Zohar
Hardened Gamer
Is Mr. Handy
Posts: 453
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Post by Zohar on Jul 16, 2008 3:41:18 GMT
Zohar watches Zegron as he enters the Great Hall. The mighty warlord outclassed him, of that he was sure. He could easily snap those manacles if he so wishes, he thinks. The guards are here to stop him if he attempts it, but still...could they be certain of defeating him before he did any harm to the Queen? He does not look the slightest bit broken or defeated. Kimah did not go down without a terrible fight, one that Lone Wolf was hard-pressed to win. Why would Zegron simply accept his fate and go willingly to the Lake of Blood to be tormented for his failure? Does he have some trick up his sleeve, even now? Or...is it truly Zegron at all? Surely this could be no other man, but what if he is no man? A Helghast could take on any man's appearance. If one of those foul spawn impersonated Zegron and "surrendered," it would be the perfect way to get one close to the Queen and take revenge for Ogia's defeat. It is a shame that speech is forbidden, but I hope that Lord Kevoan can hear my thoughts with his magic, and that the guards are vigilant and armed with enchanted weapons. Most likely my suspicions are unfounded, but just in case, I shall be ready. He watches Zegron's every movement carefully.
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Post by Ector Symir on Jul 16, 2008 6:35:27 GMT
Ector feels a slight uneasiness as he studies the captive warchief. He seems calm for a man about to be sent to his death - is this a stoic refusal to show weakness to his enemies, or something else?
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Post by Karstan on Jul 16, 2008 10:31:37 GMT
Karstan bends down to tie this shoelaces as Jynx approaches, it is not that his laces need tieing but mearly a way to keep his face downwards as everyone watches the young lady as she saunters over to him. After he was sure that most of the eyes in the room had returned to what they where doing he returned to this position leaning against the pillar. He had been somewhat hopeful that he might have seen a sage from his homeland there had been much upheavel and strife recently and he hoped to hear word of what had been going on.
As the Ogian warrior was led in Karstan kept his eyes on the crowd rather hoping he had missed someone earlier in the bussel of everyone moving around and might spot someone now that everything had gone calm.
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Post by Altor "Al" Cloudscraper on Jul 16, 2008 13:26:46 GMT
Alba was never one for much anger, but seeing the great Ogian warchief enter the hall brought feelings of anger and rage to him, feelings he had not known existed inside of him. This man was responsible for the slavery and bloodshed, misery and despair that Palmyrion and her allies had suffered over the years. Alba's hands clutched tightly around his quarterstaff. He knew that the Queen's guards and men of magic here would no doubt be able to overtake this brute if he tried anything, but a small part of him wanted to make sure he landed a blow or two upon him if he tried anything. Silently, he prayed to the Mother of the Forests for this foul blight to quickly depart this world.
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Post by Jynx on Jul 16, 2008 22:43:36 GMT
Trying to compose herself from the embarrassment that had just occurred, Jynx (staying as far away from the Vakeros knight as she could) quickly took note of the courtiers around her before her attention was drawn to the Ogian warchief that was led into the hall.
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Ageal
Gamer
Vakeros Trainee
Posts: 268
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Post by Ageal on Jul 17, 2008 0:30:34 GMT
Out of embarrassment Ageal placed him self where he would attract the least attention. The horns called his attention to Zergon and watched the great warchief get escorted in. taking a moment to reflect on the queens speech and the whole situation Ageal thought to himself. This is a ceremony to kill this Man……what repercussions will arise from this trial. Who will come after the executioners or worse……..the Queen. Ageal’s attention then snapped up out of his thoughts to observe the rest of the ceremony.
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Post by Maerin on Jul 17, 2008 2:54:35 GMT
Finally, the silence was broken in a startling fashion. Zegron barked out a short, sharp laugh. At precisely the same moment, the floor quivered briefly under everyone’s feet and a faint, very distant rumble was heard from the windows.
Before anyone could react, the eight guards surrounding Zegron stepped apart in sequence and lowered their swordpoints inward to encircle the man with instant death if he moved or they thrust. It seemed like Zegron would die there on the spot, but for Queen Evaine’s loud yell.
“Stop!”
Everyone froze. It was not clear what was occurring or had occurred. The Queen looked over the heads of her guards at Lord Kevoan. The Elder Magi, after making a swift gesture to you all to remain in your places, then quickly stepped forward to the guards surrounding Zegron. Stopping just outside the ring of guards, the old magician stared at the Ogian for a couple minutes. Finally, he turned back to the Queen and silently shook his head. Apparently, no magic had been used in the State Hall, by Zegron or anyone else, aside from the Elder Magi just then.
Everything was quiet. The Queen stared down at Zegron for another long moment.
“Zegron of Ogia. Your doom is to be taken to a place of execution, where you will be beheaded in accordance with the laws and traditions of my people and nation. As such, your head will fall as the sun sets. You will never again see the darkness you worship, until you find yourself the thrall of Naar when your spirit is thrust from this world for you in punishment for your crimes.”
The Ogian smiled, apparently unbothered both by the ring of swordpoints easily capable of killing him and the Queen’s pronouncement. Then, in a slow and accented, but still understandable tongue, Zegron finally spoke.
“The sun may set for me. But it will never again rise for you.” With a deft snap of his head, Zegron managed to spit towards the face of the guards to his right. The spittle misses them, but lands in the face of Lord Kevoan behind them. This time, the Queen’s response is immediate and her voice finally displays the overwhelming anger that she had apparently been exerting iron control over up to that point.
“Guards of my House: remove the Doomed.”
Zegron is escorted back out of the hall without another word or gesture of his defiance.
As the Queens sits back down on her throne, she spoke to those who remained in the Hall. “The noon hour is past. This session is concluded.”
Though the ceremony is concluded, it is clear that the guards of the Royal Household that surround her dais still keep any others from approaching. However, one of them, after a quick word to a higher ranking nobleman among them, produces a length of fine white cloth and walks over to hand it to Lord Kevoan, who stood alone in the center of the Hall.
The old magician smiled at the guard as he wiped his face off. Handing the cloth back cheerfully, Kevoan can be heard to joke that that was certainly not among the day’s experiences he expected when he rose this morning. If the Elder Magi said anything else to the guard, however, it is lost in the dozens of conversations that now echo through the room.
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Zohar
Hardened Gamer
Is Mr. Handy
Posts: 453
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Post by Zohar on Jul 17, 2008 3:35:51 GMT
Now that the session has ended, Zohar walks over to Kevoan and speaks to him quietly: "Lord Kevoan, do you have the same concern as I do? It is not just the odd tremor we experienced, though that is something that bears further investigation. Even before that, I could not shake the thought that Zegron or his agents could be planning something. He carries himself with an arrogance that a man about to go to his doom would not have. Surely he knows that the dark god he serves-" Zohar refuses to speak the name of Naar, partly out of superstition and partly out of respect for the setting, "-will torment him for eternity in the Lake of Blood for his failure, and he does not seem one to willingly go to his execution. Earlier I had even entertained the notion that he could be a Helghast in disguise, sent to surrender in place of the real Zegron to carry out an act of vengeance. I do not know the exact circumstances of his capture, but if a mundane weapon drew his blood at that time or afterwards, that would rule that possibility out. It would be comforting to know if he has been screened somehow. I could not speak during the session, and it is probably nothing, but my job used to be protecting royalty. It was my responsibility to consider every potential threat, no matter how far fetched. In any case, I will feel much better after the execution."
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Post by Ector Symir on Jul 17, 2008 6:19:15 GMT
Offended by the Ogian warchief's contempt for the queen and Kevoan, for whom he has developed considerable respect, Ector listens carefully to Zohar's comments to the Elder Magi. He adds: "I think something unexpected will happen at the execution. I should prepare for battle and attend as the sentence is carried out."
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Post by Altor "Al" Cloudscraper on Jul 17, 2008 18:43:07 GMT
Alba watches all in silence, a part of him actually saddened that the warchief did not try and do something.
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Post by Karstan on Jul 17, 2008 19:10:56 GMT
Karstan stood silently as the Ogrian was convicted after the comotion had subsided and the warchief had been removed from the room Karstan found the nearest window and peered out to see if he could see what had caused the rumble.
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Post by Jynx on Jul 17, 2008 21:32:50 GMT
Jynx walked over to elder magi. She lightly touched his arm showing him a face of concern. "Are you alright?"
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Ageal
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Vakeros Trainee
Posts: 268
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Post by Ageal on Jul 17, 2008 23:48:59 GMT
Ageal tries to understand all of what happened, feeling that there is something more did not rest in his mind. Knowing there is nothing he can do to change the fate of the Warlord escaping or dying. Ageal stood by his companions and accepted his temporary role of a pawn, but not liking it.
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Post by Maerin on Jul 18, 2008 2:47:27 GMT
Kevoan smiles in response to the concern of both Zohar and Jynx.
“I am fine, Jynx, thank you. And I had feared some ploy as well. Everything generally known about Zegron and Ogia mark both as the weakest of pawns. And yet, the Darklords saw fit to open their general war with our nations with the Ogian attack of Talestria. It was an odd choice, considering how weak Ogia was…and ultimately proved, against Talestria and her allies. And so I too feared he would be more than he was or otherwise attempt something when the Queen was to be in easy reach.”
“However, such does not seem to be the case. Zegron is indeed human Zohar; no more, no less. After that dramatic little tremor heralded by his scorn, I sensed no magic either by him, about him, or even acting upon him. Even if someone else had used some sort of magic to make the tremor coincide with his laughter, I would have felt at least something connecting the two events. I daresay it would take something truly extraordinary to have evaded my senses.” The old man shrugs. “As unexpected and suspicious as it might seem, the laugh and that brief earthquake had little in common except timing.”
“Who can really know the mind of a servant of Naar like Zegron? He had long been a thorn in the side of Talestria, and that thorn finally found the opportunity to draw blood. But both Zegron and Ogia always were fairly insignificant pawns of the Darklords. Yes, they caused much harm to Talestria, for a time. But the attempt failed, and Ogia has paid the price of that failure. I cannot see as anyone will either waste time or effort to save a failure’s neck. Particularly since no extraordinary measures seemed to have saved either Baron Shinzar of the Hammerlands, who I hear recently fell in battle with the Eruans, or,” Kevoan nods to Zohar, “Zakhan Kimah. Both leaders and their nations were far more important to the Darklords than Zegron.”
“But, there is no harm in you aiding the Talestrians, because your caution is justified. Ishir knows, even the wisdom of the Elder Magi has proved wrong in the past. But I foresee Zegron will die at sundown. The future shows little that will question that.”
As Jynx and Zohar converse with Kevoan, Karstan stared long and hard out of the windows, which looked both south and west over the waters of the Tentarias. Studying the buildings, he saw no signs that the tremor had caused any damage, nor did he see any signs of disturbance in the people visible on the Citadel grounds or in the activities in the harbour. It was a very small earthquake, he thought to himself, and certainly the Tentarias itself was evidence enough that earthquakes could occur in central Magnamund. But try as he might, Karstan could not remember ever hearing if earthquakes were common (or even uncommon) in Garthen.
After a time, the Queen withdrew from the State Hall, escorted closely by her guards, and the large room than began to empty. Before, the senior officer of the guard departed however, Ector approached him. Introducing himself to the stern-faced man, who named himself Nathor, Ector asked if he might serve as part of the guard for the execution.
“I see little need for that, but little reason against it either. Indeed, we would be honoured to have you present, as I believe you are the only Palmyrion officer who also has a noble rank present in the city. The execution will take place in the West Courtyard, across from the west gate of the wall. As you are not under my authority, I will not order you to a particular place in the courtyard. So long as you do not stand where another must, your presence will be valued.”
“Now, if you will please excuse me, Sir Ector.” With that, Nathor departs with swift strides down the hall the Queen departed the room from.
OOC: Well, you have an afternoon to do whatever you wish. Let me know in your post who might choose to be present for the execution and who might choose to be somewhere else.
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Zohar
Hardened Gamer
Is Mr. Handy
Posts: 453
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Post by Zohar on Jul 18, 2008 3:40:02 GMT
"Thank you, Lord Kevoan," says Zohar. "That is most reassuring to hear. Like you said, Zegron is a pawn, and in Samor, pawns are there to be sacrificed - or used as a diversion. I must admit I am still curious about this earthquake, and I would like to examine the area where it struck. I do not know if any magic exists that can induce such a quake, and I do not know to what end someone would do so, but if there is then the timing may not be so coincidental. Everyone knew that Zegron was to be sentenced at noon, and all eyes would be upon him - what better time for someone else to act? The timing of his execution is also known, though unless I can find evidence that something else is afoot at the same time I shall attend it."
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