Branch 10: Aelir
'This can't be happening!'
The baron keeps thinking as he stares at his champion dying on the floor in front of him. The knight's right arm is laying some distance away from the rest of his body, and his breastplate has been sliced thru from front to back in two places. His dark red blood slowly spreads across the tiled floor.
Other guards and retainers are arrayed around him but not moving a muscle. Terrified of joining the baron's childhood friend.
Beyond the soon to be corpse that Lord Stoodiws has known for decades, stand a dozen he just met this morning. They are not dressed like his subordinates, but in clothes favored by the clergy. Plus every one of them is heavily armed and armored.
Templars.
The one in front wears the cloth of an inquisitor. Despite the recent violence, that he himself delivered, his voice is eerily calm.
"Baron Aelir Stoodiws, you lied to me."
"I did no such thing!"
The noble replies angrily and shakily. He fears the inquisition, but fears losing his standing even more.
Yet the inquisitor's smile remains, unsettling.
"My lord. You stated the Beast had been examined by the guild and found to only be bronze ranked. You also claimed that only one adventurer had entered the dungeon with them." He runs his fingers along the hilt of his now sheathed sword. "Can you explain how, if true, that creature killed over two hundred members of the inquisition?"
"If you doubt my words then go to the source." These intruders may be of the church. But he is still a noble. "Interrogate the guild, not me."
"I already have." That smile never reaches his eyes. "They have had a, change in leadership. Among the casualties are two of the three who evaluated the Beast's skills. The third is missing and likely running as far and as fast as they can. If they have any sense."
'So they have no one else to blame.' The baron realized with growing despair.
He knew that getting a bronze as your entry rank was incredibly rare. You either had to be very very skilled? Or very very rich. They also listed his class as Swordmage. First one in centuries. The aristocrat knew the inquisitor was just as aware of this. They needed someone to blame, and the candidates at the guild were dead or gone.
"I will likely die soon." The pious guest sighs. "And I should for what my failure has cost the faithful. Yet there is much to do first." The smile returns. "Prepare yourself baron. Your summons from the inquisition will arrive soon."
Kersting, Aldo (male, human, tourinese)
Stoodiws, Aelir (male, human, tourinese)