AMIA ARCHIVE • View topic

*A man wearing a mighty and powerful helmet, bearing two blades at each side of the helmet where old blood can be noticed, is spotted at the gates of the Living city. He's also wearing an obsidian armor with a red cloth covering his armored groin. A rusted and damaged amulet of Bane can be seeing around his neck as well.

And so he stands there, watching the gates. He takes a deep and disturbing breath that could be heard from a distance. Then he finally speaks:*

- My presence here has being refused once. So I stand, once more, asking for premission to come in. Knowledge is power and this is what I seek behide your walls. My sword shall not be raised agains anyone while inside. This is a word I can offer and sustain *Deep breath*.

*The helmet now watches the fallen guards for an answer.*

One of the guards would disappear through the gate, perhaps heading off in search of someone or something, leaving the armored man there to wait.

After an uncomfortable wait, a pale man in black and midnight purple leathers materializes from the shadows, studying the armored man with a few moments of pensive silence. After some time the original guard would catch up and return to his post. When Luca finally speaks, it comes as a sibilant murmur, short and to the point;

"Introduce yourself, stranger, and we'll go from there."

Intrigued at the arrival, the hidden figure of a vampire makes her way to the gates to watch from the shadows. Her blazing red eyes fell upon the newcomer, examining him head to toe for recognition.

*The mighty helmet turns toward the pale man in black and midnight purple leathers, after looking at the lady on black. He speaks with a strong and gruff voice:*

Amontep

"Hmm."

Luca pauses a further moment, tightening the laces of his left bracer.

"Not a man of many words, I see. Very well, I'll get to the crux of the issue. The actions of your superiors have made your request difficult. All are welcome to the knowledge of the city until they prove to be a detriment. If you wish access to the halls of the Living City, you will need to prove your worth. How will your presence benefit the city? What do you have to offer? The last Banite that was granted an exception has proven to be little more than a mild nuisance and has provided nothing of worth to the City. How will you be different?"

I have renegaded my old believes on the Lord Python, or Set as you may call. He tried to punish me after I turned my back on him. But at the end, I'm here and he's forgotten. A pity since I didn't get much of knowledge form him. The same has happened to the Prince if Lies, Cyric. I got all he could provide me after turning my back on him as well. And it seems he took it in a good way because I didn't suffer anything. I presume he's used to be betrayed... *sarcastic smile*. And the Lord of Fear and mighty, Bane. Let's just said I could finish my learnings about his dogma and power. He didn't take it so easy at the end, but I survived his vengeance and now he's forgotten as well.

As you see... I've endured all these tests at the end because all I seek is knowledge and knowledge is power. Why do I have to offer to the Living City ? Nothing and everything. If the city lives, I shall be a loyal servant, protecting the gates and the knowledge inside these walls.

Also I've once worked with Valkin and we still have a ritual to finish. The event regarding the banites and their behave he... is a shame that I intent to get it over.

Amontep talks in a rather neutral manner. If he's speaking the truth or not, or if he's hiding something behind his intentions, you cannot say. However its quite evident his thirsty for power.

"In true Banite fashion your words are filled with grandeur but little of substance. You've let us all know that you betray your betters that give you the power you seek, which to me seems a poor way to repay your gifts. Such betrayal shall not be repeated here. The Living City tolerates leeches that Seek and never Give only until they prove to be a problem. To earn back your right to these halls you will work. Should you step within, you will serve one way or another. Either willingly as your penance, or as a Drone should you choose to betray your second chance, like you have betrayed your Gods before. Choose your path carefully."

And with that, he awaits a response, brushing a bit of imaginary dust from his somber uniform, gaze unwavering.

Following Amonteps numerous boasts of betrayal a nearby skeleton would begin to shake violently, the sound of a rattle snake's tail would echo throughout the Risen City for a brief moment before the head of the skeleton explodes in a gush of blood. The spray would, no doubt, cover Amontep to some degree - and possibly even Luca if the man is too slow to avoid it. The sound of the disturbing rattle fades and the headless skeleton would lay crumpled on the ground near the conversing pair. There doesn't appear to be a source within the skeleton's remains that could have produced the blood.

The shadowed figure known as Audrey begins the examination of the skeleton that had a spontaneous eruption in a vast effort to search for clues as to what could've possibly caused this, apparently far more interested at this point at the skeleton.

Luca doesn't bother to move, a slow, morbid smile spreading across his features. The crimson spray standing in vivid detail against the ghostly pallor of his cheek, he continues to wait, gaze never wavering.

Despite Audrey's best efforts the cause of the exploding skeleton is not readily explained but one could easily speculate as to the cause...

*Amontep seems to be covered in blood, at least part of his helmet. It's clear he didn't manage to avoid it. The mighty helmet remains facing Luca. He produces a deep breath before saying:

The Living City presents me with blood, it seems. *sarcastic smile*

About those I've once served, rest assured they didn't offer me much considering all the sacrifice I've made. Sometimes, contracts can hide little lines to provide one with advantages beyond what was arranged. Let's just say I did the best to make it... equal *sadistic smile*. And I assume you this is entirely... different.

The Living city shall support me on my learnings. As for myself, I shall provide it with whatever is needed to fulfill its wish. A mutual understanding it shall be.*

*a purple-skinned tiefling woman dressed in what appears to be some sort of dark beachware arrives through the portal from the lowland swamps. She is motionless for a moment as she gazes upon the scene, then walks toward the gate that is lifted before her. As the gate opens, she glances upon Amontep, noticing the blood splatter. She then looks forward and walks through the gate and into the city without a sound.*

Luca seem entirely unimpressed;

"I'm sure you think yourself very clever. Be aware that we will be even less subtle then Lord Set's omen. You have twenty-four hours to report to Captain Sicarius for work before these gates remain closed to you indefinitely."

With that, the man daubs a bit of the blood from his cheek and peers at the stain it leaves on his glove curiously, then promptly turns and vanishes into the lingering shadows of the City.

Upon stumbling across the conversation, doused in an invisibility potion (as per her usual method of walking of late) the woman stops and stares at the man who links his betrayals to such high gods. As she awaited a response from Luca, she purses her lips and gives the man a once over; waving a hand to dismiss her invisibility when her mood seems fit. "You should be lucky you live, betraying gods such as Set and The Prince of Lies." She spits almost, narrowing her eyes with slight curve upwards of her brow."Bane doesn't take highly to those who don't submit fully. After saying your track record, I don't suppose you'll make it past a tenday or so. You smell of a coward, mocking the gods as you have."
She turns, making a gesture with her hand openly. "What harm can you do, hmm? Betray a city who will have your nads on a plate, if you thought such of acts of hostility on these grounds? I'm sure that is not even close to what the gods wish upon you now..." She smiles a bit, giving him a two finger salute from her forehead, and then turns to head down along the path to the crypt.

"This is why I believe in the pyre method. Getting the diseased out is far more easier that way." She mumbles as she walks away, tucking her cowl closer around her mouth, seeming to avoid any of the blood splattering that was aforementioned.

*Amon waits her to finish the statement. And before she leaves, or while she's walking away, he says:

If I were a coward, you probably would not know about my past. Cowards are used to hide their identity, walking invisibly while sneaking around... *sarcastic smile*. And here I stand to endure whatever these forgotten gods have to force me to face. And so I stand because I've survived all their tricks *deep breath*. Fear nothing about your beloved city. But perhaps their citizens that may lack some.... discipline.

Then he heads out to find Captain Sicarius.

Overhearing the conversation, on his way back to the castle, a man dressed in burial shrouds, followed
by a swarm of flies dignified this whole situation with a single thought..

"Being brave and being stupid are two separate things."

Then he descended down the stairs, into the library.

"Tricks.. "

Audrey muttered with a fiendish grin then knelt to the ground, fishing for an item in her bags.

After a moment of searching, Audrey took out a large corpse bag and put the skeleton's inanimate limbs in the bag slowly, taking her time. Any blood spatter that she could easily put in a vial she did, and subsequently placed the vial carefully in her pouch.

[IC] A deep breath at the gates

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