The Dark-Elf's Interrogation

[Soldier]

Serion awoke to find himself tied to a cot in a small cell. He had been stripped of his armor and even his clothes were tossed to the side. The Dwarves were efficient in dealing with the Vyssies. A sound to the side caused Serion to turn his head. A stout Dwarf sat in a solid chair, his hands reasting on the handle of a war axe, the head nestled between his feet. He studied the Elf close for a second, then said, "You have alot of brass to show your skin here, Elf. Vysstichi are not welcome here."

[Serion D'Rinishad]

Serion mumbles to himself as he comes to, his head pounding from the smack he had taken upon entering. Turning his head to the side, he notices the dwarf who was apparently here to question him.

"Brass? I carry no such coin, dwarf. I came to seek a priest of the Church. Last time I came here I recieved no such treatment." The dark elf contemplates rambling on about the evil vs good theory that he always uses when stuck in such situations, but he knew better this time. If the dwarf wasn't looking, Serion could easily escape, but why make the short man right? Why let him win? No, Serion would ride this out and make them think twice about persecuting an entire race because one House decided to cause trouble on the surface.

Damn Kitrey'veresi. No matter where I turn their actions are causing me grief. I will end their existance once and for all once I am done here...even if it means I have to hunt them down one by one.

[Soldier]

"Truly?" mocked the Dwarf as he watched the Elf. "Last time you came, the Dark-Elves had not attacked us, killing innocent women and children like the cowards they were. Under Zerdargian law, I am required to seperate your head from your shoulders. But it'll be more prudent to get all of the information from you we can. First off, why are you in Zerdargia? Who sent you?" The dwarf spoke in a soft voice, but even so, Serion could tell he was in no mood for games.

[Serion D'Rinishad]

"Some vysstichi attack and kill innocents, and all vysstichi are evil. Some humans kill innocents, and only a handful are evil I sense a bit a misbalance here, but I guess I can answer your trivial questions. I hope I don't disappoint you."

Wiggling slightly in the cot, as though getting comfortable, Serion keeps his eyes on the dwarf in front of him. "I have come to Zerdargia to speak with a priest of the church about a thaumaturgic matter. As far as who sent me--I came on my own accord as a Paladin. Last I checked holy warriors killed not the innocent, and were not persecuted upon approaching a city gate. Perhaps you would like me to demonstrate my abilities? I'm sure you have a mage of some respect in the Veldar to keep an eye on me."

[Soldier]

"Do you think me that foolish as to allow a Darkie like you to use spells in my presence? If you so much as go into Clara, I will kill you where you stand." The Dwarf held a large knife up in front of Serion's eyes. From this close, the Vyssie saw it was made of pure silver. "I will give you one chance to explain to me why I should let you live, Wolf. And make it good. My patience wears thin." The Dwarf demonstrated by bringing the blade to Serion's left arm and drawing a line of blood from his wrist to his elbow.

[Serion D'Rinishad]

Serion grits his teeth at the sight of the knife pressing against his flesh. Had he still been cursed with lycanthropy, he might have had fear in his eyes. Fortunately, however, Serion had been cured an era or two ago, and silver was no longer a bane to him.

Hissing inwards as the blade draws a red line across his black flesh, his eyes flare with slight anger. "Listen here Soldier. If you don't believe me that is on you. I'm sure you checked my belongings. I have a military I.D. for the Imperial Suns. The only vysstichi of the Suns. I also carry no weapons of any type. Had I come to cause trouble, I would not have entered through the gates. I recall when the Veldar was first established. I was asked to join. Seeing how you treat your prisoners now makes me feel better that I never joined."

Staring straight into the dwarf's eyes, he shows neither fear, nor anger anymore. "The reason you should let me live dwarf, is because should I be killed on such a nonoffensive pilgramige, this city shall not stand for long. I make no idle threats of vysstichi attacks. I have befriended elves, esh'lahier, humans, dwarves, fae. Duncan Scythe, Elanara Al'lende, Moranor Andares. All of these are people I call my friends, and for you to make such a calous action as striking down someone who comes in peace, no matter what their ethnicity, is a sign that you lack faith. Faith that your guards, and your people cannot watch a single dark elf in such a large city."

[Soldier]

The Dwarf did the last thing Serion expected. From the deep recesses of his stout belly, he started to laugh. "Aye, you speak truth. I doubt even a Vysstichie would walk into a city full of Dwarves unarmed were he looking for trouble. You are known to us, Serion of House D'Rinishad." He waved his hand and a Dwarf came into the cell, a ring of keys clinking. He unlocked the Elf's wrists and ankles, then handed him his clothes. He then headed back out. The other Dwarf merely watched, turning his back as the Dark-Elf got dressed. "We usually don't go to such extremes with our prisoners, but a Vysstichi doesn't come every day, you know. What exactly is your purpose in Zerdargia?"

[Serion D'Rinishad]

Serion quickly dons his clothes, inspecting them to make sure they were dirtied too badly after being forced to the ground and all. He was too stunned to speak for some time, as usually it took longer to convince people of his good intentions. Waiting to put his shirt on, he enters clara long enough to summon enough healing energies to close the wound on his arm.

"Well, I must say it is good to know that my name is traveling to some extent. As I said, I have come to seek the aid of a thaumaturgist. I figured the best place to find one of deent power would be here, at the church. With their help, I may be able to prepare myself for some operations I am planning that may solve your problems of 'evil' vysstichi running around."

[Refas]

Serion entered clara and the dwarf, back turned, did not notice. The darkelf found it a bit harder than usual to hold on to his Clara state and his handling of arcana energies to be more difficult, as though they were weaker than usual. But he succeeded.

The dwarf, as Serion spoke, turned to hear the answer. Nodding, though he had a somewhat skeptical look on his broad face, he merely said, "Fr. Mikah is the head cleric at the Church."

He led Serion out of the cell, which was attached to the main barracks building, so the dark elf saw a lot of dwarven Veldar about. They looked curiously at the passage of the darkelf, many glances turning hostile and more than a few grasping weapons. But all it took was a glare and a small head shake from his escort and they passed unmolested.

At the main gate of the barracks building, the dwarf halted and stepped out of Serion's path. "Serale, Serion of House D'Rinishad. I wish you well in your stated plans, though I have little hope that you will succeed. You will find yourself safer in Zerdargia if you keep your race hidden... There are plenty of hotheads in town who will strike first and worry about questions later as well as those who will not believe that a Vyssie could be anything other than evil."