Sthedos' Betrayal [Archive] - EQ2 Forum Archive @ EQ2Wire

Argul

10-30-2007, 08:56 AM

The backbone of this plot was written by Sthedos and Argana, a fellow guildmate. He encouraged for the rest of us to participate, in Sthedos' story unravelling. Most of what I have written here is direct quotes, so I cannot claim credit for it in its entirety. I am merely sharing it here to spread word of the honorable Knights of Freeport.If this story sparks your interest, or have any questions about becoming a Knight, send me a PM and I can point you into the right direction. (We are a guild on AB.)PART ONE Sthedos. A name not many liked to hear amongst the Knights. A suspected traitor, suspicion always rose when he entered a room. "General? Can you meet me in Ssouth Freeport?" "Wesstern Freeport. The tavern, not the inn, I think. Captain, and any free Knights, join I." Sthedos didn't take the powers General Rakkoth possessed seriously. The ability to raise the dead, and control it. To spread disease and decay, to kill off foes. To charm those still alive and well, and use them for his own. But still, Sthedos kept a big head about it all, clearly underestimating the General. While General Rakkoth rarely speaks, socializes, or shows his powers, one of the newest Knights, Argul Vasch, didn't exactly underestimate the General, but was surprised by what all he could do. Argul stood in the Bloodhaze, cooking angrily, after just chasing down someone threatening murder upon another citizen, but losing him in the chase. There is no honor in failure, and he was a firm believer in that. He had failed in catching him now, but he planned on hunting him down like a dog, and serving justice upon him soon. Captain Argana stood as well in the room, speaking with the others at a table, and asked, "Valacor is back?" Argul's ears twitched at the name, the one he chased. Valacor entered the room silently, smirking, and Nichal pointed over his shoulder, "Unless that is a ghost." "Ghost?" Nichal nods, looking at Valacor, responding to his comment, "Are you one?" Valacor poked Captain Argana on the head. "Feel that?" Argana hissed, "Yes, I did." Valacor chuckled, "Then no, I'm not a ghost." Argul stared hard at the floor, pushing through the crowd to the door, heading to the inn. Sthedos passed him, heading into the Haze. Argul shook his head, grinning, and stepped inside the inn, making his way towards General Rakkoth, and Major Lozz. "He is a [Removed for Content], he went into the Haze." Rakkoth took a lethargid breath from the slit of a nostril. Argul added, "I think he is half turtle." "Possible. He IS a guardian." Argul grinned at Lozz's comment, as Sthedos finally entered the room. Argul smirked, as a strange energy filled the air, an energy not like any from Freeport. He sensed it, unsure if the others did. He sensed it like the storms, but somehow this was much different. He showed no change in emotion, and stretched, adjusting the silk veil covering his mouth, which hung from the black mask covering the top of his face, except for eyes, and forehead. Lozz smirked, "So what do we have here?" Rakkoth adjusted his stance, idly curling one set of talons along the cuff of the opposite sleeve, distractedly straightening the material - not that it needed it. He seemed almost bored to be present, but then again, this is hardly an exclusive reactions for him. "Well then. Let uss. Begin. If we shall." A slight incline of the skull nods to the carpet before the hearth. He looked at Sthedos, and spoke again. "Ssettle, Ssquire." Sthedos locked his eyes on Rakkoth's, glaring with a foul look upon his face, while Lozz looked on with interest. Sthedos said with disgust, "Go on.. amusse me." Then added, "General." Rakkoth muttered, "I am not a bard - Though I do know one. Cute rodentia, bessidess." His spidery talons furled, grasping to the heft of the staff on his back, with a flick unhitching it from its rest, the butt tapped down to the solid floor with a very audible click. At which point Rakkoth's already dark amber eyes sparked, the color draining, leaving no more than twin, canted gashes of the blackest shadow in their wake. There was no tangible or otherwise feel to the spark of magic - though the receptive of sensetive can easily feel its working, a dim electricity in the air. "Now then... Let uss. Ssee. What liess in the tortured depthss of your ssoul, Ssquire." Rakkoth looked down at Sthedos, as Sthedos grinned, running his left finger down the crystal he held, causing it to glow. Rakkoth heldstill, statuesque and immobile, no shift discernible in the close fit of his robe over the chest to denote even subtle breathing.. finally, a slow breath was drawn, a long, rasping sound as of wet silk dragging along slate; the warmth in the air seemed to fluctuate, pitch down several degrees, as if the deathly rattle had drawn its head. Argul felt no change in temperature, as being a vampire of his type, he could not feel temperature at all. He watched Rakkoth in so much amazement, that if he could feel it, he more then likely wouldn't notice. Sthedos' crystal made a silent shriek, which could only be heard by a powerful necromancer. As if.. a soul is calling out from it. Rakkoth began speaking, "The grisstle of an egg'ss warmth.. tattered ssiblingss, torn by your own hand. Bipedal, yess.. Reptillian, yess.. your legss are wrong, and your face-" Sthedos interrupted, grinding his teeth. "My kin.. yess, they were..." He looked towards the door, then back at Rakkoth, who continued. "Iss beaked.. The sstrife of anguish of Life. A void of Hatred. I would sssay God-touched, but that would be pressumptuouss." His talons coiled tighter around the staff, a shift of weight, leaning himself more into it, and continued. "What liess beneath the massk. Iss it you, or you it? Enough anguish for a life time. I would drag you sscreaming to the Grey Seass, draconian sspawn.. Hrrm.." Lozz sighed, as Sthedos' crystal started to make a shrilling sound, which could be heard by all, even the silent Lozz and Argul. The crystal sparked and fizzled, causing his Iksar shell to sway. Rakkoth rattled out another short breath, pushing it from his maw where numerous jagged fangs were bared in a long, thing grin - or grimace. He rarely makes such expressions enough to discern it. Sthedos was frozen in shock, his crystal glowing with a black aura, his Iksar shell once more stale. Rakkoth murmured softly, a chill carried on his words, "Let go. Releassse. Thiss coil iss unnatural - as iss the pain your esssence iss in. Let go. I can - will - shepherd you to peace." The frigid air frosted Sthedos in a spiritual fashion. "You are not an Ikssar, Ssthedos." "Yess... I am." Argul spoke up, one of the few times out of amazement, "What else.. could he be?" Lozz looked on, amazed, but still silent. Rakkoth snorted hard - a plume of icy air curling loose of the nostril, which frosted along the velvet-rimmed slivers thereof, the first actual visual of different temperature. The necromancer swayed, his weight stabalizing itself against the staff again. With a single hard flicker of the dark eyes, reverting them to their usual shade of amber. For Sthedos, there was only one lingering remnant of ill effects, and even this would fade.. eventually. Rakkoth muttered, then rasped, "Draconian sspawn, I believe.. I am unfamiliar with the breed, though they are not dissimilar to Ikssar, with ssome ssimilaritiess. Reason enough, be afraid, to believe deception." Anger grew in Sthedos, and he spat, "Liesss. Liesss.. you are telling liesss.." Rakkoth's gloved paw lifted to lightly brush over his own snout's tip, dusting away from frozen particles and tiny strands of ice thereupon. He spoke, "I do not lie. I desspisse deception. Bessidess. The truth iss. Ssso. Much. More. Effective." His talons dropped to his sides again, the majority of his weight reclined into the staff. Sthedos looked up, "Now what... General. What do you plan on doing to me?" Rakkoth murmured slowly as if he was weighing every spoken word, or perhaps it was in a fashion of fatigue. "I would ssay you are to be arressted until the Commander hass decided what to do with you, matterss consssidering." Argul smirked, and Sthedos spoke up, "Well. I am sso ssory to inform you Rakkoth.. thatss not why I am here. And already, a esscape ship iss going to take me to my homeland. There. I shall ssell your Overlordss top secret information. And ssoon, this city will fall to itss enemiess. Sso forgive me for ending thiss touching reunion.. but I have no usse for you Knights any longer, I hide no longer, ssoon, you will ssee the dream which I have long waited for." Argul raised an eyebrow, listening, and Sthedos continued, "Sso I'd be damned if I let mysself fail to ssome fool like you." Sthedos backed off. "It's been a pleasure." Rakkoth muttered, fluidly, "Duly noted. And for a mere fool - I insspired the fear of truth in you. Major Lozz, Knight Argul, place Ssthedos under arresst." Sthedos spoke again, "I do have one lasst thing.. I have Argana to thank." Argul smiled, "With pleasure, General." Sthedos took off, running through the tavern, hopping over tabled, and chairs, people dining, people sitting and chatting. Argul broke off into a run, whistling loudly for his steed Cain to follow. He chased Sthedos through the streets, his boots clicking against the ground with every stride, the silks he wore flapping from the wind hitting him. "STHEDOS!" "You're too late Argul!" Meanwhile, Rakkoth gave attention to the Knights. "Attention Knightss: Ssquire Ssthedoss hass been proven to be a sspy of unknown originss - He iss to be apprehended immediately. Alive if possible, dead if necessary." Argana gave a satisfied look, "He is from Kunark." Lozz looked at them, "Ach, so?" Sthedos shouted, "I've been waiting for thiss day!" Argul kicked open the gates to East Freeport, Cain running by his side. He grabbed his saddle with one arm, throwing his body over, into the saddle, leaning forward, whispering magical words into Cain's ear, and his legs moved faster then ever. The horse raced through the section of the city, searching. "You are a coward, you will fall to the Overlord!" With Argul's gaining speed, he caught up to Sthedos. "Ha!" Argul informed the Knights, "I've found him. East Freeport, running. South now, hurry Argana." Argul followed him into the southern section of the city, and dismounted his horse, which trotted up the stairs, into his stable, silent as a preying feline. Argul cast invisibility over himself, and looked around the building, to see Sthedos standing there. He nodded, unseen, and walked up the stairs, looking for Argana. Argana too had cast invisibility over herself, and they exchanged respectful nods. Argul held out a bandaged arm, which glowed black, and Modinthalis materialized, which is placed on his belt. Still unseen, they approched Sthedos, who was now standing on the docks. Growing, Argana glared. "I know you are there.. I'm no fool. Show yourself." Argana broke the connection between her body, and the invisibility, and was clearly visible. "Ah, thatss better." Argul made his way behind Sthedos before he broke the connection, in case he tried to run again. Sthedos chuckled, and continued, "You ssee, its rather funny. I have you to thank for why I am here.. Argana. If you had not let me in, I'd never have made it thisss far." Argana crossed her arms, listening, as Major Lozz and General Rakkoth approached. "Thiss city. Take a good look at it. Because in a few weekss.. after I ssell your city'ss ssecrets.. thiss city shall fall. In ruinss. To itss many foess. And guess what?" Argana looked him over at Sthedos grinned, and let it soak in. "The besst part is, I'm jusst getting sstarted." Argul sniffed the air, and spoke, "There are few.. lizards intelligent enough to do anything. And I believe one of the most intelligent is behind me." He motioned towards Rakkoth, and added, "I doubt he will join you, so you're screwed." Argana seemed impatient, wishing Sthedos would hurry this rant along, only for him to speak again. "Sso let me make thiss clear to you Argana. I don't plan on sserving years in the cell becausse ssome.." He paused, and Rakkoth ordered, "I can appreciate the drama as much as anyone elsse - I do not however, have the incompetence to let one blither and rambled. Grab him." Sthedos snarled, "Blood ssucking leech ruined me! I'm the boss! And thats how it hass alwayss been! Telluss? He is dead. The fool though he could just take my sstuff!" Argul unclicked his handcuffs from his belt, as Lozz restrained Sthedos. Argana looked at Lozz, "He is mine." "No!" Argul grinned, "Want the honors Captain?" "Give up, I already won! You losst!" Sthedos continued to ramble, and Lozz hold him down. Sthedos broke away from his hold, and yelled, "No!" With this, Argul gripped his handcuffs, and grabbed Sthedos roughly by the arm. Argana glaring, Sthedos continued, "I will not be ensslaved by you!" Argul then tossed his handcuffs to Argana, who said, "All of you... he is mine... I brought him into the Knights... he will leave by me as well." "No! You can't!" Panic washed over Sthedos, as Argul and Lozz stood guard, weapons drawn, in case he decided to run. "You can't kill me.. I'm the boss! No... NO! You can't!" Argul laughed cruelly, as Argana walked circles around Sthedos, who with no surprise, continued to ramble. "You ruined me! You [Removed for Content] wench! You blood ssucking parassite!" Argul bore his fangs, barely visible underneath the silk veil covering his mouth, and growled, "Why, I find that personally insulting. If she does kill you, I might just have to raise you from the dead to kill you again." Lozz shifted his weight, gripping his weapons. Rakkoth's lumbering construct tore loose of the tar-like viscosity of the shadows, the sticky tendrils falling away to leave it whole and imposing, blocking one half of the dock entryway whislt he held the other half with Lozz. Argana unlatched her cloak, and with a soft click, all but her chest and leg armor fell off. She caught one of her blades, gripping it tightly, "I will show you blood sucking leech.." Sthedos grumbled, "You wouldn't dare." Argul smiled encouragingly at Argana, who with a swift movement was behind Sthedos, blade to through. She pulled him backwards and yanked his neck to the side, sinking her fangs in deep enough to get a small taste of blood before spinning backwards. With the scent and visual, it took everything for Argul to hold himself back from lunging on top of Sthedos, and ripping his torso apart, drinking every last drop of blood his body contained. He closed his eyes, and blocked out his senseS. Lozz said a short prayer, for his friend that was trapped inside of Sthedos, who was not holding his neck as he gasped for air, only blood spilled from his mouth, the crystal bursting leaving his Iksar shell more deformed than normal. He gasped his few last words as he choked on his blood, "For thiss.. mark my wordss.. you shall ssuffer.." Argana smirked, plunging her sword straight through his chest. "Never..." Argul had regained control, and smiled, suggesting, "Dump him in the water?" Lozz suggested, "Burn him." An onlooker ratonga which Argul had been watching out of the corner of his eye, gasped, but no one took any noticed. Rakkoth murmured, "No. I dessire to examine the body." Sthedos' blood ran on the docks, an ebony liquid running from his neck. Rakkoth's tailpoint twitched delicately, a lidded-eye glace tossed sidelong for a sparse moment. He muttered in a quiet rasp, "Purging the taint of.. disseasse. Dissection for examination of hiss origin.. and his essence for that matter.. before the latter is guided to the Grey Seass and the former is interred. Whatever pawn he might be." Argana said, and Lozz quickly agreed, "Let there be enough for Vneril to know what he deals with when he decides to take on the Knights of Freeport." Lozz spoke, "Well let us clear the dock, and go rest in the knowledge that our order is once more safe." Rakkoth murmured, "Indeed Major. Make certain the body iss collected to the Militia Housse - I will collect it later - and have the workerss clean the vitae." He curved a slight nod, exhaling ponderously. "Good work, regarlesss, Knights. I believe I will.. retire. For the evening." He flickered a set of claws at his construct, which melted away into the shadows that spawned it. Argul whistled for his horse, "I am to wander as well." And with that, they set off. Argul smirked at the ratonga stealthed, as he passed him. No one is sure how, and no one was suspected or to blame, but Sthedos somehow made it into the sea, and was found by a scout ship from Kunark. He was rescued, and nursed back to health.. he escaped death...... today.