on all sides. Individual Montese are too; they worry for being swallowed by greater foes. Before long, they will begin to seek alliances with foreign nations. Perhaps it is unacceptable now, but the day will come eventually, I imagine. At some point, it will no longer become a matter of choice; the civil wars will ramp up to a point where survival precedes your isolated nationalism. When that day comes, the Empire is likely to collapse."
"Perhaps," the Valran replied. "Though you speak on something you do not well know. I am certain, Taelian, that the war of today will escalate tomorrow. But I am not so certain that Daravin's integrity, or borders, are at risk. Our neighbors are all weak, or weakened; Lorien wars with itself, the Koltoska suffer at the monsters of our creation, Dalquia bears little valor in the defense of even Brilan Ald, Auris is isolated from us and blocked by peaks . . . Cathena has no interest in warring with one of its partners in trade. We have no true external threat. They would be unwise to offer us the chance at justified conquest of their realm."
Re: The War To Come?
Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 11:57 am
by Taelian
"You forget Sil-Elaine," the Ebon Knight raised.
"Sil-Elaine . . . Ulen, are you being serious with me, Taelian? They'd be lucky if they don't starve, let alone manage complex supply lines whilst invading enemy lands. Sil-Elaine; madness."
"The Dranoch needn't eat. They're resistant to magic. They are Daravin's natural predators, Renfier. And--"
"And they can't even stave off their own subjects, I remind you," he said. It was true; all of Turoth was embroiled in civil conflict. Compared to Lorien and Sil-Elaine, Daravin was doing fantastically well. "Aren't you one of the very upstarts rising against them? A... 'Ebon Knight'. Of the Black Reagent or whatbuggery."
"Remedy," the Siltori corrected him. "But -- yeah. You are right; if they marched to Daravin, they would be unseated at home. But perhaps that will be their recourse, as things are now. I... well, we -- the Knights that surround me, too -- we never really believed that we would be able to successfully end the Court of Dusk. Perhaps remove them from Sil-Elaine, but with how they are, they can easily find a new home. Perhaps they will migrate together and topple another crown, enslaving millions more to their will. They're fast, and dangerous, and difficult to destroy. They are a threat to Daravin, and it wouldn't be wise to ignore that."
Renfier sighed. "Maybe," he replied. "But I cannot predict the future, Taelian, and neither can you. Besides... this political speculation is not why I invited you here, Taelian. There is something important I wish to discuss with you."
"Like?" he asked.
"I want for you to be my apprentice. With a scion like you at my heel, I could very well become a Veir. You are talented, strong, with no affiliation to the Empire or its political discourse. You could enact my interests very well -- and I would compensate you in turn. Particularly if I do in fact join the ranks of the Entente, as I believe I deserve."
"Perhaps," he replied. "But if I am to join you, I want something that you have, Renfier. The Rune of Reaving."
"Do you know anything about Reaving, Taelian?" the Raillen man inquired. Taelian immediately lowered his gaze and slightly turned his face, smiling softly. The answer was clear: he didn't. "Then -- why do you want to risk the initiation?" Renfier questioned.
"I... well, I do know some things. That it's a weapon magic. But that's not the bit that matters - a magic can be learned through time. They are all strong, and all valuable. The risk is never wasted," he said.
"Then?" Renfier asked.
"Then -- initiate me now, and teach me as we progress. The best way forward for us is one where I learn through ardor. That's how it's always been for me; all my magics. It's why I'm strong."
The Valran sighed. "Then... alright. But afterwards, we will revisit the topic of your apprenticeship. And you very well know what that means."
Re: The War To Come?
Posted: Fri May 01, 2020 11:23 am
by Taelian
The axe dug into his flesh. It hurt; blood was drawn, and it sunk from his skin across the gloss of his form, trailing from shoulder to tricep to his sides, down and down to the ends of his toes. Renfier was carving, into the Ebon Knight, the Rune of Reaving. And rather than offering him extensive information beforehand, the man spoke to him only as he carved: because Taelian wished for it to be so.
"When the Rune is carved into you, you will need to choose a Pact weapon. A mundane weapon -- like the Claymore you holster to your side -- forged into a magical instrument by your aether. I would recommend only choosing a weapon you are familiar with; comfortable with. So, in your case, the blade."
The Siltori nodded; it wasn't going to be a particularly difficult decision. Though, he nearly mulled over the portion where Renfier specified that the weapon must be mundane. Of course, Ard Fuil was Taelian's likely choice; it was strong and already had a plethora of enchanted effects. It was the natural choice. But he did listen clearly enough to the word to bring himself to clarify.
"Mundane?" he asked.
"Yes; only a weapon of generic qualities. Not something Runeforged, or anything of the like."
"I see," the Silver Elf replied. It was... a waste, but he knew little. If anything, it meant that his offhand blade would be special in its own right. It couldn't hurt, he imagined, to have two particularly powerful weapons if one were to be disarmed from him, or bite the dust. "After?" he inquired.
"After, you and I must battle, and you must battle seriously. If you treat it with humor or nonchalance, you will likely die. You cannot drop your weapon, or your death will be immediate; you must fight to win, and throughout the battle you will feel as if you are being cut and beaten just as your blade is being. Finally, you must keep to your soul, as your weapon will attempt to keep it within. You will not need to actually win the fight, truth be told; though I imagine you will. You are a better bladesman than I, and I only intend for us to fight sword-and-sword. No other magic, no particular Reaving abilities. The fight will be difficult for you, but your skill is imperative to victory. It shouldn't last all too long."
The Siltori nodded. "Then," he began, "I am ready. Is... the Rune almost carved?" he asked. He had to admit the pain, at least to himself, alongside his distaste for the coming scars. He supposed they might form magically into a Rune, or perhaps the magical element might only make them more visible, a shape upon his flesh - formed by that same flesh. Taelian realized that since coming together with Riven, he had become somewhat vain. Always concerned for how the other man might perceive him.
The weapon was altered, forged by the flow of his aether into the steel blade. It didn't take long -- perhaps a minute. Renfier informed him that the Rune was complete upon him, allowing him at least the first vestiges of Reaving's power.
"I am ready, Renfier," he repeated. Taelian could feel the weight of the weapon, now -- it was dragging on him. Pulling away at his soul. He immediately began to feel weary, his eyelids heavy on him. The light around him, the man now standing at the foot of the small hill, began to fade. "Let's... begin."
Re: The War To Come?
Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 5:20 pm
by Taelian
The first clash was probably the hardest.
It was a simple swing, met with a simple guard - followed by a weak counter, one easily parried by Taelian as he lunged forward - twice in succession - to lay on the pressure. It became evidently clear to Renfier that Taelian was immeasurably skilled in the blade, though it took unfathomable endurance to continue to press on. Each strike, even his own, was one seething in pain and the existential fear of what a true counter may bring. What if he was disarmed? Even masters could be, even by their apprentices. The mortal hand was one of imperfection, particularly when dealing with pain, and the pulling of his soul.
But Renfier was right. Despite the weariness and the hallucinations, Taelian's skill shone through, and for many parts of their clash he held the upperhand. He was quick, and likely as a virtue of his experience with pain, he knew how to manage it. Taelian's assault was a constant; Renfier quickly became the weary one, fighting on the backfoot of a rapid onslaught. And the Ebon Knight progressed.
Before long, the battle began to draw to a close. Of course, Taelian was not whatsoever at ease; he was heaving, scowling at the pain, and desperately holding onto his blade. He felt a force pulling at him still, perhaps even stronger now as his body began to fail. But whatever he did, he had satisfied the conditions of the initiation, and the Rune appeared to be pleased. The fight was over, and though he had not necessarily won, he hadn't lost. He had drawn his master to an uncertain conclusion, glad to be at its end.
"Is it over?" he asked, though Taelian knew the answer. Renfier nodded to inform him of the end of it -- their challenge, for the moment, had concluded. Learning the magic from there on, Taelian could only imagine, would be of much greater ease.
"You'll need to learn several abilities before you can consider yourself acceptable in the art. Pact, Materialize, Dematerialize, Returning. They are basic fundamentals; unlike most magics, Reaver has extensive foundational abilities that must be learned. And so, our day is not nearly done. For now, we'll need to ensure that you have mastered the Pact. Take some time to calm your nerves and gauge your aether, and we will continue."
Re: The War To Come?
Posted: Sun May 10, 2020 11:16 am
by Paragon
Taelian
XP: 5/5
Magic? Yes. Can be used for Reaving.
Politics: Becoming a Veir
Politics: Daravin's Neighbors
Reaving: The Rune of Reaving
Reaving: The Initiation
Reaving: The Pact
Reaving: Pact Weapons
Note: As consequence to his initiation into the magic of Reaving, Taelian will suffer muscle spasms and deep bone aches for the duration of Glade 120 as his body and aether adjusts to the flow of the magic now running through him. The spasms can range from mere twitches to full shivers that last anywhere from a few seconds to up to a minute. The ache can range from simple annoyance to throbbing and painful. Neither condition is constant and are triggered periodically during or after particularly strenuous activity. Conventional medicine such as massages, soothing skin and muscle balms, teas and tonics can alleviate the conditions easily enough. The spasms and aches will dissipate harmlessly upon the conclusion of the season.