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Poisoned Savior Authors: Lord Marko j0hN_UsKgLa55
Through the dark corridor a small figure moved silently. A child of no more then ten summers, holding a candle, pierced and divided the dark. He looked right and to his left and again behind him, but not because he was afraid of the lightness corridor or the night, he was afraid of being caught out of bed. Curiosity is a powerful emotion that can not be easily quelled even much so for a boy of his age. The hunger for knowledge pushed him in to the library, he hasn't been there in the last days, archery lessons really made the boy tired but tonight he had to 'feed'. To his luck the larger then him library door was half opened. And through this crack his head first filled the gap. With his eyes travelling quickly to every seeable corner of the library he knew he was safe. Ol' Marcurin was sleeping with his head hugging an ancient tome. The boy felt invited by the circumstances, still keeping his movements resembling a mouse, he progressed into the forest of shelves that bore the fruit named books. His heart filled with joy to see his 'nook'. A small space created between a wall and three bookshelves, it is here were the boy in many past nights read or browsed for pictures many books. The boy picked up a red leather book a jumped in the large pillow he had smuggled in. On the pages of the book candle light mixed with the silver moonlight that came from an above window. The child randomly opened the book and quickly passed from page to page until he had seen one sheet of leather covered in an Ethlbergh oil portrait, it was of an old woman. "Geniva de Ravenniere" - the boy spoke in silence, reading the text below the portrait - "... the recorded facts". Fascinated by the blue eyes of the old woman he began to read, but not from the beginning, the boy went on three pages until he saw a big word in mirshick blue letters. It read "The Axe"... the boy understood that problems have come into the life of the old woman...
He read: The Day-book of Our Father's House
"It was with undue and swift malcontent from his holiness, Arch-Hierophant Regallion Hollings, Eldest of the Church, that the decree fell upon the heads of Matriarch Geniva de Ravenniere and her acolytes commanding for their immediate expulsion from His House. Matriarch de Ravenniere was irrevocably stained by her heinous and unspeakable act perpetrated by her with Aldred the Altar Boy and thus branded her - and her followers of the feminine gender - to be in possession of tattered moral fibres and succumbs easily to temptations of the body, thusly, rendering them unfit to serve the name of our Highest Father. It was on the fourteenth day in the month of Frostmarch, 175 BF* that de Ravenniere the Fallen and the rest of her defrocked matriarchy marched out of the Great Church with their head hung low in shame. They were subjected to the most scathing of ridicules and insults from the riotous populace. It was documented that whither the women tread upon that day, there's a foot's deep worth of rotten garden produce blanketing the ground." The Holy Scribe, Brother Fernswattle
*175 years after Bethrezen's Fall
From another source,
...in my professional opinion, the scandalous affair involving Matriarch Geniva de Ravenniere was a ploy on the Arch-Hierophant's part to discredit the respectable Mother Supreme of the Matriarchy. The plot would most certainly have stemmed from the rising popularity of de Ravenniere and her feminine disciples, who doubtless garnered the bulk of King Emry's favor for their indispensability in His Highness's campaigns - healing whole armies with their particular brand of thaumaturgy. Despite the fact that the Miracle of Reviving the Fallen still lay in the hands of the Patriarchy, the Matriarchy proved to be a greater asset in skirmishes of bigger magnitude. It was also said that there was whispers of hints of heresy rooted in the Matriarchy's Miracles that was supposedly the reason of their overwhelming potency..."
By the virtue of accuracy, Bernathy Foil, Historian
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was a day in early November when my first meeting with Geniva de Ravenniere took place. The now deposed Matriarch was knees deep in trouble with the Church and her new authoritarian ruler Regallion Hollings. After her expulsion a wave of purging cascaded through the matriarchal part of the Healers in the ranks of the Church that rounded up hundreds of strong willed Clerics still loyal to de Ravenniere. Hollings job was an easy one, using the Churches ever so useful etiquette of 'heretic', he was able to cripple the matriarchal ranks and throw them in the dark dungeons of Capitol City. Regallion Hollings was quick to purge any resistance that contested his new appointment. He replaced de Ravenniere and her collaborators with more docile clerics and matriarchs. But his true plan was to remove all of the women that had positions in the Church. The ex-matriarchs trial in front of the Inquisitors Order has started a week ago. Luckily my ties with Grand Inquisitor Gunter is enough to delay the trial until I have a proper meeting with de Ravenniere. We need her clerics and the ease with which they understand the fabric of magic. Since the death of Demosthene and the chaos, destruction and disarray that followed the old imperial institutions are unable find and provide our Mage Order with good recruits. Populations are in constant migrations due to the ongoing wars, I can't remember the last relevant census done in the Lands of Man. If we are to prove any chance of survival we must integrate de Ravenniere and her clerics into our Order. If I can not convince her with basic reason and logic I'm sure a little blackmailing is in order, if not, the I'm sure Grand Inquisitor Gunter will be happy to burn another heretic...
Personal Diary of Aracabus Rigel, Leader of the Wizards Order
The child startled by a sound, closed the book and hid. But to his anger it was just a crack coming from the old wood of the bookshelves. Returning to the pillow, which he mended a little, he opened the book but not knowing what page he last saw, he read the closest one he remembered...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "... exactly one decade had dwindled downriver since the day that pompous, filthy man had my sisters of the cloth and I casted out of the Church as debased creatures devoid of any dignity whatsoever. There is no greater insult to my integrity than that weed, Aldred's 'confession' and 'repentance'. There was no betrayal greater than the Church's betrayal of our faith in it. A decade now from that darkest of days, I now stand on a tower as high - no, higher - than that bastard's Holling's perch. It was difficult to believe that in ten short years, I have clawed my way up to the highest echelon of the Imperial Mage's Guild from a heretic's dungeon... a heretic's dungeon, mind you! I am Geniva de Ravenniere, the Maelstrom of the Empire! I bow to no man now, save his majesty, Emry of Abrissel. The competency of menfolk in the arts of the mystic has waned through the century. They have no subtlety - they have no attention to the minutest details in the workings of wonders. They have no grace, no understanding of the intricate calculations involved in the performance of Magick. It was scarcely difficult at all for me and my sister's in displacing these bumbling, stuffed cloaks and mockery of the fine profession they are supposed masters of. On the day of my Inheritance Ceremony of the High Staff of the Guild, I saw the look of pure poison on Holling's toad-face. He can't touch me now. And it will serve him well to know it..."
14th day of the month of Frostmarch, 155 B.F.
-From the memoirs of her ladyship, Geniva de Ravenniere, Guildmistress of the Imperial Mage's Guild (155-168 B.F)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How was she able to do it? To answer that we must look at events that happened before the Dark Years. Nobles like Hubert de Layle decayed the internal power of the once strong Empire to a point were corruption, personal acquisition and ignorance replaced order, civic duty and imperial honor. Everyone wondered how much abuse could the political and administrative structure withstand before it crumbles. The death of emperor Demosthene and lack of an heir opened up the possibility for the higher nobility to take the imperial throne. This was the final act that broke the Empire, officially all the imperial institutions continued their activity, but their importance was forgotten. Puppet emperors were placed on the throne that were distant relatives of the dead emperor, so distant that their legitimacy was harder to prove and in the event of someone acquiring enough power could dismiss the temporary 'actor' emperor. In the meantime nobles battled away the resources of the empire in a desperate bid for the highest place in the Empire. By the time Emry of Abrissel emerged victorious from the Aristocratic Wars farms were deserted, crops burned, wells poisoned, cities filled with half plagued citizens, roads were unsafe from bandits and brigands. Everyone felt that they had woke up from a bad dream, tears poured down seeing how their once proud lives were now just a burned, plagued, bloody carcass, they once called The Empire. In this state of chaos and a need for talented individuals many climbed to positions of power in the Renaissance, among them was Geniva de Ravenniere.
Duncan Gilberth, History as they saw it. (The author and book that they boy was reading)
The boy understood that he was ahead so he tried to return to were he left off. He found the page and read again...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day 142 That fallen matriarch is amazing, an unstoppable fury on the battlefield. And to think that she was this close to execution as a heretic a year ago. Yesterday her corps of mage wielders, the now famous fallen women healer of the church stood they ground near Grennwood Bridge offering much needed assistance to three of our four knights battalions but at the same time fending off a strong enemy charge coming from Lowbarrow village. My uncle Rigel was right, they are the edge we need to end this terrible and bloody war. The wizards from the Order had an easy time training them in basic magic and to this date there are no reports in the ranks of the new women mages of the usual side effects connected with magic training [...] Day 145 I was instructed by Uncle, Aracabus Rigel - the grand Mage of the Wizards Order, to keep de Ravenniere under observation. Such power in the hands of mortals can lead to unnecessary conflicts. Perhaps if I talk to her and connect with her, become her guide, I could steer her from such rebellious paths or corruption’s [...] We are ordered to march to Fenjur City, to help straighten its defenses. Lord General Whitemoor and I are in high spirits today and so is the rest of the army all due to the recent victories [...] Day 178 The siege of Fenjur has entered a new week. Small skirmishes are the only action we've seen this week. Still no major battles. Whitemoor wants action but I think precaution would be best in dealing with this kind of enemy. I had finally told Geniva about how I feel about her, the emotions were getting to strong for me to keep for myself. Her response was... warm[...] Day 180 I have studied Geniva and her female mages in battle and I found a number of flaws both in their mana manipulations and also in their battlefield tactics. I should report this to my uncle Rigel in Capitol City[...] Day 181 Decisions. Decisions. The fool Whitemoor wants to order a full attack on the enemy storming the west gates. In my opinion this is just a ruse. And now this letter, which contains my studies on the female mages, the courier is waiting. I just have to raise may hand with the letter in it and my uncle will have all the information to keep my dear Geniva docile and in line. What to do...
Excerpts from the logs of Philip Moran, Second-in-Command, Silver Army, Fardale Campaigning
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ YE ORBITUARY
Sir Philip Moran the Faithful had passed on to the hallowed halls of our Father at the age of three-and-fifty on the 32nd day of the month of Harvestmoon, 176 BF. He was a celebrated hero in Skirmish of Blackfen and was the second commander of the elite Silver division of the Imperial Army. He met his end valiantly in the Siege of Fenjur - incinerated by means of magical electricity by the pernicious elves, as witnessed by Geniva de Ravenniere of the Imperial Lady Mages Corp.
His end was described thus by her ladyship, who last saw him alive;
"... it was by pure chance that Moran discovered a band of elven warriors attempting to infiltrate the keep in the dead of night. They achieved this on the wings of a massive jet-black griffin, which was invisible to our sentries against the inky night sky. Moran valorously attempted to bring down the interlopers single-handedly but was soon overpowered by a master theurgist, who slew him. I arrived in time just to see him fall to the ground, a smoking husk of what's left of the honorable gentleman. It was unfortunate that the theurgist, severely weakened by Moran, and his companions managed to escape before I can exact their retribution for such treachery..."
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News of my nephew’s death has reached Capitol City. It fills my heart full of sorrow to think that little Phillip, my sisters only son is gone. It becomes painfully clear that his death besides leaving a bitter spot on my soul it also affects my plans concerning the Order. In Philip last letter, he spoke of a growing bond between him and de Ravenniere and I was hoping to marry the two thus securing her a position under my wing. I have personally trained de Ravenniere, seen her intellect first hand and started to consider her my successor but my colleges from the Order will sooner smash their staffs then accept a woman as a rightful equal. The marriage to my nephew should have been my proof to her that I am on her side. Now that Philip is dead I must make my plans known to her, so that we can work togheter and makes my colleges in the Order see the benefit of having her in a higher position then a basic mage[...]
Personal Diary of Aracabus Rigel, Leader of the Wizards Order
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How I hate when Herman is right. I should have listened to him months ago. But what's done is done or better said what wasn't been done must be done now. Our target is Geniva de Ravenniere the Wizards Order new found 'sharp blade'. Sure she and the female mages are greatly improving our chances in winning this war but it is done at what cost? With every victory the Wizards Order is growing in popularity, prestige and power. The Magick Academy is swarming with new recruits, the female kind is the majority but males are also coming in larger numbers due to that woman's victories with Silver Division[...] De Ravenniere must be tempted into our Brotherhood immediately. But how? That watch dog Aracabus keeps her under a short leash, that cozy mentor-pupil relation is what's keeping them so close, if that would not exist... no...no-no...no... I can't kill any of them, de Ravenniere is important and Aracabus is unreachable. But if I would disrupt their good relationship and spark a conflict between them, then me and my Brotherhood can become a shoulder to lean on, a helping hand or from our point of view a emotional trap, with which to draw her closer to us[...] Sure the plan is ruff around the edges, but time is not our best ally. Damn Herman, couldn't he have insisted [...]
Bruce Daggerth, Grand Master of the Assassins Brotherhood
The child tired from his archery lessons fell a sleep, waking up just before the crack of dawn he quickly searched the end of the story of Geniva, time was pressing, the suns eyes were peaking on the horizon into Nevadaar. What he read before he had to run to his bed, just in time to outrun his nanny, was...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ She has done it. Finally the Mage Order has power and leadership. But it came at a price, enemies have been vanquised but their last desire of revenge has hit our de Ravenniere dearly. As for the Order, she understood in the end that expelling men from the Order made her no better then Holling. Men are now dedicated more to the study of the magical arts and the training of the battle mages line were women are the majority. Personal Diary of Aracabus Rigel
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