The Five United – 3×04 – Fateful Meetings (Aftermath)
Well, the story goes on. Nothing is what it seemed to be and the Assasin/Doppelganger/Lublei or whatever one should call him seems to be behind all the confusion and mystery.
But as the plot thickens and turns, twist and whirls things are also coming to light. Laeden is, somehow, Aedys true father. Kidnapped by the tender and suceptible age of nearly ten, he seems to have been led to believe that Lublei is his twin brother and Axon, their best friend. After bringing him to the cellar, making sure he is secured – gently but firm – with ropes binding him, he hasn’t said much and seems strong, confident and calm. His eyes are alert and he keeps them on all of you. Especially Aedys.
After returning from the keep she collapsed, running on barley fumes of energy. When she next awoke, she is starving, exhausted and beaten. After being captured during a Vindicate raid when Rambulls tried to exterminate an ‘rebel settlement’ full of refugee xeniens, she has been beaten, raped and tortured for fun for over two months. But to her, it could as well have been five years. You all have to keep her from attacking Laeden who never laid a hand on her but who allowed the men to do with her as they pleased.
She collapses soon afterwards from severe malnutrition and falls suddenly and acutely ill. Her willpower being the only thing that kept her going. They had been dangerously close to breaking her but failed but only one fateful day. All thanks to Durin’s strange intuition.
You all keep to the cellar, Durin severely wounded considering a rapid regeneration. But for now disinfectant, ointment and poultices are administred under Ethens care.
You all feel numb inside. Confusion, emotions, questions, exhaustion and awe is bouncing inside. Strangely enough, the Rambulls are quiet.. even though you are certain the fire was put out, the rumours are almost non-existent. Could it have been that you really managed to sneak into Rambull’s keep, killing around twenty men and got away with it? Or are they trying to hide the catastrophe even internally?
Sitting in the cellar, looking at your two new guest, thinking about what to do a Servling suddenly appears from a hidden notch under the stairwell. Laeden looks at the creature with big but calm eyes as the Servling shakes itself and dusts off its wings looking up as someone approaches it.
“Mastah…”, it says in a rasping small voice. “Mastah, is here! Mastah, is here to see you!” , it finally shrieks and jumps around whoever had approached it, dancing. And the trap door to the cellar burst open as an unseen wind from inside pushed it open and Melfite lands in a crouch, his back and horns scraping at the ceiling, his massive figure and dark red wings filling the room.
He looks up, and he is not happy. Not happy at all.
– What do you do?
(Textbaserat rollspelande tycker jag är rätt så jobbigt, men jag gör väl vad jag kan).
As Durin sees Melfite arriving his face grows darker in anger but the current situation seems to keep him from shouting as he looks at their ‘guest’. “We should blindfold him and plug his ears, he shouldn’t hear any of this”. As he speaks his gaze wanders back to Melfite with a dissaproving look and then mutters something about timing.
(Synd för dig, men bra att du försöker, tycker det var en bra början i alla fall)
As Durin speaks Melfite eyes scans the room. He observes everything and seems to look through everything. His angry almost hostile devil face, seems to grow more calm as what remains in his eyes is mostly annoyance and mild irritation.
Hugon stares at the Devil. Trying to comprhend the series of events and what in the world they could have done to Melfite.
Durins words awake him, and he goes to blindfold Laeden.
Hugon nods and turn around, still trying to make sense of it all.
Aedys looks at hugon when he approaches laeden, seeing as she is sitting closest to him, she is quick to speak up “ill do it” and then she turns towards her newfound “father”, everything is still so confusing when she tries to think about it.
She smiles a little towards laeden, and starts to blindfold him, although at the same time pondering what use it will be seeing as Melfite already done his grand entrance.
Melfite quietly observes as Aedys finds something to blindfold Laeden with. Laeden is staring, unbelieving at the giant beast and doesn’t struggle when Aedys tightens the blindfold and stuffs his ears with torn off pieces from a handkerchief. Never even looking at her.
After she has blindfolded and put the pieces in his ears, She sits down next to Laeden and observes Melfite, while wondering what trouble he will bring upon them this time but at the same time feeling grateful for his information since the last encounter.
Melfite inspects Laeden and looks briefly into Aedys eyes then he turns his gaze towards Durin. Annoyance flaring once again in his big eyes.
Once content that Laeden is properly deafened Durin turns roughly to Melfite, fighting the urge to confront him about ‘the event’ in front of everyone and instead speaks in an obviously strained civil tone. “What can we do for you today Melfite?”
He looks Durin straight in the eye and comes closer with his head, crouching now on all fours. He stops barely a feet away from Durin’s face.
Durin smells a very sweet taste, almost as the scent of sweet, sweet flowers, or newly brewed fruit syrup. And under it all, ash.
“You know what this is about, my dear contractor,” Melfite answers with his formal, but booming voice with a harsh undertone.
“The arrangement you all made last time was that I let you know more about my plans, and as it is, your role in it.”
He smiles widely but a chill runs through Durin’s bones.
“And you almost twarted an essential part of my plan,” he says in a low but distinct voice.
“But first, ask your questions, mortals!” , he almost spits out. “And I might answer them, but in the mood I’m in for the moment. Don’t count on it. You hurt me, pretty bad Überdwarf.”
Durin visually braces himself, jaw set and fists clenching, intent not to give ground as Melfite move closer. As the devil speaks Durin’s angry determined expression changes to a confused one as he stammers. “Wha- what? I… I just didn’t….”. He cuts off throwing quick glances around, realising he doesn’t want to think outloud right now. Thoughts racing he finally speaks again with obvious mock bluster and confusion. “Hurt you? Well we certainly haven’t been attacking you!”
Melfite’s glance returning from Hugon it snaps back to Durin.
“Do not play stupid, dwarf. You are lucky to be alive trying to force me to abort my objectives. Looking into my mind you left a taint, and I can only imagine what horrors you might have seen. My mind is not made for mortals.”
“And yes, it hurt. Hurt like the sting of a bee. Nothing fatal, but it hurt. And I shouldn’t have to face that. That was OUR agreement. Remember?”
Melfite backs away a little but slowly, obviously giving Durin space as his point was made.
“After all your questions I’m going to take you for a ride. You will climb upon my shoulders and we will fly. Either that or I’ll drag you out of here.”
Hugon takes a few stepps away from Melfite, towards a corner. “How is the Dragon child?” realizing the sillyness of his question Hugon smiles.
Melfite glances past Durin towards Hugon and smiles a warm, assuring smile.
“It’s fine and growing, thank you. By the way, you should get prepared to fight. He isn’t far behind you know.”
His eyes return to Durin.
After quietly observing and listening to what both Hugon and Durin asked, she finally stands up and looks at Melfite “So what have we done to wrong you?” she glances towards Durin seeing his reaction and the things being said she suspects that its Durin that has been up to something which she subtly emphasize when she mentioned “we”.
After the short remprimand towards Durin, he smiles at Aedys.
“Why, haven’t the Überdwarf told you Blood Dancer?” He looks back at Durin.
“I leave it to him to tell the tale, it’s the least of his punishment for hurting me.”
“Satisfied with my gift?”, he asks making a vague gesture towards Laeden.
She smiles and makes a deep flourish “I am grateful for the gift and the opportunity” and at the same time masking her startled reaction from being called Blood dancer, although she has no doubt what he meant by that.
Melfite noods.
“Good. Though the secrets and answers he holds won’t be that easy to get. You’ll have to push, harder than you would like and give it time if you are to get all the answers.”
He looks at Durin…
(Jag har ett problem då jag inte minns exakt vad han sa, saker var så vaga runt min ‘deal’ med Melfite att jag inte minns något, Durin kanske bör minnas mer…)
Some of the anger returns to Durin’s face as Melfite seemingly lectures him and he speaks in turn. “Is it really alright to talk about this when not in private? Either way I didn’t know, how could I possibly know? And furthermore THAT wasn’t part of our deal as I see it!”. Breathing harder after his loud protests Durin’s body shakes slightly, visibly trying to calm down pausing for breath for a few moments.
Melfite looks Durin in the eyes, letting the moment sink in and things calm down.
“Our deal, was that I grant you a power and the possibility, to find the opportunities to make yourself great, better and grow. My part of that bargain is unknown to you, other than you took that part, as a compensation. Either you accept my gift and accept me using you to my ends. Or you don’t and you get nothing more than a fight for control in which I will win.”
He lets the words sink in for everyone in the room. Making the connections and giving Durin the time to remember their 10-seconds-deal, with a creeping dread.
“And THAT, as you call it, was essential for me to have you ingest. Since you’re a my key Harbinger in my scheme for mending magic and helping the poor creatures of magic. And I will show you more. As part of the bargain, but only you. If you can take it.”
Melfite looks at Durin with a look as to say; “If you dare.”
Durin at this point is likely the most stunned out of the people in the room he stands there wide eyed looking at Melfite gradually seeing him in a new light. Caught in introspection he grows silent for an extended moment, only nodding slightly after a minute and continues to ponder.
(Jag har mer eller mindre beslutat en reaktion för denna punkt, men jag tror att det tar en stund att komma fram till.)
Hugon nods at the devils remark. Then looks to Durin with a worrying frown, awaiting an explanation.
Hearing the devil’s words. Hugon still observes the social interaction. Being put aside for the moment by Melfite.
(Great, vänta någon timme så får andra reagera så agerar jag med Melfite efter detta.)
NOTERA ALLIHOPA ATT NI HAR MÖJLIGHET NU ATT STÄLLA VISSA FRÅGOR OCH FÅ SVAR FRÅN MELFITE, FREE-OF-CHARGE. PASSA PÅ, OM NI VILL FISKA LITE SVAR
Ethen has been sitting to the side, quietly absorbing the tensions in the room until they overflow. He leans forward, glaring defiantly at Melfite and and hisses out his irritation in one long breath. “You made someone mutilate a man in our path and forced Durin into cannibalism against his will. That is sick. You are sick! And then you have the guts to come here and threaten because you unintentionally got hurt while applying some form of mind control on him?”
Breathless, Ethen slumps back with his face in his hands. All emotions sapped away.
Melfite turns his head towards Ethen with a malevolent smile sending shivers through everyone in the room. The being with the warm assuring smile and formal air is momentarily gone and replaced by a vicious, devilish creature at least four times Ethen’s size and bulk.
“You, Thinker – Empath – Human Elf – presume to much,” he finally says and his smile turns from malevolent to assuring again.
“Do not persume you even can with your elven mind, fathom what I’m doing. And my reason for being here is partly because you – my dear contractor elf – wished to know of my dealings. No matter how much it will strain your sanity.”
He shifts a little. And sighs. The sigh is a long one, and warmth temporarily fills the cold room. And Melfite seems tired.
“Let me explain in terms you understand and can comprehend,” he says looking condescending at Ethen.
“The man – I didn’t kill – was strictly one of coincidence. An a very fortunate one at that.”
“I forced him, because that was the only option and part of our agreement. I gave him the option, he refused to do it himself. But he had already agreed to the terms when accepting my gifts.”
Melfite stretches one of his wings in the cramped space, scratching the ceiling as he do so.
“And if I haven’t misheard myself, I didn’t make any threats. I simply just stated some facts.”
“I got hurt, but more importantly. He almost killed himself or worse, made himself insane beyond repair. It was foolhardy and stupid since I’ve given him warning.”
“And sick, is a matter of perspective. I myself think that you are sick my dear elf. You preach double morals and even so your friends are the very thing you preach against. Every turn your friends take pushes them further and further into the path straight against your preaching. Not to mention that you’ve actually is the cause of a rebellion which will spread and costing thousands their life.”
“Which reminds me.”
“Have you figured out what is behind the gate in which you so want to open? Have you asked yourself if the very thing you’re after might as well cause a war, which none have ever seen? A war which might destroy the stability and safety of this very nation. The core of your very world? For a quest set upon you by a madman? That, my dear contractor, is sick.”
He settles back, watching the room.
Ethen’s outburst makes Durin stir from his stupor and he looked as if he was about to say something when Mefite responds. He stays quiet and listens to Melfite’s ever reasonable explanations and lets out a long sigh when Melfite finally quiets down. Then speaks up with a frustrated look on his face.
“I remember your warnings, but how can I avoid breaking our deal short of total obedience? You are not my commander, if you ask me to do something immoral I want reasons. I resisted without much thinking, that was just wrong!” He pauses for a breath and continues.
“Besides, if I knew that I was eating *that* to restore magic to the world, I probably would have. And frankly, it is hard to believe, how will…. *That* restore magic? How can *I* help restore magic?”.
“I ask not that you are totally obidient to me. If you were, you wouldn’t be of use to me alive I’m afraid.”
He smiles apologetic and continues;
“Sometimes in war, a commander need to ask his troops to trust him and not to ask questions now. This is what I ask of you. Immoral it might be from the current perspective. But change as a whole.”
With this he starts to flex and move and then moves forward.
“It is time that you saw some of the big picture.”
“You have the choice, hop on, or get dragged. We are going for a tour.”
After awhile when things have quieted, and Aedys has had some time to ponder things she asks “Malfite, if I could ask you some questions?”
She waits courtly for him to reply showing some respect to this big red monster
(im just gonna post the questions now beneath this text, and I suppose you/he can answer them as he pleases, if he choses to not answer she will just make a respectful bow and then sit down again.)
“Is Laeden his name or Lublei?”
“Have they done anything to him except having him live a lie for over 20 years?”
“Laeden mentioned something about more than one doppleganger..is this true? are they all part of this..well the info you gave me earlier when I got my mask?”
“Is my mother alive? Would Laeden know the truth?”
She makes a respectful flourish after hearing the answers to her questions.
Malfite nods at Aedys and starts answering her questions.
“His name was Lublei, but it’s Laeden now. After years and years of thinking himself as Laeden his name was given to the man you call Lublei.”
“Giving a child shelter, feeding him and giving him a home and purpose is what they are guilty of, yes.”
“That. I can not answer. You have to question him yourself. But beware of what you seek. It’s dangerous.”
“Ask Laeden, he has all those answers, if you push hard enough.”
With this he looks towards Durin who is only now beginning to come out of his stupor.
Durin looks slightly disatisfied with the answer but simply shrugs and walks around Melfite to get at his back and starts trying to climb up the devil’s back. “Show me then.” he says, with slightly forced confidence.
What actually happened that night will be told later. The risk that Durin’s sanity will take a big blow is high, but not without a reward. He returns the morning after.
And so Melfite sets off with Durin into the dark night. And the door slams closed behind them.
Left is the now almost empty cellar filled with shock, disbelief and confusion.
— End of Scene 1 —
Well, the Melfite Scene was necessary before the group could move on. Questions can be posted here.
As a side note, Ivilh was out was my thought.
Will post another post tomorrow, this will not be a in-game post. But it will handle action – consequence trees.
I want you to all think about at least 3 different things you want to do/find more information about and want to do.
Do this and prepare it for the next post. It’s what you want to do with Laeden, Dani or whatever.
Primary is to solve unresolved issues before moving on to the Mystery Gate – project.