Never trust a mage, Lyrena

A role-play transcript by Lyrena Auberan and Ven-Vyzran

TL;DR Nothing is ever simple!

:: Ven-Vyzran strolled along the market stalls, making his way slowly towards Mistress Thendria's stall at the end, and then perhaps on to the House of Healing to see his foolish friend.

:: Lyrena Auberan had been out and about herself during her lunch break - clearly off-duty. Unlike their last meeting, the Blood elf wasn't clad in armor and arms, but rather wore a slightly more flattering outfit. She made her way to the Mystic Market upon hearing the man she had wanted to speak to was spotted there. Without wasting much time, Lyrena approached the familiar orc, hand rising to wave at him from afar. "Ven-Vyzran.", the Dame Commander greeted with a nod. "I asked my men tell me if they see you around.", she bluntly revealed. "And no - you are not in trouble. I want to talk to you about a few things I feel you know about far more than I."

:: Ven-Vyzran smiled, which served only to reveal even more of his tusks and tombstone-like teeth. It was a habit he'd picked up from humans and liked, but which didn't always convey the right impression. "Greetings Commander," he said in his deep, resonant voice. "I was visit…" he began, and then paused, changing his mind. Instead he offered: "Yes, Commander. Shall we sit?" He gestured behind him to the tables set out at the entrance to the market. "I help if I can."

:: Lyrena herself smiled cordially as the chieftain immediately agreed to her request for an audience. Before setting out to the tables she knew the orc referred to, Lyrena spotted the bank owned by Lady Silmariel in the background, right next to them. "No, I would like more privacy.", the Dame Commander answered. "Come.", she beckoned with words and a hand gesture, leading the pair to a spot familiar to them - the usually serene gardens of the House of Healing. Except Lyrena didn't reach them. Instead, she beckoned the orc to join her up the stairs leading to the second level of the city, to the little park and caravan area above the market. "You have probably heard what has been happened here in the city the past two days? At the tavern, at the barracks?", she asked him while they walked together.

:: Ven-Vyzran followed her quietly to the small park, unable to stop himself watching her pleasingly round bottom swaying ahead of him up the marble staircase. He had found her impressive in her armour and was now even more impressed that much of her buoyancy appeared to be natural. As she spoke, his mind was taken away from these - unusual for him - thoughts. "I heard," he said in answer to her question. "Assumed would be only thing important enough that you watch for me." he said carefully, indicating that while he was not upset about being watched for, he wasn't best pleased, nonetheless. "Was going to Iskrin," he said as they came to a halt. "Old friend from time ago."

: Lyrena certainly couldn't help when her toned rear flexed up in her incredibly tight, white pants as she walked up the stairs - and didn't intend to, either. Nor did she take badly to the Night Orc's occasional glancing in case, assuming she had even spotted it! "It is more so that I needed to speak with you urgently.", she explained upon Ven-Vyzran's voiced suspicions. "And Iskrin,", she reiterated just as they stopped, looking back into the orc's large eyes. "I have heard that he used to be involved with your Gurrousard Seekers, some time ago. Is that true?", she inquired.

:: Ven-Vyzran nodded. "Yes," he confirmed. Then after a moment: "Was Seeker before me. Left maybe 15 years ago." He appeared to be about to offer more, and then stopped himself again. He looked the Blood elf up and down thoughtfully. "Are you friend of Iskrin?" he asked cautiously. "Want to help you. But need to help him too."

:: Lyrena herself thought on what Ven-Vyzran had told her, then dipped her head in acknowledgment too. "I would like to say that I am.", she answered relatively genuinely. "The fight at the tavern. It was between him and I.", the Dame Commander confirmed. "Iskrin was acting strangely. He looked ill. Then he attacked me with a magical blade called Ke'ntor.", she explained. "You Seekers, you are treasure hunters. Have you heard of the sword? And do you know how Iskrin might have got it? I was told by a source I… Do not know if I want to trust, that it was a gift from the High King."

:: Ven-Vyzran shook his head sadly. "I feared," he said in an unusually soft voice. "Sword is well known to me. We found it. Gave it to High King. But in between finding and giving…" he trailed off. "Iskrin held it. Not himself then. Seems not himself now either." He shrugged. "Sword is only bad news." He scratched his large blue chin. "High King must have given it. Don't think anyone else had it," he said after some thought. "Best to destroy it I say."

:: Lyrena stewed on what she had just heard. Lady Silmariel wasn't lying about that bit, at least. "It turned a man I have known to be tactful and good of heart into something vile.", she reaffirmed Ven's stance, referring to the First Estril. "It has been tormenting me too. I touched it. But I had no choice.", she grumbled out. There was a slightly unnatural, seething anger in those words that faded soon after. "I thought to sail out and chuck it into the sea. But I was… Convinced that would not work for long.", Lyrena added. "By the same person I also do not trust to destroy the sword. Even though I suspect she probably could." At that point, she looked in the direction of the bank again, for a moment. "I gave it to King Malekith last night. I advised him to give it back to the High King if possible. But I do not know what he intends. So long as he does not give it to her.", she said with a sigh. "To Lady Silmariel.", she finally named her.

:: Ven-Vyzran listened intently, noting the emotions playing across the Blood elf's face. At the mention of giving the sword to Malekith his eyes widened in alarm. "To king?" he asked rhetorically, allowing himself time to think. "Many treasures I have found," he said after a moment's thought. "Many powerful. Many corrupting. Many strong or violent. Many precious and rare. None scare me. Except Ke'ntor." He paused, thinking some more. "Malekith not immune," he said, lowering his tone. "Ke'ntor devious. Scheming. Wicked." Again, he paused. Many took his halting speech pattern as a sign of simpleness, but his brain was sharp and quick. His habit of slow speech was rather against his own tendency toward rash action. A habit he had cultivated in himself over the years to counteract the exuberance of his youth. "Lady Silmariel…." he said after a time, fondness apparent in his voice. "She good employer. Scheming too. But good. But none can wield Ke'ntor and not succumb. None that I seen," he finished.

:: Lyrena pinched the bridge of her nose and clenched her eyes closed, letting out a gentle, frustrated sigh. "Thank you for the reassurance.", the Dame Commander commented slightly jestingly, in regards to the comments about Malekith and Ke'ntor's wickedness. She wasn't blaming the Night Orc for his honesty, more so she seemed frustrated at the situation in general. "I have told the King just how dangerous I think this sword is. I gave it to his men in a box. But should he open it… Wield it…", she imagined, shaking her head with a grumble again. "As for Lady Silmariel - she knew Iskrin had the sword. For weeks. And did nothing. Didn't even tell me. That is why we fought. Needlessly.", she recalled, the anger in her brewing a bit again. "And that is why that vile alligator creature caught us off-guard at the barracks yesterday. He wants the blasted sword too. And according to Silmariel, he will not stop until he gets it. Just how powerful is he? Skolvor? If I am to believe all accounts I have ever heard on him, we might as well be doomed - because he can supposedly sink this continent with a snap of his fingers if he so pleased."

:: Ven-Vyzran raised his eyebrows again. "Skolvor here?" he asked, both concerned at the news and that he hadn't heard it himself already. "Ancient mage," he said after a moment to regain his composure. "He and Silmariel long enemies. Many battles before now. Neither win. Both lick wounds." He raised a massive blue hand to his broken left tusk. "Gift from Skolvor," he said with a wry smile. "Never trust a mage, Lyrena," he intoned. "Plans within plans and always more and more power they seek. Even Silmariel. Always think many steps ahead of them. They usually quite predictable." He mused on this pronouncement for a while. "Silmariel generally good," he observed eventually. "But not trust." He nodded to himself, pleased that he had done the old mage fair justice with these statements. "If Skolvor have Ke'ntor, then Ysa Thalas doomed. We took sword from him 20 years gone." His hand moved unconsciously to his tooth again. "He have one weakness only, I know."

:: Lyrena nodded at that. The advice concerning mages and the Lady Silmariel seemed to resonate with her. "You speak truly.", she said, herself hailing from a kingdom of mages. As she heard the possibility of the naga sorcerer having an Achilles heel, she wasted no time. She asked. "What is it?" She looked into his eyes again, with a bit more urgency. "He has some kind of deal with Lady Silmariel. A trade. She gives him Ke'ntor, he gives her something else. But she plans to cheat him. To remove the spirit from the blade. Skolvor does not know.", she explained. "She thinks a battle with him will happen no matter what. A battle so destructive, Ansa'fel will be in danger." Lyrena Auberan quickly added another clarification. "If the King gives her the blade, that is. Considering how long she has been around… And how good she is with her words, I am more or less expecting that to happen all the same."

:: Ven-Vyzran shook his head. "Always fighting," he sighed wearily. "She always thinks she win." He smiled, almost wickedly. "History argues elsewise." He thought for a moment. "Skolvor's magic drawn from corruption of Faerzress. Mage of Än'vakor. Faerzress present all worlds, all dimensions," he said, scratching his head as he attempted to recall ancient Lore that he had not studied for many years. "So said. But Än'vakor mages all have same weakness: Faerzress only present in Underdark. Longer he away from it, weaker he get. If he here, he not been in Underdark for weeks now. Weeks more and his power no greater than yours or mine. Each use drain it." He shrugged. "In time, Skolvor must return to Underdark or become weak as worm." He smiled. "Have hope, Lyrena," he said with a smile. "Know Silmariel well enough to think her plans have chance. Fought alongside her long enough to know some plans of her fail. Best place for sword with High King again. Second best place with Silmariel if she has idea to bind it. Bad idea for double-cross though. No good outcome from that."

:: Lyrena tried her best to memorize the things Ven-Vyzran had been telling her. "Faerzress.", she recited. Something she would need to read about in the public library later. "Down there.", she pointed with her hand, probably referring to the Undercity. "Those tunnels, they are not the Underdark? Not deep enough? Or are they?", she asked. "But I agree with you. I have no doubt she will come up with some way to rip that wretched poltergeist from the blade, but… This foolish agreement she has made with Skolvor. It will summon his wrath when he is tricked.", the blonde elf readily agreed, looking relieved that someone shared her opinion. "If she gets what she wants and meets with him, I think we should try to end things there. Ambush him, and hit him with everything we have. Preferably after he hands her this… Artifact she claims will give her an edge over him. You have fought Skolvor. What do you think?"

:: Ven-Vyzran shook his head. "Undercity not Underdark," he confirmed. "Underdark deeper, darker. Home of night elves and others. Only there Faerzress found. Few paths to Underdark." He listened to her talking over her thoughts on Silmariel's deal with Skolvor, an eyebrow raised at his oft-employer's hubris in making such a deal. It did sound like the sort of thing she'd do. "Skolvor collector of artefacts," he commented. "Not sure want Silmariel have any of them. Especially not best ones." He omitted that over the years his crew themselves had brought her many of the sorts of things he had in mind. But in recent years, he'd grown increasingly wary of the ancient mage, despite his fondness for her. "Battle between her and Skolvor not end well, even if she win. Battle between us and Skolvor not end well. Even if we win." He paused. "We probably not win. Best if no fight. Best if Skolvor trapped somewhere. Lure him there. Keep him there. Away from Faerzress. Away from his power."

:: Lyrena nodded, letting out a prolonged sigh again. The situation really was complicated. "Lady Silmariel told me she has kept Skolvor away from us for the past twenty-five years again through fear. That is what I advised. She seems to think it is too late for that now. If only she had not schemed with him in the first place…", she repeated, yet again. The Blood elf certainly felt strongly about her criticisms of the Highborne mage's plots, it was beyond obvious. "Thank you for your advice, Ven-Vyzran.", she said after that, looking into the Night Orc's eyes. "I will try towards avoiding bloodshed. I must go for now. Go visit Iskrin. Tell the Guardian I have stationed by his bed that I have personally allowed your visit.", she nodded, and prepared to depart afterwards.

:: Ven-Vyzran nodded. "Thank you," he said. He turned away and then turned back for a moment. "Skolvor not afraid of Silmariel. Skolvor just sulking for 25 years because High King had Ke'ntor. No reason to fight." He shrugged. "My opinion: Silmariel only maybe 80% as good as she think." He smiled. "Still very good. But lead to over-confidence. Lead to errors. Think for yourself Lyrena. You smart one." He walked away, heading for his friend.