AMIA ARCHIVE • View topic - A Breath in the Silence: "Life" in Tarkuul

Jezabel Asherah would have been recently observed during the last midnight hour entering the Crypts where she remained for several hours within until morning. While deep within the Crypts she seemed to have taken interest and joined a discussion with the Thanatologist before she was seen departing and approaching several others, the High Captain Sir Gerald Edmund among them whom she seemingly had brief discussion with.

In the classroom of the Tower of the Damned, Lucius
held what seems to be a private lecture..

Two books are left upon a desk in the Library, with no further documentation or explanation. For any who may have been present or watching, they would have seen these books left by a human male wearing a fine white shirt and black leather pants. One book is titled 'Abjuration; An overview.' and the other is 'Abjuration; Ethics.'

Not too long after, the librarian would approach, and after a review, he would
publish the tomes, and leave the copies in their respectful categories.

Another book is left in the library, titled 'Problem Solving'.

More than pleased with attendance, the High Arcanist held the lecture in his usual, sinister manner,
in the Tower of the Damned. Those who had the chance to witness the lecture left the classroom with
a seemingly satisfied look on their faces. More lectures were to come..

Just today, Mystar could be seen disappearing in the catacombs under the temple of Velsharoon for long hours, if not for a few times she re-appeared on the surface to move to Tarkuul library and take a walk between the shelves. She was checking on some things there to write them down in her notebook before heading back to the catacombs. Even then, the woman seemed to be sort of switched off, repeating some volumes' titles out loud to herself among other stuff. Definitely she was completely dedicated to whatever kept her busy.

Once she's finished, her bare arms are well covered in dirt, as well as partially her clothes. Should anyone pay closer attention to her then, would find Mystar exhausted and apparently disappointed about something.

The Necromaster would approach Mystar and politely ask what it is she sought in the catacombs.

The Necromaster would get the idea that Mystar spent such long time studying and organizing volumes that were brought recently from the Temple of Sseth.

An elven sized female in a metal helm would arrive by portal inside the castle. She carried a corpse over one shoulder and a severed head in the other hand. She deposited both parts on a slab inside the Magisterium Mortis with a short note. The corpse appeared to be a human male, the head had red hair.

Found this trash in the swamp. I have no use for it, maybe you do.

~ Iim

After a conversation with an individual with ivory wings, whom the guard announced as Madrik Street, Iim'mur'ss in her trademark shadow colored, ankle length coat lead the man upstairs where he wrapped the body and departed with it.

A string of drow curses and other phrases perhaps best lost in translation, announces that Kerath has once again returned to exploring the depths of Tarkuul's library. Complaining commonly about the lack of librarians whenever he is around, the drow searches through the shelves for nearly an hour before he finally finds his goal. With a triumphant "Aha!" he can be witnessed carrying a small piles of books regarding the languages of ancient Netheril into one of the private reading rooms. He does not emerge from the room for a number of hours, but were any to eavesdrop, they would hear some horribly pronounced attempts at words tainted with a heavy drow accent, and the common complaint about how "Veronica" should have a last name.

Yet again, the hum of insects can be heard throughout
the Living City. The Lord of the Flies has returned.

Some new books are left in the library. They are 'Netherese Magic; The Helmed Horrors', and 'Strategic Intent'.

Three more additions are left for the library. These are a series 'Exponentialism; First, Second, and Third'.

Holo Jarian excitedly opens a letter he just received, but then tears it apart and lets the pieces fall into the sea ...

Last night, the High Arcanist was seen entering the city via the ley-lines, followed by a
member of the Magisterium Mortis and the Living Guard. Carrying large boxed, full of
tomes, they went into the Temple of Velsharoon and descended into the catacombs.

*Once the Tower of the Forsaken had been opened Draco could be seen moving some of his research materials into the upper floors of the tower. Placing a couple choice books of his on the bookshelves and some tools into the Transmutation Annex, preparing for future experiments it would seem.*

The High Captain can be seen spending his spare time in the individual annexes as his own arcane studies make progress, though his journey is clearly only beginning.

As the High Captain was noticed in the Tower of the Forsaken, there was no uncertainty
anymore. Lucius knew what he was studying. The question was.. why? And so, in between
the brakes, the High Captain was eventually bound to make, Lucius approached him, to inquire
about the nature of his research.

Holo in his fine chain armor walks across the yard. He is, somewhat unusal for him, not in any hurry and seems rather pleased. Maybe he just reached an important goal?

He stands before the stalls, scratching his bone hand unconsciously with the fleshy one.

After the most recent expedition, and some odd conversations with members of the Council; one of the Centurions is absent from the city for two days, having left by portal with no real word of where she has gone. Two days past, she returns from the swamp portal with snow on her cloak and boots leading a small procession of people into the Living City.

While there is no real explanation from Asya as to where she went (having dived right back into her studies and regular tests at sunset): Tarkuul has a few new faces around. A massive man with ragged hair and his left arm missing from the elbow down, and a sturdy northern woman in furs can occasionally be seen about the city with a couple of young children in tow. A girl in her teens trailing the smell of smoke lurks around the library or the spellcasting annexes in the newly opened tower, in between bouts of loudly sulking about how boring the city is. And lastly, an elderly man with blackened skin who seems to spend much of his time lounging by the fire in the Castle guest quarters.

It's not hard to put two and two together and work out that family's come to visit.

Certain elf, almost radiating particularly happy aura, may seen tugging a wraith of Caraigh into catacombs. If asked about wraith, he will joyfully respond, "oh, it is another toy. it may give answers, if asked right. or may not."

The Necromaster sifts through the library one late evening. She asks around for tomes on historic individuals of Tarkuul, mentioning three names in particular.

Smyrdin and Gyrdin Drascer, Vance Candrun..

If nothing was to be found, she would simply retire to her own office for a time.

The Keeper seems to be spending less direct time in the Court of the Dead overseeing the skeletons working there. More and more he is seen walking to the Court of the Living where he enters the temple of Shar and spending hours there each day.

On her regular visits to the Temple of Shadows, Iim would likely encounter the Keeper. She would take care to not disturb him if he were meditating, but otherwise she would approach and inquire about his "progress".

It would take time for him to find the moment where he could respond, when he does however it is a short sigh and a nod
-This will take time

After a few days, the Magistrate would apparently take the time to visit each of the new visitors to the Enclave, taking the opportunity to express his gratitude to Asya's relatives for having taken the time to journey there. He would expound briefly upon how vital she has proven to the betterment of the Enclave and will prove to be for its future, followed by offering the family one of the few remaining empty houses for their use during their stay, at no cost to themselves. After perhaps staying a few minutes longer to idly chat and get to know them a bit better, should they accept his company that is, he would then politely excuse himself and return to attending to his many duties.

Gerald could be seen accidentally hitting Asya's brother with a door at some point, and then continuing along his day with no knowledge of who the man was.

An odd sight in the court one early morn. The Necromaster was followed by a seemingly 'lost' skeleton into the Vaunted Temple. Time past and both the Necromaster and the Skeleton ascended from the catacombs, the Skeleton seeming to take on a new-found sense of awareness to its surroundings as it followed behind the Necromaster willingly.

Within the library, a minor ordeal transpired between the Necromaster, the High Captain and the skeleton, which was relinquished back into his care and the Necromaster waddled off muttering to herself as the High Captain enjoyed his new secretary.

After a backfired prank with the Necromaster involving his skeletal familiar, the High Captain could be seen clearly regretting his actions.

The skeleton, for its part, often introduces itself as Frampton, and seems rather interested in talking to people. It has a predilection for wandering off when Gerald isn't having it do paper work or carry something for him, and following around anyone who might be nearby.

Though sometimes it simply stares at people, if asked what it's doing it responds with "I am starting longingly." despite it's lack of facial features.

The High Captain could be seen collecting the water filled logs he had tossed over the side of hte city prior, and collecting them in a barre (or multiple barrels as necessary)l. Using a scroll of negative energy burst on them for some odd reason, he then dragged the barrels off to the crypts.

Afterwards he would be seen doing it all over again. Tossing logs in and gathering them up again, then using a scroll of negative energy burst.

Without a doubt the Keeper would emerge from his office hearing unfamiliar sounds coming from the crypts. However interested he might seem he does not disturb the High Captain unless he himself finds time to take a break to explain what he is doing.

Kerath can be very rarely seen within the Living City, this however, is not because he is less present, but rather seems to be avoiding other inhabitants of it, especially those of the council. Why is not apparent, but the sounds of drow curses are becoming far more common in the library where he seems to be studying privately.

His presence in the library, however, would not go unnoticed,
for the High Arcanist was seldom leaving his desk.

Holo sits down in a secluded corner of the library with a particularly large and moldy tome that he brought with him. Adorned with arcane jewelery, he tries to make sense out of the old script, cross-referencing it with other texts that he fetches from all over the library.

As he spends the night and the day, pushing himself with potions to stay focused, he first becomes more and more excited by what he can decipher from the book, but this eventually turns into anger and frustration as his progress seems to come to a halt. But that is no reason to stop.

Those in the know would recognize the book as the book of revelations.

A red haired woman, familiar to some, can be seen walking through the streets of the Living City.

In Tarkuul, a small disturbance occurs. The shifter Lorna could be seen being executed by Watcher Frugdar. Later, in the Tower of the Damned after the attempted assassination of the High Captain by a wraith and an unnamed mage, Frugdar arrived again to pacify the situation. The corpse of the mage

When the wraith, later revealed to be the shifter Lorna, was dominated and escorted to the castle dungeons for interrogation. Inside the dungeon, the sounds of fighting could be heard, and the corpse of Lorna was brought into the crypts with the unknown mage.

The fate of the two is yet unknown.

Kylex arrives in Tarkuul and talks with Gerald. Later, she goes to the guest quarters and unpacks for a long stay in the Living City.

Down in the crypts of Tarkuul the Keeper welcomes the new additions in his own ways. He can be seen dragging the corpse of the Wizard into his office and they dissapear beyond the veil of the wards guarding the area.

Just recently, presence of certain red-haired arcanist around the streets of the Living City seems to have fallen on frequency.

Whether she travels or simply spends more time indoors is hard to discern. Nevertheless, her way of behaving changed severely at the very least. She seems to carry herself with a bit more confidence, but also some melancholy, paying less attention to people around as if she was staying deep in her thoughts most of the time, what contrasts strongly with her former cautiousness. Those who have seen her on the streets though may get a feeling of strong purpose supporting her actions, even being it during her visits in Tower of the Forsaken or her walks through Court of the Dead, where she seems to go from time to time for some reason.

However, just few days ago, Illuminata's frail silhouette could have been seen entering Tarkuul through the portal from Shadowscape. Stupidly amused, she kept smiling to herself vacantly while heading home in a bit shaky manner. But even more peculiar than sight of a tipsy elf was a painting she has been carrying all the way to her home in Court of the Living - a painting of herself, apparently.

Word slowly filters through the City that the Archmage, though recently having become quite reclusive in his own studies, will make himself available on the morrow for those who seek a few moments of his time.

A Sentinel would speak to three individuals in particular, separately, whenever they next enter the City - being Asya, Im'mur'ss and Luca - stating that the Archmage has requested to meet with them separately as well.

Iim would nod to the Sentinel, letting it pass the message that she would make herself available to the Archmage.

In the late afternoon, a massive Iron Golem would exit the
Castle and cross the Court of the Undying, pulling corpses
of several winged creatures, before descending into the
Crypts of Tarkuul.

Last night, a lecture seemed to take place in the Tower of the Damned.

Some time later, the group headed into the Court of the Living and performed
a ritual of some sort.

Murmurings of a strange occurrence a night or two prior would slowly begin to flit among the citizenry of the Living City. Whispers of the portal pad being cordoned off by several Sentinels and two Annihilators, the gate having been sealed for a half hour or so. Some even claim to have seen a figure akin to the Phantoms found in the City, though dressed in a flowing black robe with burnished bronze accents.

Between the gate having been shut however, and the view of the area sheltered by the high wall around the city proper, exact details seem not to be found.

Another lecture took place in the Tower, and a similar ritual
was repeated later on. Perhaps it had something to do with a
sudden change of weather in Tarkuul?

Within the sinister chamber in the Tower of the Forsaken..

The Necromaster, along with Illuminata Mystar, were seen descending into the catacombs of the Vaunted temple. With arcane phrases and intricate hand gestures a certain ward was successfully dispelled.

The resident plague doctor of Tarkuul takes up office in the infirmary of the living city. Organizing and working to start administration over it. After a week posters would be put about the city informing the residents that an attending physician was now available there. Listing on the posters was information to reach Doctor Valentino in the city when not in office.

A Breath in the Silence: "Life" in Tarkuul

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