On the events of yesterday (at the sermon)
http://hydlaa.com/smf/index.php?topic=24842.0 :
Janeous gazed out over the masses of people (ok, it was more like 40 to 50) that had come to hear his puppet fool speak. They were all fools, and needed his guidance. Not the guidance of the Queen of Fools, Xillix, but that of the lower churches. His church. The True followers of Laanx. When the Vespers were destroyed, he would have no problem taking control until the Higher Priests sent someone to replace him. After all, his task was not to rule. No... It was to destroy. He was, and always had been, a spy and assassin for the Lower Level churches. This power hungry fool would die soon.
Not that it had been easy. He had had to use his compulsion Glyph far too often. If the City Guards would have found out about it, he would have been killed for sure. His was the last one known to exist. With it, he could make anyone do anything. Even put a knife in their own heart, and be glad to do it. He was glad he did not have to do that this time. He did not like to see possible servants to Laanx die. Power to his God.
The first time he had used the Glyph had been to convince Xillix to send poison to the leader of the Thieves. No...his intention was not to kill -though that would have been easy with his vast knowledge of poisons-. He merely wished to escalate the war between the two factions. At that time, his plan was for the Thieves and Vespers to kill each other off. Janeous smiled and put his hand on Xillix's shoulder. It might still work.
Not that his plan had not changed a few times. Though that was the mark of a good spy. Adapt or die. He had even considered keeping the Thieves alive, as people of their nature come in handy at times, and would have been good allies. Of course, that all ended when the fools killed his only contact out of fear. That still irritated him to no end. It had not even taken much use of his Glyph to convince the thief known as Killiy to help him ingratiate himself with the rest of the thieves. He had not considered, however, that they would have killed her for being seen with him. They must truly be in a panic. maybe he should have held off on that raid he had had Xillix order. But that was only meant to convince the rest of the Thieves that they did need his help. Well, all plans have holes in them. He did not even have a twinge of guilt over the loss of Killiy, and the death that he had caused her. She was just a tool -if a lovely one-, and tools sometimes broke. He did regret that his personal pursuit of her was cut short. That had been turning out to be a grand chase. He always won in the end. He looked over at Xillix and smiled again. Perhaps he could use a new quarry in that 'quest'. Though, then again no. Xillix was so far in his control with he glyph, it would have been no challenge at all. He would never use the Glyph in the pursuit of a woman. He did have a few morals to his name. Lies and tricks? Yes, but never compulsion.
The smile turned a little sour. He only hoped he was there when Killiy's killers learned of their mistake, and the riches they lost. Those who served Laanx were richly rewarded. He was sure he would not be able to gain the trust of any of the others. Well, now their only reward would be death. He had ways of assuring even the strongest of heroes would not be returning from the dead. A pity. Adapt or die.
A thought came to him that made his smile grow. Sometimes adapt and die worked as well....if you knew the short way of coming back to life. that had been a part of his training as well, and he knew the ways of the Deathrealm well. It had taken him moments to bribe the Death Guardian with... its favorite 'foods'. Janeous smiled to himself. any who saw what was behind that smile would have fled in terror. The victim he chose to get those 'foods' would never be found. He had used the compulsion Glyph to make sure she would not even be missed. Not even by her husband.
It did pain him a bit that he had to compell Xillix into killing the beggar. But for one reason alone. He had been that beggar. He still felt where her blades had sliced his body. But, that feeling allways faded after a few months. He just had to wait. The plan had worked perfectly, in the end. Even her own Vespers did not trust her.
Janeous glanced over as Xillix was finishing her speech. He had not even bothered to listen to it. Let the fool have her day. Then he would toss her to the rogues who plagued the hills. His compulsion Glyph would make sure she never fought back. The rogues were not so.... gentle as he was with the ladies. A fitting punishment for one who rose above herself in the ranks of Laanx, his God. If all was fair, they would keep her alive for a long time. He might even use his glyph to make certain she enjoyed it. Well, just a little. He had to hold back a laugh. It was all too easy. Xillix said the last words. He began his own speech to the people. They would not question him stepping into the place of Xillix. Nothing could stop him now. Nothing....
“Janeous Creene! Halt where you stand!” A booming voice filled the Temple.
Janeous froze where he stood. He looked to see the source of the voice… Fylork, the huge Kran and leader of the Civil Patrol. Had he been found out? Planes skittered across his mind, but he saw no way out. If her was found out, there was no continuing. He had failed. Indeed, the Kran’s next shouted words confirmed his fears.
“You have been judged by your actions against the Law, and have been found guilty. Your crimes are too many to name here, but no less that two call for your death. For your use of a compulsion Glyph, you will be cast down the nearest waste duct, never to return. For your crimes against the Vespers, your name shall be cast upon the List of Darkness. For your crimes of inciting war between guilds for your own good, you shall be stripped of all your belongings. You have been judged. Citizens, take him now. He is your enemy.”
The crowd seemed as stunned as Janeous himself. How had they known? He had been so careful. Damn the City Guard and Vigesimi for creating this pathetic group of poor excuses of Lawkeepers. He had overlooked them in his plans. It is the smallest root that tripped you in the end.
“He has been fooling you all from the start!” Fylork continued, glaring at Janeous.
[[I crashed here for a few minutes, so don’t know what happened, I continue from where I cam back]]
“YOU WILL NOT TAKE ME!” Janeous shouted. How dare these pitiful ‘servants’ of the Law try to take him! “I serve Laanx, and Laanx alone. I broke none of my GOD's laws. You will not take me!”
With that, Janeous took out a vial of poison and drank the entire thing in one gulp. He fell to the floor, instantly dead. Within moments, his body sunk into the floor as it was drawn into the Deathrealm (going by current game mechanics), leaving nothing behind. Janeous was not worried as his body rose next to the Death Guardian.
“Hello, my old friend. I may have to stay for a while this time.”
With that, Janous took to the path to the darker places where few tread. An idle thought crossed his mind. The girl had not been strong enough to get out of this land… perhaps her soul had not yet faded completely. He tossed his black stone in the air and caught it with a laugh. He had never used the Glyph to compel anybody to live before. He was sure his quarry would be most grateful.
Anyone lost in the wandering paths of the still evolving and growing -yet at the same time rotting and diseased- Deathrealm would have shuddered at the laugh they heard coming from the darkness…
