The Forgotten Inquisiton: Prelude

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2013/131/9/f/9f1346de1f197c7bc34974efcec04748-d64x2ma.jpg

Solo. Set directly before the events of the 2015 Adventurer's Crown.

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

"They're after me, you know."

"They've always been after you, haven't they?"

"This time is different. I can feel it across the aether, even as I linger in the space between life and death. A storm is brewing, my little monster. The High Bard Council has made their decision, and have put plans into motion that would loosen my grip on this world."

"You mean Lindequalmë."

"Yes. They mean to cleanse the forest of its affliction and restore to it the beauty that the high elves as a race do not deserve to behold. They're gathering their forces, their warriors, their spellsingers and druids and scholars, and they plan on striking soon."

"So let them. It's been eons since the War, and every single one of their efforts since has failed. It will be eons more before they are able to penetrate the deepest recesses of the forest to reach the heart of your power there."

"I feel that this time is different. They've reached out for help from around the known world. They've never done that before. This is an act of desperation on the Council's part, and I fear that this time they will have the power necessary to succeed."

"What would you have me do?"

"Stop them, of course. Cut off the head of the snake, and the body shall die."

"Are you referring to the High Bard Council themselves?"

"Perhaps..."

"Going after the Council would be more like cutting off the head of a hydra, rather than a snake. If I managed to kill one or more of them, they would put two and two together and double-down their efforts immediately, knowing that they had to strike soon or more tragedy would befall them. That would make them even more desperate, and more likely to succeed knowing that the stakes have been raised. Cornered rats, and so on."

"So then, what would you plan on doing?"

"I have a friend who can find out who the Council have brought in to help them in their little quest. All I need to do is find one of these guys and replace them within the ranks. From there, I will figure out their exact plans and work from the inside to disrupt and dismantle them. Once I destroy their efforts to purge the forest, I'll worry about those who sent them in in the first place, once they realized that this latest effort failed spectacularly and are stumbling around in a cloud of confusion and anger."

"Do you think that will work?"

"Yes. By the time I get a mile or two inside the treeline, they'll be too preoccupied to stop me."

The Forgotten One Podë smiled. "I knew that my trust in you was well-placed, my Agent."

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

I have committed many crimes in my life. Lying, burglary, extortion, kidnapping, assault, a little gravedigging and corpse-defiling here and there. And, of course, murder.

Identity theft wasn't one that I practiced often, but it sometimes was a necessary aspect of my job as an assassin when I was younger.

As I said to Podë, I was able to tap a good friend of mine and call in a few favors to get the information I needed to proceed. The Forgotten One's information was also correct; the High Bard Council indeed was amassing warriors from throughout the world in order to storm the Red Forest. She was afraid that her ties to this world would be severed should they succeed in purging the Curse from the forest. I reminded her that she still had one strand left--me. So long as I continue to draw breath, she will continue to exist in the gap between worlds. (And, since I recently learned that my Briarheart has granted me the ability to regenerate, even from death, well... whoopsies.)

But, that did not detract from the gravity of the situation. The Red Witch was worried and in danger of losing the majority of her power, and I had to act quickly.

My friend gave me information on one particular mercenary who would be joining the effort to cleanse Lindequalmë. She was a redhead from Corone, spent her days in Underwood taking odd jobs here and there as a contract worker. Minor stuff, like caravan guard duty. Skilled with bladed weapons such as daggers and swords, and no slouch with pyromancy.

Fire. Of course it had to be fire. The man who provided the information got a good talking-to for that one, considering that I'm half-plant. He was still adamant about me assuming this particular identity, and after thinking about it, I can see why. From the sketches I was provided, the woman's face was a dead ringer for the one I wore whenever I had my enchanted scarf around my neck. Well, okay, so perhaps her nose was a bit more round, and her freckles less prominent, but it was close enough.

I would have to be careful with this one. I did not want to raise the attention of the authorities, and risk having everything fall apart before I even stepped foot back into the Red Forest. I can't risk disappointing a Forgotten One. I can't risk losing the power that I've obtained.

The information I was provided said that this sellsword would be disembarking in Beinost. I was there a week before her scheduled arrival, scarf around my neck to hide the poisonous circles around my eyes and briar-knit arms. The plan was simple: Corner her, convince her through money or pain to give up the cause, snatch her identification paperwork, and take her place within the rank and file headed into the cursed wood.

Sounded simple enough on paper. But I'm a bit rusty in manners that don't involve just straight-up yelling at or punching things, so we'll see how it actually goes.

One thing is for sure, though. I cannot fail.