Arkadion stood in the middle of a platform surrounded in a ring of high pillars. Upon each pillar stood a paragon of the Umgah – Mages of unfathomable power – looking down at him.
He knew the structure was made to intimidate whoever stood before the council – but being on the receiving end was a new experience.
“Esteemed Council Members, I understand that I have been called here to answer for some charges.”
The lead council member stretched his six legged to loom even higher over Arkadion and pointed at him in a threatening manner.
“Do not play coy with us Arkadion!” his voiced boomed out across the chamber, magically amplified. “You know very well why you stand before us.”
He really didn’t. It could have been a variety of reasons but he was unsure himself of much of his more… unconventional work the Magus Council had uncovered so it was best to play it safe.
The platform he stood upon was small – all in order to make the subject feel trapped – but he walked across it and waved towards all council members in a demonstrative manner.
“I but ask what my crimes are?” he asked rhetorically as he paced back and forth. “Is it that I want to expand our view beyond the petty borders of Nethriss?” he continues as he turns to the next council member. “Is it that I hypothesized that the humanoids who periodically trespass in our fair city are actually sentient beings?”. He turns once more the next council member. “Is it that I dared to challenge the Priests about some inconsistencies in our creation myths?”
That one was probably not a good move, he thought to himself as he regretted the last part. But he quickly composed himself and moved to pivot. He dramatically turned to the Council Leader and pointed his finger towards him in a grand gesture.
“All I have ever done – I have done in the ultimate service of Nethriss and the Umgah Supremacy. Because I dared to challenge the notion that we must recede in these pitiful city. That I dared to propose that the Old Empire could be a New Empire once more and that the search for knowledge should not be impeded by religious and societal dogma. If those are my crimes then yes -” He took a deep breath and extends his arms “Then I am guilty!”.
Excellent, he thought. That was a good speech. Not only will this vindicate all his actions so far, it all but guarantees him a spot on the council itself. He closed his eyes, hands still extended to await the thunderous applauds.
“Yes. Guilty!” one council member shouts. Wait. “Guilty!” the next one chimes in. Hold up. - and the room erupted in a cacophony of voices in unison “Guilty! Guilty! Guilty Guilty!”.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to go, Arkadion opened his eyes and scratched his chin.
The council leader held up a closed fist in the air and the room fell silent. The tension was thick in the air. “The Council has spoken” the leader of the Magus Council said. A cruel smile fell upon him as he delivered the sentence.
“You are henceforth banished from the providence of this Council. You will live out your days as a street urchin in Nethriss. You will not continue any of your heretical work.”
“Try and stop me!” Arkadion snapped, realizing he accidentally said the quiet part out loud.
The smile upon the leader grew wider and a chuckle followed from the council members.
“You are truly insane Arkadion.”
He shook his head defiantly “First off, I’m eccentric at best!”, before he could continue the council leader interjected -
“We, The Great Umgah Magus Council of Nehtriss do hereby take from you your power. All your Arcane Prowess and knowledge is now... ours!”
“You absolutely cannot do that.” Arkadion declared.
They absolutely could.
A white purple flash engulfed the chamber and a ringing noise overwhelmed him. He began to cast a Hellball spell in retaliation but before he could speak the incantation everything around him went black.
Epilogue
“So it is truly remarkable this my friend. Humanoid sentience? T’was only a hypothesis before but I can see now that it might be right…. But yes those lowlife, insular cretins banished me. You spend your life researching the arcane arts and then one day… pooof! All gone. How could they so fully strip me of all arcane weaving like that? All that I have left is some cantrips and trickery…. I do suspect I might have to relearn the entire craft from scratch over the seasons! But I was once a great Umgah Mage… and I will be again. Which is why I’m here of course… oh I’m sorry – what were you saying again?”
The Blackstone Clerk shifted uncomfortable in his seat “I… I just asked for your signature on the adventuring license…”
“Hmm?” Arkadion looked down at the prepared documents. “Ah yes, that…” he scribbled his signature at the end.
The clerk looked over it and filed it in a cabinet by his desk “So as long as you abide by the peaceful nature of the Keep borders you are free to visit and conduct your business here.” the clerk eyed the Umgah up and down “I can’t say we have had many of your kind before… but if those Legion of Terror thugs can manage to abide by the laws of the keep I’m sure that you can”.
“Thank you, much appreciated Human! Oh and one last note… as I find myself at this… how should I say… lower level of experience I am not used to… is there any work around the Keep?”
The Clerk scratched his chin and thought for a moment “Well… I hear that the Warden is having some trouble with Kobolds...”
The Edge of Sanity
Re: The Edge of Sanity
Arkadion's Guide to the Species
"There was a slight clerical error on my adventurer license you see... it appears that it was not quite adjusted for beings with more than two legs. Even the clerks had issues finding the correct form! Then, would you believe it, turned out they had the right form from the start! But alas it should all be sorted out soon i've been told. This delay could in fact be a blessing in disguise you see... i've had to stay here for my legal limbo... but doing so i've had some time to research the various species that rush through this door and down to the portal room. I have a thesis... with the unusual political upheaving in Nethriss i think that more and more Umgah will find themselves in the Keep. This is an excellent opportunity to inform them of what they can expect... sorry you we're saying?"
"Sir... this is the Playful Maiden... i just wanted to know if you wanted another drink?" the waitress said awkwardly.
"Oh right! No thank you, with any luck i should be outta here any moment now. But there is a thing you can do for me."
The waitress shifted uncomfortably and glanced over to the bartender. Arkadion took out a pile of pamphlets and shoved them into her hands.
"Please give one of these to every Umgah that you see passing by - oh and any academically inclined scholar who is interested as well.
Since i have not been allowed to interact with the other adventurers around here these are merely empiric observations. But i am confident that they are correct! Please and thank you!"
---
On Humans and Huwomans
Humans and Huwomans are one of the most numerous species of the Keep and you cannot walk around here without bumping into one. There appear to be a distinction between the hu-men and hu-women but i have yet to figure it out. More research into that particular subject is needed. What i can tell with certainty though is that they are adaptable and have an indomitable spirit. They will make excellent companions and feared adverseries.
On Elevens
At first glance they can be mistaken for slender Humen and Huwomen with pointy ears but you'll come to understand that they are a very distinct species indeed. I suspect that they are a generationally evolving species. They are long lived which explains why i havent seen generation one to ten nor do i know how long before they evolve into Twelves.
On Half-Orcs, Half unknown
Large, brutish and often Green. They are not friendly and more research are needed to what they other half of them are.
On Dwarves
I only saw the one. And it cursed me out in what i assume was his native tongue. Not friendly.
On Gnomes
I have concluded with scientific certainly that the so called Gnomes are a myth at best and a practical joke at worst. They do in fact not exist and the clue is in the name. gNOmes. No such things.
"There was a slight clerical error on my adventurer license you see... it appears that it was not quite adjusted for beings with more than two legs. Even the clerks had issues finding the correct form! Then, would you believe it, turned out they had the right form from the start! But alas it should all be sorted out soon i've been told. This delay could in fact be a blessing in disguise you see... i've had to stay here for my legal limbo... but doing so i've had some time to research the various species that rush through this door and down to the portal room. I have a thesis... with the unusual political upheaving in Nethriss i think that more and more Umgah will find themselves in the Keep. This is an excellent opportunity to inform them of what they can expect... sorry you we're saying?"
"Sir... this is the Playful Maiden... i just wanted to know if you wanted another drink?" the waitress said awkwardly.
"Oh right! No thank you, with any luck i should be outta here any moment now. But there is a thing you can do for me."
The waitress shifted uncomfortably and glanced over to the bartender. Arkadion took out a pile of pamphlets and shoved them into her hands.
"Please give one of these to every Umgah that you see passing by - oh and any academically inclined scholar who is interested as well.
Since i have not been allowed to interact with the other adventurers around here these are merely empiric observations. But i am confident that they are correct! Please and thank you!"
---
On Humans and Huwomans
Humans and Huwomans are one of the most numerous species of the Keep and you cannot walk around here without bumping into one. There appear to be a distinction between the hu-men and hu-women but i have yet to figure it out. More research into that particular subject is needed. What i can tell with certainty though is that they are adaptable and have an indomitable spirit. They will make excellent companions and feared adverseries.
On Elevens
At first glance they can be mistaken for slender Humen and Huwomen with pointy ears but you'll come to understand that they are a very distinct species indeed. I suspect that they are a generationally evolving species. They are long lived which explains why i havent seen generation one to ten nor do i know how long before they evolve into Twelves.
On Half-Orcs, Half unknown
Large, brutish and often Green. They are not friendly and more research are needed to what they other half of them are.
On Dwarves
I only saw the one. And it cursed me out in what i assume was his native tongue. Not friendly.
On Gnomes
I have concluded with scientific certainly that the so called Gnomes are a myth at best and a practical joke at worst. They do in fact not exist and the clue is in the name. gNOmes. No such things.