GM Neirikr's "Academy of Secrets" (Inactive)

Game Master Neirikr

None from me, except to say:

"WAIT!" she directs to the Headmaster. Hopefully someone can stop him, but regardless if he disappears or not, she then points her finger at Vost. "You are to be just as potentially guilty as the headmaster. In fact more so," she explains with raised voice toward Vost, hoping to bring to a stop the fear in Toff that makes him wish to flee. "You are the Dean of Conjuration, aren't you? And it is your responsibility to ensure that the students and challengers face the school of conjuration when designing and setting up traps for us. Did you cast any spells in the Hall of Summoning? Is not the very spell that would carry us to such a tormented place a conjuration spell of exceeding difficulty? When I lay blame on the headmaster, I see the horror in his eyes that he would be responsible for something like this. Fright is there, yes, but more like a cornered animal. I believe he is at fault for suspecting something and turning a blind eye, and for that alone I blame him, but I do not believe he is the one responsible for all of this. I wish to hear all of your testimony," she now directs her speech to the other school senior staff who helped set up the Hall of Summoning. "Did she or the headmaster cast any spells upon the door to the Hall of Summoning in preparation for this event? It is by touching that door, we were brought to that hellish plane."

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 6 + 3 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 6 + 3 + 5 = 26

Viridel raises his arm to halt the archmage, his scroll of Dimensional Anchor rising in the air with his magical intent...but Laree's response halted him--even shook him.

He lowers his hand, looking at Vost. Calm settles back on the elf, driving away the haze of anger and sorrow and passion kindled by the horrors in the hellish plane, as he remembers and processes all the information he was exposed to.

"She is right, it is not the fault of one man," Viridel says. "No matter how attractive, or convenient, it is to scapegoat him. This realm was timeless, yes, but the Breaching Festival has been here for longer than the Headmaster's tenure."

Messida Vost is not quite as distinguished in the magical theory of conjuration as Toff Ornelos, but she has all the hallmarks of a future archmage. She was born in Egorian, the capital city of Cheliax, though she chose Acadamae over the Egorian Academy of the Magical Arts (also renowned for its program on infernal binding). Aside from the usual studies on Hell and its denizens expected from every Acadamaean, she has published several papers on demons and other abyssal entities. She advocates for the subordination and utilisation of fiends other than devils in tasks for which they are—in her estimation—better suited, though always from the deliberate perspective of a diabolist. Worst rumours (mostly spread by jealous male colleagues) paint her as a reckless demoniac, though with scant evidence.

"Very wolfish, Archmage Vost," Viridel said, an ancient calm setting over his elven face. "Yet, is it not you, after all, who wishes to expand the scope of the school's dominion from merely devils to all kinds of fiends? If Lawful Hell broke loose in the Academae, what would the Chaotic Abyss or worse, the Unfettered Plains of Abbadon? A mere promise of investigation is not suffcient enough response as the 'acting headmistress'."

"It is not unusual for an elf to advise the younger races," Viridel adds. "But perhaps what you have is an institutional problem within the Academae--one that requires an instutitional solution...perhaps a solution from a body outside the Academae? Is it not time for the Academy of Secrets to be dragged into the light?"

Grym stands ready but unsure of who is truly at fault or innocent in this debacle. He is sure that he does not like either Toff, highly unlikely to be innocent or Vost who specializes in conjuration aka consorting with devils/demons.

But he waits with Torag's patience to see how this all plays out

spellbreaker would allow him an AOO vs Toffs teleport casting, but there's no way the Mage would be dumb enough to stand next to Grym in this tense situation. Looks like there's nothing Grym can do to prevent the teleport. He has options if he was prepared for the situation but not on the fly like this

Repost, ignore the post on Jan22
Viridel raises his arm to halt the archmage, his scroll of Dimensional Anchor rising in the air with his magical intent...but Laree's response halted him--even shook him.

He lowers his hand, looking at Vost. Calm settles back on the elf, driving away the haze of anger and sorrow and passion kindled by the horrors in the hellish plane, as he remembers and processes all the information he was exposed to.

"She is right, it is not the fault of one man," Viridel says. "No matter how attractive, or convenient, it is to scapegoat him. This realm was timeless, yes, but the Breaching Festival has been here for longer than the Headmaster's tenure. We all here bear witness, that in the hellish realm we entered, it was the Immortal Lord, Volshyenek Ornelos, who made that pact with the hidden Devil of the Breaching Festival--not Archmagi Toff. This conspiracy runs deeper than you know."

As Vost scapegoats Toff
"Very wolfish, Archmage Vost," Viridel said, an ancient calm setting over his elven face. "Yet, is it not you, after all, who wishes to expand the scope of the school's dominion from merely devils to all kinds of fiends? If Lawful Hell broke loose in the Academae, what would the Chaotic Abyss do? What would the denizens of the Unfettered Plains of Abbadon do? A mere promise of investigation is not sufficient enough response as the 'acting headmistress'.
"Now, it is not unusual for an elf to advise the younger races, but this time it might be welcomed," Viridel adds. "Perhaps what you have is an institutional problem within the Academae--one that requires an institutional solution...perhaps from a body outside the Academae? Is it not time for the Academy of Secrets to be dragged into the light and brought before the people of Korvosa, and all things to be revealed?"

Note: Viridel's voice doesn't usually carry far due to his Anxious drawback, but maybe the conditions allow him to speak.

Given his particular distaste for Arcane casters, Grymm is quite ready for Toff to try escaping via magic rather than face the consequences of his actions

As soon as Grym hears the hint of an arcane syllable pass through Toff's lips he smacks a beefy hand over the Mage's mouth No No NO! We're having a conversation here. Not polite to disappear while others are talking. Agreed?

Grym keeps an iron grip on the Mage's mouth waiting for him to nod yes. Absolutely expecting outrage and willing to withstand this test of wills with the patience and discipline instilled in him through long years of life and faith.

Grym has options here as to how he disrupts the Teleport with Spellbreaker/Disruptive. He can flex into Greater Grapple, or do a Brawler Knockout dc18 fort, just smash the guy with his shield etc. But for narrative purposes, I like the least violent route of clamping his hand over Toff's mouth to disrupt the spell

Given his particular distaste for Arcane casters, Grymm is quite ready for Toff to try escaping via magic rather than face the consequences of his actions

As soon as Grym hears the hint of an arcane syllable pass through Toff's lips he smacks a beefy hand over the Mage's mouth No No NO! We're having a conversation here. Not polite to disappear while others are talking. Agreed?

Grym keeps an iron grip on the Mage's mouth waiting for him to nod yes. Absolutely expecting outrage and willing to withstand this test of wills with the patience and discipline instilled in him through long years of life and faith.

Ornelos can do little but struggle feebly in Grymwold's grasp. For all his magical might, the wizard is not very physically imposing.

"You are to be just as potentially guilty as the headmaster. In fact more so," she explains with raised voice toward Vost, hoping to bring to a stop the fear in Toff that makes him wish to flee. "You are the Dean of Conjuration, aren't you? And it is your responsibility to ensure that the students and challengers face the school of conjuration when designing and setting up traps for us. Did you cast any spells in the Hall of Summoning? Is not the very spell that would carry us to such a tormented place a conjuration spell of exceeding difficulty? When I lay blame on the headmaster, I see the horror in his eyes that he would be responsible for something like this. Fright is there, yes, but more like a cornered animal. I believe he is at fault for suspecting something and turning a blind eye, and for that alone I blame him, but I do not believe he is the one responsible for all of this. I wish to hear all of your testimony," she now directs her speech to the other school senior staff who helped set up the Hall of Summoning. "Did she or the headmaster cast any spells upon the door to the Hall of Summoning in preparation for this event? It is by touching that door, we were brought to that hellish plane."

The target of the Breaching is the Hall of Wards, which is the school of abjuration, but I'll run with it.

Vost maintains her composure admirably well, even in the face of personal accusations. "Of course, all staff members—myself included—must be thoroughly investigated before the inauguration of the next headmaster. However, as a daughter of one of our best instructors, you should know how the Acadamae operates. The participation of me and my colleagues was solely at the discretion of Headmaster Ornelos and the Dean of Abjuration—in practice, we consult on locks or traps requiring our particular field of expertise, and even then we worked under constant supervision. We had little room to improvise. The word of the headmaster is absolute, and to go against it is to court not just censure, but death itself. As for Dean Cangi..."

Vost glances at the swooning matron of the Hall of Wards, who has been sat down and is being fanned by her subordinate abjurers. "...I do not believe she had any foreknowledge of this conspiracy. Whether or not her gullibility makes her fit to serve in her post is another matter entirely."

She now directs her speech to the other school senior staff who helped set up the Hall of Summoning. "Did she or the headmaster cast any spells upon the door to the Hall of Summoning in preparation for this event? It is by touching that door, we were brought to that hellish plane."

The other deans and instructors, quickly falling in line with Vost's coup, also disavow any knowledge of the plot. For the most part, they seem truthful—many had vague suspicions of the headmaster abusing his position for personal gain, but nothing this ambitious. For the most part, no one has anything bad to say about the Dean of Conjuration, even staff members like the Dean of Enchantment Heresta Tarlan, who Maganrad can identify as being Vost's main rival.

The Dean of Transmutation, Elgin Remorri, steps forward to offer a more even-handed testimony. The eccentric old man is the most senior member of the staff, with years of service beyond even those of the already quite venerable Toff Ornelos. "Did both of them have opportunity to do as you insinuate? Certainly. Did either of them actually commit the deed? Not to my knowledge. However, I am inclined to believe that Ornelos acted to cover up the truth of the Breaching Festival, whether he was the mastermind or—as Master Viridel seemed to imply—inherited this conspiracy from his predecessors. I have seen many headmasters come and go. Most of them were his kin, after all, and they have always had a keen interest in maintaining the tradition..."

"She is right, it is not the fault of one man," Viridel says. "No matter how attractive, or convenient, it is to scapegoat him. This realm was timeless, yes, but the Breaching Festival has been here for longer than the Headmaster's tenure. We all here bear witness, that in the hellish realm we entered, it was the Immortal Lord, Volshyenek Ornelos, who made that pact with the hidden Devil of the Breaching Festival--not Archmagi Toff. This conspiracy runs deeper than you know."

This revelation sends waves of murmurs across the gathered crowd, carried to even those outside the soft-spoken diviner's vicinity. The legend of Lord Volshyenek is still well-known across the city, enshrined in the annals of Korvosan history alongside colonial heroes as Keyra Palin, Waydon Endrin, and Jakthion Korvosa himself.

"Very wolfish, Archmage Vost," Viridel said, an ancient calm setting over his elven face. "Yet, is it not you, after all, who wishes to expand the scope of the school's dominion from merely devils to all kinds of fiends? If Lawful Hell broke loose in the Academae, what would the Chaotic Abyss do? What would the denizens of the Unfettered Plains of Abbadon do? A mere promise of investigation is not sufficient enough response as the 'acting headmistress'."

Vost's answer is very concise and self-confident—she must have been prepared for such accusations, even if she did not expect them to come from Viridel. "I am quite capable of separating my personal interests from those of the school. My colleagues can attest that I have always sought to ensure the continuity of school tradition, even when it limited my own research, and used my position to curb Ornelos' worst excesses where possible."

The dean sighs. "If it must be put in plain terms: I have no intention of introducing demoniacism to the curriculum."

"Now, it is not unusual for an elf to advise the younger races, but this time it might be welcomed," Viridel adds. "Perhaps what you have is an institutional problem within the Academae--one that requires an institutional solution...perhaps from a body outside the Academae? Is it not time for the Academy of Secrets to be dragged into the light and brought before the people of Korvosa, and all things to be revealed?"

Vost dips her head in reverence—a calculated gesture, but not necessarily ingenuine. "There are secrets which are obscured for a reason—to protect the uninitiated from knowledge they are not prepared to receive. However, I am not opposed to accepting consultation from an expert such as yourself, Master Viridel. You are more than welcome to take part in faculty meetings and offer insight. Obviously, there is need for some... institutional reform."

The last two words are said with some hesitation, but not outright disgust. "For example, the method in which a headmaster is inducted and how they may be removed from power is deeply flawed. Ornelos should have been ousted years ago, but he and his family were far too entrenched in the system. The school will no doubt suffer for the loss of their financial contributions, but such is the price of scientific integrity."

Note: Viridel's voice doesn't usually carry far due to his Anxious drawback, but maybe the conditions allow him to speak.

Thankfully, the audience is quite motivated to listen closely.

With Toff in the hands of her allies, and this turning into more of a debate, she worries that the subject will either turn violent among many top wizards, causing mass destruction to all around, or will end in a way befitting people of reason. In any case, she doesn't need her brother to be there. She will quietly approach Viridel and Maganrad, stating:

"I don't care about who did what in the past. While it is important, someone in this time, in this place, cast a spell that brought us to that place, on purpose. If it were in my hands, I would bring inquisitors in and put you all under questioning. Just know now, you have an enemy in your midst. Politically, I don't care who is in charge. I came to rescue my brother, who in my heart I knew to still be alive. And here he is. Despite winning the Breaching Festival, I am not staying here. I am taking him home, as he well deserves. I have to work to undo whatever that traitorous person did to him. But I don't buy for a second that there is no one here alive who is responsible. I say the sooner inquisitors dig the truth among you forcefully, the better."

With that said, she will turn to Maganrad and hold out her hand to his briefly. After the short display of affection, she will ask for her brother's spellbook and then will take him to her father, who is likely in the crowd now tending to the wounded or at home, fearing the loss of another child.

I can't see her lingering, so I guess I'm stepping back here.

To the Professors/Audience

Viridel nods slowly, and he dips his head in a corresponding gesture. Perhaps it was just the nature of wizards to be more curious than angry, but Viridel wanted to know exactly who was behind this.

"I will agree to engage with the Academae to get to the bottom of this," he declares. "Though the souls that were once trapped in that realm are now freed, they do not continue to the Beyond unscarred."

He could not help a small smile from coming to his face as Grymwold's vice grip held the headmaster in place. He, for one, will get what he came for.

To Laree

Laree dragged her brother with her (as if devils might swoop in and spirit him away) and held Maganrad's hand. Noticing this, Viridel approached the trio, and said, "I will do my best to solve this. You must retire and rest; care for yourselves and one another."
"And Laree," He said, pausing, and then smiled, adding, "You did exceedingly well. Give my best to your family."

That is, assuming Laree isn't going to invite Viridel (or the party) to a family dinner :)

To Bayard
"You have done honor to your faith, executioner," Viridel says with resepct to the armored warrior of the faith. "I might need you once more as we uncover the secrets of the Academae. Do I have your axe if fiends once more threaten the realm?"

To Grymwold
"I think congratulations are in order," said the mage as he approached the dwarf, before switching to speaking dwarven. "Othok Zal gen zahk honzar ruk tu Kazamar, en E Umri Kal', Nar kol E vat-a eron ukavilth bil da sirk. Hal Tha ru ruk sa tur othok ath E thane ov E giml ter-kargol ov tul anek khazad a par Yoth dahur a-Khazad?"

To Anethra
Viridel approached the devil-blooded priestess, studying her.

Sense Motive for Insight: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (1) + 21 = 22

He said coldly in Infernal, "N de jeh sbmna nidea n de jeh rmwl. N flbnlwl hrni zpghrlgld oepg mnai mjd hrmh ez oepg dlwnb-ved mh ieal wenjh."

A thought passed his mind like an electric shock. Used Prescience to roll twice
Sense Motive for Insight: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (16) + 21 = 37

His countenance softened as his eyes turned to the skull staff. He knew something was trapped in it, and Anethra claimed it for some reason. Perhaps there was more to her than meets the eye, and he added, this time in Common, "But as I said, I do not claim wisdom I do not have. You helped free hundreds of souls, and saved us more than once from a terrible death in that hell-pit. For that, Lady Anethra, I thank you."

And then he turns to Toff "Ye owe me the Hammer as promised" which was the whole reason he got wrangled into this mess

Anethra listens to the conversation, the accusations, the deliberations and final conclusion at a remove; she watches without comment, her harshly beautiful face a visage of disinterest and distaste.

And yet.

She doesn't slip away when she could. Only when the proceedings are finished, only once she had born witness to the full consequences of the matters at hand does she gather her spiderweb skirt with one hand and prepare to depart.

Only to be paused at the door by Viridel, who approaches her at the last.

Her black-painted lips quirk into a smile. "Master Viridel, truly, you are far to generous in your estimation of my motives. It has been... enlightening, shall we say, to travel with you and the others for a spell. Whether my master's goals have been furthered by these events, well. Join our church, and I will divulge all."

And with a dark laugh, she does turn away then, and quite the university grounds.

With Grymwold

"Bah...Being a Prince or a Thane would keep me too busy for devil-slaying. Can't have that. Besides you need someone to keep the devils offa ya so you can waggle your fingers."

"That I do," returned the archmage with a smile as he saw Grymwold's vice grip hold the writhing and discredited Headmaster in place.

With Anethra
Viridel says nothing to Anethra's invitation and does not react to her dark laugh--but once she wheels away and he sees only her back and her dark high collar, he smiles back. It was an easy smile, as one who has once touched wisdom can appreciate the strange way the world works.

He turned back to the bickering staff members, and borne witness to the changes he and his party wrought, entertaining himself with contemplating the possible ripples in fate their actions have caused.

Viridel will stay with Grymwold and bear witness to Toff (or Vost) giving him the hammer, as well as handling processing the prize money to the participants, split equally (unless someone wants to give up their share).
Once all such affairs are handled, he will offer to teleport Grymwold to his mountain home (or any nearby teleportation point) and record the dwarven ceremonies that take place, and then keep in continuous contact with the Academae's staff to attend all meetings as a consultant, trying to get to the bottom of this.
I hope that duke doesn't single Viridel out, but it does seem like he will. :(

~ EPILOGUE ~

And then he turns to Toff "Ye owe me the Hammer as promised" which was the whole reason he got wrangled into this mess.

Grymwold's blunt reminder of practical matters brings the argument to a close, at least for the moment. In the bloody aftermath of the Breaching Festival, the outcome of the contest had nearly been forgotten. The planned award banquet and other less formal festivities around the city are unsurprisingly cancelled, but there are dues to be paid. As soon as Toff Ornelos is under lock and key and the crowd has been cleared off, Dean Vost escorts the victors—at least those that chose to remain—to the headmaster's study in Ornelos Hall. Using a key secured from the headmaster's person, as well as the intonation of a series of complex arcane formulas, she opens a magically concealed and heavily trapped extraplanar safe behind one of the bookshelves. Out spills a number of gold coins, a great deal of jewellery, and a number of precious gems—as well as the ancestral hammer of Grymwold's clan, wrapped neatly in a still-bloodied war-banner of ancient make.

Though outwardly impressive, a closer enumeration reveals that the treasure amounts to precisely 98,230 gold sails in value—much lower than the accumulated prize pool of 153,000 gold sails one would expect. After a few awkward hours of going through the headmaster's accounts, it becomes clear he had been funding personal projects from the cache for decades, under the irresponsible assumption that no one would ever win the contest. It seems he never intended to pay the group in full, even if they did succeed. Vost apologises profusely for Ornelos' mismanagement of funds, promising that the difference will be compensated in the form of whatever magic items or services the heroes deem fit. Of course, material rewards are only a part of the prize—the victors are now celebrities, in Korvosa and beyond.

~

Queen Ileosa—ruling on behalf of her ailing husband, King Eodred II—plainly cares little for the investigation that ensues, only wishing to see the Acadamae remain a status symbol for the city. She orders the whole affair handled swiftly and judiciously, leaving the city’s Arbiters free to investigate without too much royal meddling, as long as they produce quick results. While the process leads to relatively few executions, Bayard soon finds himself overseeing the arrests of—and serving as warden to—many a highborn prisoner, being one of the few people within the Korvosan judicial system that is considered to be above the petty politics of the nobility.

Eventually deemed guilty of a conspiracy to commit mass murder (as well as corruption, endangerment of the public, and other less serious charges), Toff Ornelos is forced to resign his post as headmaster and abdicate his noble titles, which are given to family members deemed loyal to the Crimson Throne. House Ornelos seethes at the loss of their prestige and, most importantly, their long institutional dominion over the Acadamae. In order to avoid more bad publicity, they comply with the Arbiters' investigation. Some cousins, nieces and nephews are thrown under the proverbial cart, being directly or indirectly tied to Toff's mismanagement.

However, it is Toff's eventual confession that produces the most controversy: he claims continuous contact with his great-uncle, Lord Volshyenek Ornelos, the founder of the Acadamae, who was thought to have been killed by devils a century prior. According to Toff's testimony, the Immortal Lord kept his survival a secret from everyone but the current head of the family—a post which has coincided with the leadership of the Acadamae more often than not. Ostensibly, he demanded to be consulted on school administration, contributing to the rise of diabolism—and most importantly, he insisted the continuation of the Breaching Festival. However, as shocking as this revelation proves to be, no physical evidence of the Ornelos' long-lived patriarch is ever uncovered: even under magical compulsion, no one but Toff himself ever admits to having seen Lord Volshyenek. Most of his kin brand Toff a madman, and for the most part, the public seems content with this conclusion.

Within the halls of the Acadamae, however, signs of infernal meddling are taken very seriously—as the Acting Headmistress, Messida Vost keeps a close eye on unusual happenings within the school walls, should Lorthact the Unraveller seek to reclaim his dominion. Certainly, House Ornelos is already seeking to regain control by applying economic and political pressure on the institution, but whether they act on behalf of an immortal puppet-master remains to be seen...

~

Vindicated by the Arbiters' probe (and thoroughly vetted by Viridel, personally) Dean Vost does not make it a secret that she is after the post of headmaster on a more permanent basis. However, while she is as power-hungry as one would expect from an Egorian-born diabolist, she makes conscious efforts to distance herself from the previous administration's open authoritarianism: she is willing to call for decanal votes on important matters and put into place various reforms limiting the headmaster's power. From here on, the headmaster is to be chosen by vote for a six-year term, with the possibility of being voted out if they overstep their bounds.

During the next few years, the Acadamae takes a couple of wary steps towards being more open and less cruel. While the taint of diabolism is hard to expunge completely—especially given its dominant position in the Chelish cultural sphere—Viridel's patient guidance does bear fruit: hidden Ornelos loyalists (both fiends and mortals) are weeded out, and the practice of general conjuration slowly becomes more prevalent. As a result, many die-hard diabolists and devil-worshippers relocate south to Cheliax. As a side effect of the elf's presence, the status of the Hall of Seeing is greatly improved, bringing the traditionalist wizards closer to abandoning the ways of Old Thassilon and accepting divination as a school of magic worthy of serious study, rather than a simple tool or the purvey of flighty universalists.

~

Back at the Everglow residence, a bittersweet reunion leads to an uneasy conciliation: filled with regret over his son's fate, Elasaril uses his considerable influence to hire the best healers in Varisia and beyond. The elf even turns down a discreet offer by Vost to take over as the Dean of Abjuration, instead choosing to focus on making amends with his children. While he never recovers fully from his hellish ordeal, Wolfe is eventually able to function more normally, and even continue his studies into magic. Understandably, he is quite reluctant to return to the Acadamae or travel too far elsewhere. Maganrad, keeping in touch with Laree, offers to home-tutor the younger wizard—of course, while his offer is genuine, the enchanter might have ulterior motives for wanting to regularly visit the household...

~

Upon his much-anticipated homecoming, Grymwold is hailed as a true hero, worthy of the tales of old. Clan-Friend Viridel, too, is toasted many times over as the Shieldstorm regales his kinsmen with stories of their exploits: the stone halls ring with cheers as he describes their various victories over vicious fiends, and with solemn murmurs as he tells of the Thrice-Cursed Chelaxians and the terrible price of their blasphemous folly. On the following morn, in a more sober ceremony, the Forgefather's Hammer is re-consecrated by the priests of Torag and enshrined in a place of honour within the High Fane. Long oaths are sworn upon beard-rings, each member of the clan bound together in one promise: to never let the sacred relic fall into the wrong hands again.

~

Anethra returns home to Cheliax, her contract fulfilled and the last mistakes of her youth eradicated. After all, a provincial backwater such as Korvosa has little to offer a priestess of her stature, and soon other schemes and responsibilities occupy her time—yet, more than once does she find her thoughts drawn back to Belzeragna. Some visions are too potent not to linger in the mind’s eye, and to have witnessed first-hand the powers of an Infernal Duke—the ability to bend reality, to twist space and time to one's will, to command whole legions of the damned, and to enslave of souls in the thousands—certainly leaves an impression, even if all these sublime wonders are merely a trifling fraction of the Dark Prince's own might. What could an enterprising mind accomplish with all that potential? Now that an advantageous position has been established, perhaps it might be enlightening to make contact and see what kind of deal a desperate, exiled Duke might be willing to strike...

Viridel's Epilogue Music

Viridel visits Ambassador Perishial office, giving him a brief of the events, and thanking him for his prayers to Desna and Calistra. He sent another a report to his father Theawynn, the head of the Ashel'Dalore household, as well as a report to Queen Telandia of Kyonin (something, he noted with wry amusement, that his father would appreciate, suspecting it as a ploy of some kind), as well as briefed them that he will visit the clan-hold of Grymwold to witness the safe deposit of the clan's lost artifact.

Viridel was not surprised to learn that the Headmaster mismanaged finances--what value does gold have when he mismanaged the futures (and souls) of his students? He took his share of 19,664 golden sails, and with some of the reward money, erected a monument outside the Academae's walls, dedicated to the fallen students and to show the resilience of humankind. He visited the Grand Cathedral of Pharasma, asking for them to bless the monument once it was completed, and to assure the victims that the souls of their loved ones have passed on to their after-lives.

In the Forgehammer Clanhold
Viridel assists in relaying the tales along with Grym, but his soft-spoken voice is more often than not drowned over by the cheers of happy dwarves and the clanging of metal tankards on tables. More in tune when the more somber ceremony takes place, Viridel knows enough of dwarf-lore that he says all the right things at the right time in impeccable dwarven, correctly using dwarf-lore and sayings of old, and observing the dedications to the mighty Lord of the Dwarf-folk, Torag. He congratulated the clan, Grymwold's family, and Grymwold himself, and affirming the continued friendship between the elder races of the world.

Viridel's Epilogue: Monument to Youthful Passion
The following weeks pass with surprising energy for one to whom time passes as the blink of an eye. Viridel stayed as a guest with the Ambassador during his stay in Korvosa, trying to help where he could. When the monument was completed, Viridel witnessed the unveiling.

The cold stone-carved faces of the students bore expressions of resilience, youth, and heroism. Their faces headed eastwards to receive the sun as the veil fell, wands, staves, and hands raised against a horde of horned shadows. The heroes stood high above the great pedestal that bore their names, and upon the white stone pedestal, carved in letters of silver, were the names of the victims of Belzeragna. Below the names, on a plaque, was a dedication penned by the arch-mage.

"It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succor of those years within we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till. What weather they shall have is not ours to rule."

Under the plaque, barely visible except in dim light (which elven and half-elven eyes see the best), was something written in Elven.

The trauma of the reveal of the Breaching Trial would shake Korvosa for years if not decades, the diviner knew, eyes misting. The families that have grieved for centuries can finally find relief to their pain and confusion in the light of truth. Justice has been done, but not always is that enough. Time would heal some hearts, and kindle hatred of Evil in others to birth new champions of Good, he knew--for some in the crowd seemed to be travelers and soldiers. Paladins, people of good hearts, and noble adventurers would come to see the site, perhaps visit it as pilgrimage, and remind themselves that evil is relentless and insidious, and only by working together (even if one's party is unconventional) would we be saved from Evil. Perhaps the true dedication could be gleaned by students and their masters, for it is a strange bond they share.

Viridel's eyes could not leave the carved names of his students even as he stepped back and others approached to place ever-lit candles and flowers below the statue. Three flowers were already there, one below each of his students' names. It was a monument to youthful passion extinguished by ancient evils, and a monument to students whose masters were not there for them when they needed guidance the most.
Oh how it shone in the sunlight... he thought. It appeared misty in his eyes--and it shone the further he looked until a tear slipped down his cheek.
With a wave of his staff and a broken heart, he disappeared with a ripple of fey sorcery.