Chapter Three - Discovery
Title: Chapter Three - Discovery
Author: The Amanuensis
There had been quite
an explosion of new
members into the
brotherhood in recent
days. Many of them
were still very new to
the lands of Britannia.
Some were so
appreciative of the
home and the
assistance they'd
found in the Brethren
of Light, they took it
upon themselves to
donate anything they
did not immediately
require.
Such was the
case this fine evening,
when Nvxvs,
Shadesta, and
Volderzap -- all
recent Initiates --
were providing
reagents and leather
they had chanced
upon.
"Tanth," Niltsiar
began, "Why don't you
go ahead and put those
in the reagents box
for them."
He nodded as he
gathered the few
items strewn about
the ground in front of
the small guildhouse.
As he carried them
inside, the thought
occurred that now
would be the perfect
opportunity to set the
wheels of mistrust
into motion.
Checking to make
certain he was the
only one in the
guildhouse,
Tanthazarus pulled
the parchment from
his cluttered pouch. It
still smelled of the
filthy drow, and of
their Jabbress,
Silvaria. Quickly, he
placed it in the center
of the small chest
which held a few
score of assorted
mystical herbs.
Rather than have
someone chance upon
it and use it to their
own advantage, he
sought to bring it to
someone's attention.
Someone who could
keep things quiet if
need be. Someone he
could trust should the
secret need to be told.
At that very moment,
still swaggering from
the recall spell, Sir
Chalen appeared
outside the window.
"Perfect," he
muttered to himself,
unaware that
anything had actually
escaped his lips.
He closed the box and
walked outside,
resuming his
conversations with the
younger ones of the
guild. They sought
adventure, as is
usually the case with
such young lads.
Chalen saw them off.
But before he could get
away himself, Tanth
stopped him.
"Chalen.
A most urgent matter
hath arisen."
"Aye?" came his
quizzical reply.
Tanthazarus nodded
his head, then cocked
it quickly in the
direction of the door,
an unspoken request
that they speak in
private.
Upon entering, Tanth
quickly closed the
door, and in a hushed
voice said, "Look in the
reagents box."
He waited, watching
the expression on his
fellow Elder's face as
he stumbled upon the
words of the Drow
Jabbress Silvaria. His
eyes grew wide at
first, a look of shock.
Then came the fury
of a betrayed man. "I
know not what to say,"
he stammered.
"Aye," the old mage
replied, "'tis a most
disturbing finding. I
too am speechless, and
ye know how rarely
that happens!"
Sir Chalen grinned
uncomfortably. He
was horrified. The
two stood, speechless,
as if trying to piece it
all together. "He has
been quite liberal in
his spending habits
lately," Tanthazarus
suggested.
"I noticed."
For the awkward
moments that
followed, the two sat
in silence. Finally,
Tanth suggested that
Chalen keep the book
in his strongbox, so
that the Elders might
come up with a way to
find Truth.
In the hours that
followed, LA Woman
was also informed of
the finding, and she
was shown the evil
penmanship of the
Jabbress. Pain,
denial, and hatred
came together in the
proud woman, yet all
she could do was sit in
silence as well.
The following day, the
plan had been devised.
The Elders would
keep secret their
finding on the Lord
Sovereign, then place
him into a test. If he
passed the test, his
name would be
cleared, but even more
questions would be
raised. If not... The
Council of Elders
dared not think of the
consequences.
