Dreadlords A Celebration of Might and Magic

[Cassius Amore]

Near The Keep - Prepared Stage for the Play 'All's Well' which acted as a reenactment of a Dreadlords tale of battle. (After, at the reception)

It was a bit overdramatized. Though, he supposed that was the entire purpose of the thing. A dramatic retelling of Dreadlord's victory from a time long before his own. He thought he'd studied well on the history of his organization, but alas it seems that even Cassius can fall short on his book smarts. It was a bit depressing for the young fourth level as his intelligence was one of the only things he had that he considered to be a strength. Where his might lacked, his magic roared.

The play was overall, decent. It had been fun to experience, and the acting was above average from what he'd seen in Vel Anir. Though it was an interesting prospect to choose a play as a way to show gratitude to the Dreadlords. He figured most would have skipped the event entirely for the sake of something more exciting or deadly. But his eyes locked with many of his brothers and sisters, some he'd even been in academy with.

It was a smorgasbord of Dreadlords of every level, talking and reliving passed excursions.

Cassius, though, sat alone. With three glasses of wine in front of him. Well, three full glasses and four already downed.

He was pretty drunk.

He slumped back into his chair and held one of the glasses to his chest. Cassius had not eaten anything today and wasn't sure if he even would. Being drunk was a huge positive in his eyes, it allowed him to feel a bit more emotion than normal. While it never sent him into a full state of euphoria, he was in a good mood.



And he had a lot more wine to get through.

 

[Elspeth Sirl]

There was a lesser-known Dreadlord in attendance as the assigned guard to the Lady Elspeth Sirl. Box seats - where the crème de la crop of Vel Anirian nobility conducted themselves, several levels above where Cassius was currently seated. The lesser-known Dreadlord in question went by the name of Ser Aloref Gantri. The man didn't speak due to having had his tongue cut out at some point in his childhood. Elsi surmised it was during his days at the Academy but truly she could not say much of anything about him. He was nothing terribly impressive to look at, even in his war-riddled armor, and often Elspeth found herself wondering just exactly what the Dreadlord employed for magic.

She'd never seen him use any, nor could she recall reading anywhere in the annals of her home city about any of his exploits. Still, her father trusted the man with her life so that had to count for something. If nothing else, perhaps one day she might inquire with Ventress what she knew of him, if anything.

Other than that, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln?

Elspeth sighed. Another outting planned with Olvir gone awry - he'd been caught up in something much more important than theater and she could not fault him for that. She would have put a request in for the company of Edric instead, but the Initiate was apparently halfway across the world on a mission to some place in the far, far east.

"Well," Elsi said as she gathered her things and draped a handwoven silk shawl over her shoulders, "I hope you enjoyed your evening Ser Gantri," and she truly did but all good things must come to an end and more than likely she had some reason to turn in early. Surely she could find a reason. "Shall we make our way out? Was there someone you wished to spea-" she caught herself and quickly cleared her throat, "see?"

Gantri waved the notion off and stood from his seat, motioning for her to lead the way.

Down down down the staircase, heels muffled by dark velvet runners, fingers lightly drifting across polished wooden handrails. Elspeth carefully stepped through the crowds, smiling politely to most and waving here and there over the heads of others to the scant few faces of recognition in the crowd. Not familiar enough to stop - at least, not until she found herself waiting just outside a lower booth. The curtains drawn, she held her step to allow others to pass through and found her gaze wandering ... wandering ...

To a younger man sitting alone.

A younger man who looked terribly, awfully -

"Excuse me," Elspeth never could help herself and she stepped forward, squinting slightly at him, "Cassius is that you?"

 

[Cassius Amore]

The chatter from nearby conversations were seeming to grow ever louder. He saw a lot of faces that he recognized. Cassius felt a bit lonely not being a part of it, but it was also nothing new. He'd spent many a lonely night in his own quarters buried two hundred pages into a book. This was far more social than that, even if people were uninterested in his company.

The quiet fourth level reached out and picked up one of the three full glasses of wine. He spun it in the glass, testing its legs despite having had four of the exact same over the course of the past hour. It was always fun to do for him.

As he brought it to his lips and sipped deeply, there was a familiar voice. Familiar, but, different? Perhaps older than it was when he'd heard it last?

He panned his eyes to the left and saw her. Elspeth.

He nearly choked on his wine and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, coughing briefly.

"Oh my, Elspeth, it's-" cough "my gods it's been...?"

He dug through his memories. They'd only met once before, hadn't they? But they'd talked for two hours minimum. A memory hard to erase. Cassius had only been a fully-fledged Dreadlord for about a year and a half when they'd met. He was happy to see her.

But that memory itself was far from happy.

It was his first attempt at running a mission. He was leading initiates to recover goods stolen by some freedom fighters that would spout rhetoric about the Dreadlord initiative. The one who gave him the mission said, verbatim:

Tell me what their faces look like after they die to the kids their trying to save.

Some Dreadlords were just cruel.

Everything was going fine at first. But the freedom fighters had some sort of magic explosive device on them. His group was bombed by it. One of the initiates died.

Elspeth had come after that to tend to the wounded. She'd specifically tended to Cassius and Cassius had not been that wounded. At least physically. He'd dropped all the guilt he'd felt onto Elspeth in a multi-hour talk about life and death and meaning. It was... Heavy. To say the least about it.

Cassius swallowed.

"...it's been a long time, Elspeth."

 

[Elspeth Sirl]

"A few years, I think," Elsi straightened as she stepped into the booth more fully, giving the man a warm smile of recognition. Her gaze pored over him, assessing his appearance and finding it to be...

"You look -"

...was that four empty glasses of wine?

"rather indulgent." Her smile broadened and a low hum of contained laughter followed. It was good to see a Dreadlord taking time for themselves, Gods knew the Initiates she'd become acquainted with over the last year were all work and no play. It wasn't healthy for anyone but she had a growing suspicion that was simply the life of the Dread.

"Am I intruding?" It occured to her that four empty wine glasses and a fifth in progress was a sign of someone attempting to drink away something. A solitary sport, for sure.

 

[Cassius Amore]

A few years indeed. At least two. Was that a few? His mind wasn't all there right now. Because, you know, he was hammered. She did earn a chuckle from him as the word indulgent escaped her lips. He almost wished she hadn't been so polite about it. That was how she'd been then, too.

"No, no, not at all!" Cassius set his glass down and slid out the chair he sat about. The roses that were etched into the legs scuffed a bit from his careless rise. The alcohol wasn't so much that he'd lose balance, but he was certainly beginning to make mistakes as he moved about.

"You're welcome to stay -hic- if you'd like. I just wouldn't want to bother you and your party."

The dreadlord she had been walking with was one he didn't recognize. The man looked at him as though he may know who Cassius was, however.

 

[Elspeth Sirl]

Oh yes, very indulgent indeed. Elsi pressed a faint look of amusement into her lips, blue eyes wry, and shook her head, "You're no bother and I am certainly no party. This is Ser Aloref Gantri, Dreadlord of the Third Level, servant of House Sirl, and my assigned guard for the evening."

Gantri grunted non-committaly and took up his guarding stand at the entrance to the booth.

"He's a man of... very few words," her smile returned in earnest, the caps of her teeth showing as she moved forward to take the seat across from Cassius, "Are you here alone this evening?"

 

[Cassius Amore]

Cassius wiped his gown off of any floating debris as he nodded towards her accompaniment. The man was stoic and seemingly uninterested in their conversation. No fault of his own.

Assigned guard? Perhaps there was more to Elspeth than previously assumed. But you know what they say about making assumptions. It apparently meant he'd encounter that same person years later after having only had one extraordinarily dark conversation with them. Rolls off the tongue.

"I am, yes." Cassius admitted. He hadn't many friends in or out of the academy. Those he was closest with were nowhere to be seen.

"Please, take a seat if you -hic- aren't so busy. It'd be wonderful to catch up. I apologize for my current state."

 

[Elspeth Sirl]

"No apology necessary," Elspeth gently smoothed the length of her dress over her knees as she settled into her seat, "it's not as if you were expecting me."

Curious he was here alone. As she recalled, he'd had quite a few companions in his company last time they spoke, but it had been a few years since then. Her blue eyes pooled quietly over him for a moment longer, taking him in and assessing the present Dreadlord against the young man she'd met before. He seemed not terribly changed in appearance - still looked rather youthful, too.

"How has life treated you? I know the career of a Dreadlord is never easy, but you appear to be mostly unscathed," Elsi offered a faint smile.

 

[Cassius Amore]

Elspeth on the other hand seemed much more adult than he remembered. She must have been exceptionally young when they'd originally encountered one another. He was surprised she was even happy to see him considering how much of his own baggage he'd made her privy to in their first meeting.

"No, I wasn't expecting anyone to sit with me."

It wasn't sad with sadness or disdain; it was spoken as a statement of fact. Cassius was not someone who ever expected others to be around him. She saw him in a rare instance, an outing in which he was surrounded by other Dreadlords. Polite as they may have been then, they were far from a group he could call his own friends.

He sat down, albeit a bit sloppily. Cassius had not been magically sobered by this chance encounter, unfortunately. He threw one hand up lazily, his robe sleeve sliding from his wrist until he dragged it upward when the motion was done.

"It has been life, friend. Sometimes it is up, and I am able to read my fill and be unbothered by the ongoings of political babble I am often thrust into the center of. Other times -hic- it is low, and I find myself with bloodied hands once again."

He shrugged with a drunken smile. She knew all this, and he felt silly for restating it. But finding his own words was proving to be a difficult task at the current state.

"And yourself, Elspeth? You still -hic- saving lives?"

 

[Elspeth Sirl]

"No, I wasn't expecting anyone to sit with me."

Elspeth's smile faltered slightly at this, finding such an honest statement to be quite sad. She'd not had a lot of interaction with other Dreadlords, but she'd met several initiates over the last year. Was it so normal for Dreadlords to be so ... isolated from society? Or was this simply an artefact of Cassius' life in particular?

The spelling out of his routine was certainly nothing new or surprising, but still disheartening to hear. Seemed Dreadlords could never manage to find happiness - at least, you never heard about the ones that did.

"Well I'm not taking lives if that's what you mean," she answered lightly, smile returning with a twinge of cautious humor that grew briefly as she dropped her gaze to her hands on her lap, "but yes. I actually just signed off on a new flat in the Gilded Quarter and the adjoining building. I'm opening a Medical Office there where I can attend to my patients. The first of many new offices, I hope. Sacred Hearth Incorporated. I move there in two weeks - which feels so long away but yet not enough time to prepare."

 

[Cassius Amore]

It was sad, wasn’t it? Or was it sadder that Cassius had not recognized the strangeness of his lifestyle? Neither thought crossed his mind as he’d temporarily drank away the existentialism, even if his words still dripped with it.

He just liked the quiet. And people seemed to like letting him be by his lonesome. After all, when the fourth level did unleash his power, it frightened even he.

Elspeth had the luxury of only seeing him when the fighting ended. He briefly wondered if her opinion of him would change if she saw what he’d done.

Cassius listened intently, a faint smile flickering on his lips. His hand precariously swung his wine glass under the table.

“I think that’s all amazing news, Elspeth. It is sudden, but I’ve no doubt you’ll make it work.”

His periphery continued to wander to her companion Dreadlord. He best be careful with his words on his missions.

“Do you oft come to the theater? I didn’t even know they were holding shows as of late.”

 

[Elspeth Sirl]

He was sweet to say such things. Or perhaps simply polite and more schooled in social interactions than others. Such words would likely have never come from Edric and while she suspected the pragmatic Ralene would say something to that effect, it would be less in support of Elsi's abilities and more in the affirmative of getting things done.

To simply have someone believe that she was capable was ... nice. Elspeth decided not to look any further into it. Empty words or not, she'd not had a whole lot of moral support from anyone as of late.

"Not very often anymore, no," she replied, gaze lifting again to glance down upon the much emptier rows of seats and the darkened stage, "but when I was younger, before I left for my studies in Dornoch, my parents and I used to come to the theater quite often. When my mother was well enough, at least. It was one of the few things she enjoyed."

"I-" she was about to say that she'd intended to be here in the company of a certain Weiroon, but that was neither here nor there, "forgot how much I also enjoyed it. Brings back good memories..." of a time before her mother's death when her father knew how to smile.

"I should like to attend more of them I think. But they're always much better in good company - I don't suppose you'd be interested in joining me?"

 

[Cassius Amore]

While being drained of much emotion due to his magic, he still found himself capable of empathy. Something he figured was also due to his odd brand of the arcane. Elspeth said a lot more with her eyes and pauses then expected, and he wondered if she’d meant to. Even drunk, he could see she purposely hid a lot of what she meant.

It didn’t matter.

“There are few things in life I enjoy -hic- more than art. I’m fated in my lot, to be bound by Dreadlord regime.” Unfortunately, the alcohol prevented him from remembering his own rule about being cautious with his words around her escort.

“I’ve done a lot of ugly things. Theater, paintings, song, these things retain their beauty even when they depict the ugly. -hic- I felt rather blessed to be here tonight, even if the story told was one of a Dreadlord excursion.”

He slumped slightly, his exhaustion showing.

“I can’t think of a single thing I’d like more than that, Elspeth.”

 

[Elspeth Sirl]

For his part, Gantri did not seem to care at all about Cassius' drunken talk. So far as the older Dreadlord was concerned, if Cassius wasn't outright threatening or insulting the Lady, it wasn't his business. The failures among their kin and kind had a way of burning themselves out or getting themselves blacklisted by the Republic. Until such a command came to his notice, Cassius could drink himself stupid for all it mattered.

There may have been a revolution in Vel Anir, but it was still very much every Dreadlord for themselves.

Not that Elspeth was privy to such things.

But becoming privy to the innermost thoughts of a young Dreadlord, even if it was at the end of a large sum of wine, was turning out to be rather intriguing. Slightly depressing, but intriguing nevertheless. That concerned smile of hers had returned as Cassius recounted the very few things in life that he enjoyed. All at once she felt immeasurable compassion for the young man and his great lack of positivity in his life.

Elsi smiled, bright and warm, "Then I shall endeavor to make it a regular event for you to look forward to."

 

[Cassius Amore]

Cassius had long ago accepted his fate in life. He wasn’t one of the winners. The people who call the shots and dictate futures. He was one of the losers. Pawns that the winners used to further their own plots. It was a bit of a tragedy on his end, but he was devoid of emotion towards it. As he was most things.

And, he knew that didn’t mean his life was over, or that it had to be terrible. He found happiness, or glimpses of it, through many of his travels. Examining flora, studying, reading, and most recently, the idea of going to plays with a friend.

A thin grin attached itself to his face. He was glad to have seen Elspeth again. He was glad she appeared from seemingly nowhere.

“I look forward to it. I hope that our schedule permits it. I expect you’ll have a great deal of work once you’re settled in?” He asked.

Her talents would be taken advantage of in a place like this. Cassius decided against stating that aloud.

 

[Elspeth Sirl]

"For a time, I suspect yes," she nodded, crossing one leg over the other and smoothing her hands along the lengths of her dress over her knees, "in the long run it will help immensely by centralizing my current patients to one location. Eventually there will be multiple locations across Vel Anir. Perhaps even a traveling Medicinal Apothecary."

There was a lot on her plate of future endeavors and the Medical Offices were only one project of many she had in mind. Daunting as it may have been, she was more excited than anything.

"But I will always make time for myself," Elsi added, giving Cassius a pointed look, "and my friends."

She startled slightly at a sudden tap on her shoulder from Gantri who nodded toward the exit.

"Oh my, I think they're closing up - are you far from here, Cassius? I could give you a ride home."

 

[Cassius Amore]

What a goal. A wandering boon for all. Elspeth's idealism was one he could connect with, though his eloquence was fading with his sobriety. So he just smiled for the moment. One a loved one gave when hearing another speak on their passions. He hadn’t meant for it to come across that way. It just did.

“I do belief that would be good.”

His drunkenness was becoming more and more apparent.

He looked upward briefly towards Gantri who did not return the eye contact. The man seemed wholly disinterested in their relationship and this conversation. Couldn’t blame him for that.

“No, I shouldn’t burdened you whiff my safekeebing.” Cassius mumbled as he attempted to stand, and failed, falling sloppily back into his seat.

“Okay so maybe I’m jushh a tad-“ Emphasized by his fingers pinched nearly together. “- in need of assistance.”

 

[Elspeth Sirl]

Elspeth was already standing as she watched the Dreadlord fumble to get to his own two feet. It was both improper and impolite of her to laugh, but she couldn't help the smile drawn across her lips.

"You are in your cups, my friend," she chuckled and offered him a hand to steady himself with, "Come. As a Doctor I certainly cannot allow someone of your state to travel home alone. Consider yourself officially under my care."

And that made it all the more appropriate for her, a single high Noble Lady, to escort him at her side. Doctor's privileges and patient's rights and whatnot. After all, she couldn't expect Gantri to take the young man when he was already tasked with ensuring her safety.

"Just do me the favor of forewarning me of any rising need to vomit?"

 

[Cassius Amore]

He managed to push himself upward and maintain his stance by keeping his hands on the table. Cassius’ head was spinning so fast when he was up, but he promised himself he wouldn’t vomit. Or at least, if he was going to, that he’d do so before the entered any sort of vehicle or strode atop a horse.

“I shall. It shunt be a prolllem.” He did not sound convincing. “I don’t do thish offin, I’ll have you know.”

Not like he had any sort of image to protect. He already felt disrespect from his betters. Cassius used the table to make his way to her side, ready to go when she was.

“So feel lucky that you get to see me in shush a shitutation.”

He smiled like a dork up at her.

 

[Elspeth Sirl]

A shit-uation indeed. Elsi bit into the broadening smile of amusement as he joined her, trying her best not to make him feel self-aware. Honestly, how often did a Dreadlord get the opportunity to enjoy themself like this?

"I feel so very lucky," she replied, offering the shorter man her arm to steady himself with, "Gantri if you would lead the way?"

Gantri was not the least bit impressed by the waifish Dreadlord and it showed rather clearly on his stony face. Though he cared little for his present station as Elsi's body guard, the older warrior knew that the Sirl Patriarch would be none-too-pleased to hear of this. Still, he had a job to do. He stepped out ahead of them and made way down the stairs, keeping tabs on their forward perimeter as well as that behind them.

Elspeth carefully walked alongside Cassius, taking the time to move at his pace as they made their way along to the theater entrance. The night time air was cool on this late summer evening and the breeze drawing across the street smelled like rain. Thank heavens she'd taken the carriage.

She took a pamphlet from the front ticketing kiosk with her free hand and paged through it, "Looks like next month's play is Viego's Curse. I haven't seen that since I was a little girl."

 

[Cassius Amore]

Cassius had almost haphazardly gripped Elspeth’s arm, but paused before skin contact. Even in his stupor, there were things he couldn’t forget. Things burned into his mind.

He reached further up. His hand connecting awkwardly with her dress fabric. It didn’t offer as much stability and he had to reach comically farther to do so, but it was worth it.

After all, he was a leech at the end of the day.

Cassius had noticed the Dreadlord’s eyes on him. He paid it no mind. Didn’t think it would matter too much.

“Viego’s Curse. An Anirian classhic. Haven’t sheen it myshelf but it’s bound to be a right joy.”

It was definitely a tragedy.

“Elshpeth, if I’m too remember correctly, you are to be wed, no? Where ish your betrothed on thish night?”

 

[Elspeth Sirl]

Elsi hadn't the heart to inform Cassius that Viego's Curse was very much a tragedy. The subject found itself clapped from her response as soon as the mention of her betrothed lisped into the air. Her smile wilted, enthusiasm for the evening mildly deflated, and she fussed with the pamphlet while she searched for the appropriate - ney, proper response.

"Indeed. That is what I said when we first met. Some things have changed since then, the Revolution has thrown quite a few things into disarray. My betrothal is no longer ..." she pressed her lips together and gently cleared her throat, "set."

A rather disarming subject matter for her. Her father refused to give her an answer and, so far as letters from Olvir indicated, his parents were of the same mind. No one knew what their fate was to be, even if Elsi had everything in her mind and heart already settled on what she hoped her future to be. But the long stretch of time since she'd last seen Olvir had engendered doubt as to what he hoped his might be.

It was all very unsettling and she disliked thinking on it too much. Her busy schedule kept her from doing so.

"My ...well," if Olvir technically wasn't her betrothed anymore, what did that make him? "...he is otherwise indisposed with family matters and business. But I would be remiss not to attend one of my favorite shows simply because I haven't an escort."

She put a smile back on her face and looked to Gantri, "Gantri is always such lovely company, though I cannot say if he actually enjoys theater. He's a man of no words."

 

[Cassius Amore]

He felt it. He always could. That shift in demeanor that stated he’d spoken out of turn. It wasn’t rife with guilt like other times, but that may just be due to alcohol. Not that he’d feel it that much anyways.

“I didn’t mean to imply you were incapable, or that you just attached-“

No. Perhaps this wasn’t best to further.

“Forget I said anything, Elspeth. My apologies. Gantri sheems plenty good enough company.”

Despite his fears of speaking Cassius’s name to those who might be waiting for him to act like this. There was no such conspiracy to do away with him per se, but it was clear how many other dreadlords thought of him, and it was always a worry that may come back to haunt him. Only time would tell.

“When ish the showing? I’d be eager to come, should the moment preshent itshelf.”

 

[Elspeth Sirl]

Elsi smiled warmly against the sting of this dour reminder. Far be it from she to let it ruin what had otherwise been a lovely evening and the offer to move past it was quickly accepted with a nod. She'd not dwell on it.

"It looks like the showings start on the 6th of the month, each end of week," she replied after looking over the pamphlet again, "I shall have to check my schedule, but I believe either the third or fourth showing would do for me. Ah-" a fine black carriage trimmed in gold and red rolled forward, pulled by two cleanly presented black mares.

"This is us. Come my friend, let's get you home. Gantri, will you help him inside please?"

Gantri leveled Cassius with a look discontent but moved forward to assist Cassius as he needed. Elsi shortly followed him into the carriage and took a seat on the bench opposite the young Dreadlord.

"Now, can you tell me the address of your home?"

 

[Cassius Amore]

While swimming in his drunkenness he’d managed to get into the carriage rather elegantly. Perhaps it was the desire to impress, or the fear of what may happen if Gantri’s temper reached a breaking point, but he was cautious and swift landing on his seat.

He quietly thanked the large Dreadlord who obviously was disinterested in his appreciation.

“Near the academy is fine. I’m a walks distance from it.”

Really, he didn’t want Gantri to know where he lived if the man was considering reporting his findings. It may not even matter in the end, but it was better safe than sorry.

“How’s the end of she month sound for a showing? I’ve a bit of work prior, but I should have the end of it free.”