Post by DM on Jul 25, 2017 18:30:15 GMT
Embrus Obarskyr slowly made his way around the solar casting his ghostly eye upon the various art items on display, suits of armour, shields, urns, vases, weapons; some decorative, others still sharp.
The flames of the fire shone through his effervescence, he cast no shadow and the light of the flames did not fall upon him.
Upon his brow sat a circlet that was perhaps gold or silver but was clearly a dragon biting its own tail in a loop, its wings forming a crest above Embrus’s thinning hair. His plate armour was inlaid with similar dragon motifs, the enamel forming flames that crested his intricate vambraces also adorned with sharp dragon wings and talons that swept across his breast plate to clasp at a downward pointed sword engraved into its centre and filigreed with precious metal.
Caladnei and Alusair allowed him to peruse the paintings, tapestries and busts at his leisure, Alusair was obviously eager to unleash a barrage of questions but Caladnei’s stern brow inspired her to be patient.
At last, the King turned to them, his drawn features and solemn eyes showed no emotion, his voice was a rasping whisper upon the cold night.
“These treasures must only yield but a fraction of the sand that has passed since my demise, I would wish to speak of as much as possible”
Caladnei took a deep breath
“Your grace”
Embrus raised a translucent gauntleted hand to cut her off.
“In death, I have no title, my crown is but a spirit as I. Please call me by my name Embrus, both of you”
He nodded to Alusair.
“So you’re my ancestor?” she asked.
“The heralds of my time would say as much”
“You seem uncertain” Caladnei interjected.
The king turned away and looked towards a painting of Azoun the fourth astride his rearing destrier – the epitome of honour and nobility.
“So much time has passed, so many saplings that have grown from the branch and so many branches that have sprung from the oak”
Alusair looked confused “I don’t understand”
The king frowned and then waved the subject away before giving the slightest of nods to the companions.
“It matters not, tell me more... Tell me how this palace came to be, are the people happy? What enemies does Cormyr have? How thick are Suzail’s walls? May I meet the young Azoun? Who are the War Wizards?”
Alusair laughed, Caladnei looked overwhelmed.
“My apologies” Embrus bowed “But I have little time before I must seek out the Talons for that is my grave quest as given to me by the Platinum Lord”
Caladnei smiled.
“In good time well before you leave, your Grace... Embrus... “ Alusair said.
Embrus bowed stiffly again with a rattle, his armour was not real, a phantasm, but the king still looked weighed down and encumbered by it. Alusair grinned a little at the absurdity of it – if the armour serves no tangible purpose, why would a ghost choose to be affected by it? Did Embrus have a choice? Perhaps this is how he appeared when he died but the companions had told her that one of the kings died in his bed yet still appeared in full armour. Perhaps this was symbolic of the coming war; their purpose and the reason they still haunted their old kingdom.
“The walls are strong, twenty feet thick, the people are mostly happy but evil lurks under many stones. Stones that the war wizards, of which I am leader, spend every waking moment attempting to flush the evil beneath into the light of their spells” Caladnei replied.
Alusair spoke in a lighter tone “I am sure my nephew would love to meet his great great great, how many times great grandfather”
Embrus dipped his head in a nod of gratitude.
“Though his grace, King Azoun that is, has never met a ghost before so perhaps a moment before?” Caladnei inquired.
“Of course” Embrus replied.
“I was pleased that when speaking to the living after so long in solitude came quite easy when Katalina, Halcyon and the rest came to us. It seems that it is easy also to forget one is no longer a member of those living”.
He turned to the companions.
"I thank you for giving me this opportunity to atone for my former stubborness and hubris"
Embrus Obaskyr the old bowed low and long, his eyes to the floor for the longest moment.
When he straightened, he smiled, the first smile the companions had seen from him since their meeting, but it did nothing to remove the heavy lines of burden and duty upon his brow.
If you wish to continue this conversation, please do so.
The flames of the fire shone through his effervescence, he cast no shadow and the light of the flames did not fall upon him.
Upon his brow sat a circlet that was perhaps gold or silver but was clearly a dragon biting its own tail in a loop, its wings forming a crest above Embrus’s thinning hair. His plate armour was inlaid with similar dragon motifs, the enamel forming flames that crested his intricate vambraces also adorned with sharp dragon wings and talons that swept across his breast plate to clasp at a downward pointed sword engraved into its centre and filigreed with precious metal.
Caladnei and Alusair allowed him to peruse the paintings, tapestries and busts at his leisure, Alusair was obviously eager to unleash a barrage of questions but Caladnei’s stern brow inspired her to be patient.
At last, the King turned to them, his drawn features and solemn eyes showed no emotion, his voice was a rasping whisper upon the cold night.
“These treasures must only yield but a fraction of the sand that has passed since my demise, I would wish to speak of as much as possible”
Caladnei took a deep breath
“Your grace”
Embrus raised a translucent gauntleted hand to cut her off.
“In death, I have no title, my crown is but a spirit as I. Please call me by my name Embrus, both of you”
He nodded to Alusair.
“So you’re my ancestor?” she asked.
“The heralds of my time would say as much”
“You seem uncertain” Caladnei interjected.
The king turned away and looked towards a painting of Azoun the fourth astride his rearing destrier – the epitome of honour and nobility.
“So much time has passed, so many saplings that have grown from the branch and so many branches that have sprung from the oak”
Alusair looked confused “I don’t understand”
The king frowned and then waved the subject away before giving the slightest of nods to the companions.
“It matters not, tell me more... Tell me how this palace came to be, are the people happy? What enemies does Cormyr have? How thick are Suzail’s walls? May I meet the young Azoun? Who are the War Wizards?”
Alusair laughed, Caladnei looked overwhelmed.
“My apologies” Embrus bowed “But I have little time before I must seek out the Talons for that is my grave quest as given to me by the Platinum Lord”
Caladnei smiled.
“In good time well before you leave, your Grace... Embrus... “ Alusair said.
Embrus bowed stiffly again with a rattle, his armour was not real, a phantasm, but the king still looked weighed down and encumbered by it. Alusair grinned a little at the absurdity of it – if the armour serves no tangible purpose, why would a ghost choose to be affected by it? Did Embrus have a choice? Perhaps this is how he appeared when he died but the companions had told her that one of the kings died in his bed yet still appeared in full armour. Perhaps this was symbolic of the coming war; their purpose and the reason they still haunted their old kingdom.
“The walls are strong, twenty feet thick, the people are mostly happy but evil lurks under many stones. Stones that the war wizards, of which I am leader, spend every waking moment attempting to flush the evil beneath into the light of their spells” Caladnei replied.
Alusair spoke in a lighter tone “I am sure my nephew would love to meet his great great great, how many times great grandfather”
Embrus dipped his head in a nod of gratitude.
“Though his grace, King Azoun that is, has never met a ghost before so perhaps a moment before?” Caladnei inquired.
“Of course” Embrus replied.
“I was pleased that when speaking to the living after so long in solitude came quite easy when Katalina, Halcyon and the rest came to us. It seems that it is easy also to forget one is no longer a member of those living”.
He turned to the companions.
"I thank you for giving me this opportunity to atone for my former stubborness and hubris"
Embrus Obaskyr the old bowed low and long, his eyes to the floor for the longest moment.
When he straightened, he smiled, the first smile the companions had seen from him since their meeting, but it did nothing to remove the heavy lines of burden and duty upon his brow.
If you wish to continue this conversation, please do so.
