Chapter 1: The Manipulative and the Subservient - The High Arcana Games

[Mixster]

The pit fiend, how little he might matter, could also be an emissary of the forsaken. The kobold looks to Jazra, That does seem to be supported by your story at least

Red seems a little worried that the sponsor hasn't arrived yet, he doesn't really like clamped rooms. So he pulls off his cloak, spreads out his wings, and flies to one of the windows to look out.

[Flay Crimsonwind]

"I seem to have heard that Igneel - the pit fiends given name, by the way - is a prominent member of the Forsaken. I didn't think it relevant to point out, but in addition to that loyalty, he has a bitten hatred towards the Delvers guild. Apparently, he likes to kill groups of them. Not important, but interesting." He snapped the books shut, and slipped them behind his cloak, where they seemed to disappear, leaving barely a bulge in his cloak.

[Monotremeancer]

Interesting is usually important enough. If there is something I have come to realise during my time in the Inverted Pyramid it is that knowledge is power. Knowing the sympathies of our opponents may spare us unpleasant surprises in the future. The necromancer returns to his pondering.

Inner monologue

Knowing your allies is important as well, I do not trust this room to be as safe as the dwarf claimed, but at some point I am going to have to tell them. For now, they will simply have to believe my claim to be very resistant to magic. But in the long run, both I and they will be at a great disadvantage unless I tell them the truth.

[DrHorrible]

Still leaning, his back against the wall, Kyle speaks again: Seems like all the imaginable roles are covered here. Now we only have to wait. By the way, I agree with the toast idea mentioned before.

[sirpercival]

At the mention of the Pit Fiend and the Forsaken, Syllia bears subtly pointed teeth in a snarl.  "So, when do we get to kill that thing?"  She doesn't like at all the fact that this devil hunts Delvers.

At the talk of toasting the sponsor, she reaches into her bag and pulls out a small bottle of caramel-colored liquor.  "Does anyone have any glasses?" Then she sees some on a sideboard and pours a measure for each team member, upending each vial into a glass.

[Flay Crimsonwind]

"I would imagine when the church loses all power. So, in short, not within many lifetimes, if ever." There is no hint of emotion in the damned elf's face ever. But he does take a glass, and toast wordlessly.

[archangel.arcanis]

<shimmy shimmy shake shake> I too noticed the Pit Fiend nod to the dark elf. I kept an eye on him and the dark elf was part of the 7 man team. That does have me concerned, because if they have the help of the fiend they effectively have an 8 member team compared to our 6.

[sirpercival]

Without knocking, the adjutant, Thrajyr the dwarf, walks back into the room and strides directly up to the table, a disconcerting smile on his face.  "Your preparation time is over; you will now meet your sponsor." Then, without waiting for a response, he waves his arms in a graceful flourish.

The dwarf's form becomes fluid, and he grows taller, his robes changing to a matte black that seems to suck up the light.  His features take on a feminine cast, and after a brief, interminable moment his face resolves into that of Protea, the Elder Magus.  She holds out one arm and a small black snake unwinds itself from her sleeve and slithers across the table and down a leg.  Its form balloons and it grows fur, becoming an enormous white wolf that sits hunched in a corner, gazing at you with pleased malice.

Protea glides into one of the chairs, twirling a strand of hair around one finger.  "Welcome to the Citadel, children.  Please, feel free to toast my health, and the success of your little Rebellion."

She waves a hand negligently and sits back.

[archangel.arcanis]

With that Elle merely sits down, trying to keep her face placid despite the stunned look she suspects she has. Her eunich will walk over and stand behind her watching for any movement that may suggest her wishing to speak.

[Monotremeancer]

Jazra strongly suspects that had he still been alive, his jaw would've dropped to the floor and that his state of undeath is the only thing stopping him from revealing a world of emotions with his mere face. With a bow he begins to speak Thank you, Magi. and pretends he never heard the last part, his voice hoarse and steady. He then proceeds to slowly grabbing a glass and raise it. If no one follows, he will drink it even if it probably won't do him any good.

Insulting her intelligence will do us no good. To think we would fail before we even began.

[archangel.arcanis]

Elle will startle a bit when Jazra speaks and then grab her glass to toast as well.

Thinking in total on Protea's words Elle will relax a touch, as we aren't dead yet and apparently Protea gains something out of us succeeding in the rebellion.

[sirpercival]

Syllia also sits slowly, her face an impenetrable mask.


Protea smiles briefly at your astonishment and chagrin.  "Don't worry -- you couldn't have prevented me from finding out.  I was a spider in your minds even before I left the room. And now, of course, you are wondering why I didn't just kill you out of hand."

She glances at Jazra.  "...Again."

She stands up suddenly and begins walking around the room, talking as if to the wall.  "I suppose I will explain my thought processes to you.  Imagine my surprise when the group I chose to sponsor was planning already to do the very thing that I was going to use them for? I mean, of course," she looks at you all directly, "to destroy the Imperium."

[Monotremeancer]

A small smile begins to form on Jazras lips at the "Again" As if she would not know. and as Protea finishes the word , Jazra shrugs and mentally signals his enchanted headgear to reveal his true looks, now is obviously as good a time as ever. And hopefully it will save him some questions as the only thing that would make him the centre of attention right now would be if he turned out to be another Elder Magi, or the Dark God himself.

Within a moment the face of the seemingly middle-aged man turns dry, his face becomes sunken in and his eyes turn milky white. Just to reassure the rest of the group that the Magi did not kill him then and there, he leans forward slightly, showing a very real interest in what the woman in front of him is saying.

[DrHorrible]

Kyle takes a seat and as their sponsor, Protea, speaks, he seem to get stiffer and stiffer like a block of wood, the fear paralyzing him from head to toe. It had been... what? Half an hour? And our plan has already been unraveled by one of the Elder Mage...

The Wizard remains silent as Protea goes on, explaining that in truth, their plan, was the same she'd been devising...

How can this be...? That's too much of a coincidence...

Meanwhile he keeps looking at her, somewhat incapable to look away, hanging from her every word but ready to bolt for the door activating all his magical items, in case the situation got ugly.

[Mixster]

Red is clearly astonished at first
So is this a trick, is she really and Elder Magi? How many of them know? Is she bringing down the Imperium? Or us? So many questions.
The kobold looks at her thoughtfully as he gets his mask of no-emotions back on.
I wonder whether I could just kill her? She probably has a few magical protections up, but ... Oh better not think of those things in case anybody is listening, I am Tir'Acku, I am called Red, I am a dragon, I am a full-blood, I fear nothing, I pledge myself to Chorrun (yeah right), I will abide the infinite laws ... The kobolds thoughts trail off in the 101 pledges of the Chorrun Char.

"You seem like a knowledgeable chap, ma'am Protea." Red speaks up from the windowsill he is sitting in all that high up. "You sure realize that not everybody in this room sees the downfall of the Imperium as an ultimate goal, am I right?" Without even allowing her time to answer the kobold continues:
"Assuming I am; You see the downfall of the Imperium would leave a power vacuum, that would leave all of the intelligent races struggling in anarchy, and who, or what do you suppose fills this power vacuum? "

[sirpercival]

Protea sits back down in the chair and smiles condescendingly at Red, though the winter wolf in the corner growls at him.  "Oh, my scaly friend.  Of course you want the Imperium to fall, just not until your precious dragon ancestors are ready.  They do not worry me... I've slaughtered many a dragon in my time.  But no, there will be no power vacuum, not while I'm still alive."

She leans forward, eyes burning with intensity.  "The Imperium is unchanging and stagnant -- and the problem is that bloated, pustulent farce of a Church.  What we have here is an opportunity for change.  The Emperor and his son are at odds, and we can use that to our advantage to destroy the Church.  My fellow Elder Magi are happy with the status quo... they enjoy their luxury and being left alone.  Of course, no one ever accused them of having any vision."

She leans back again, relaxing.  "You will have to prove that you are worthy of my time and effort.  Win the games, and I will help you with your Rebellion.  Lose... and I won't even have to go to the trouble of killing you myself."

[Monotremeancer]

She has obviously pondered this for quite some time, considering the magnitude  of the plan everything else would be foolish. Did she involve herself in previous rebellions as well?

The walking and talking corpse assumes a non-threatening pose, not that he could do anything to really hurt the woman, but it felt better that way. Then may I be so bold and ask what your ambitions are, ma'am? Your current power can grant you just about anything and your name has been used to scare children into behaving into behaving for countless generations. If I may be so straightforward, are you bored? his voice as hoarse as before.

[Flay Crimsonwind]

Coron was impressed by how quickly she had obtained her information, though it would have taken a mind reader to tell that he was impressed at all (wait... oh...). "So, if we successfully win the tournament, and if we afterward assist you with the destruction of the Churches top members as is our mutual goal, you will assist us in turn with our mutual goal of the end of the Magi, thus completing the reduction of the Imperium state to ashes? My only concern is, if YOU knew about our goals so quickly, what is to stop your fellow Elder Magi from finding out? Or the Church, considering they already have a hand in the games..." To himself, he thought that there was  secondary flaw of her assumption that the group was strong enough to kill four magi, but for some reason were more than happy with letting her live afterwards. Or perhaps she truly considers herself stronger... "What is your plan after? Your vision of the state after the Imperium, out of curiosity?"

[sirpercival]

Protea raises an eyebrow at Jazra and Coron.  "And by what right, exactly, do you think to question my plans or motives?"

She stands abruptly, face sternly angry, and slams her hand down on the table.  Streamers of shadowy darkness fly from the point of impact and in less than a second form into 5 barbazu standing on the table, the edges of their glaives held at your throats.  You can feel the unnaturally cold steel pressing into the skin of your neck.




At the appearance of the barbazu, Syllia snarles in rage and starts to cast, but the one facing her presses on the blade in warning, and she subsides, her neck dripping a thin line of greenish blood.


Protea raises her hands, suddenly seeming much taller and more alien, eyes burning.  "Mark me well.  Thus far I have spared you, but do not mistake prudence for weakness.  I have lived for more than a hundred of your lifetimes, and I can, and will, annihilate you if and when you cease to be of use.

"I have been planning this for centuries, and my plans are now to bear fruit, with or without you.  You are tools, nothing more.  So, you have a choice: work with me to bring down the Imperium, or..." she gestures at the barbazu standing on the table, which creaks at the weight, "I can have my pets execute you here and now.  Which is it to be?"

[Flay Crimsonwind]

Coron, in a way you already know to be unnatural, smiles. "I have no objections to your plan; if anything, you make our goals simpler. I am only concerned with the competitive, prying eyes of your fellow Magi. How do we deceive them?"