Lady's Grace, cutters!

 

“Portals are the only way into and out of the city of Sigil. They are therefore considered a public and common good, and no one may privately own a portal.

Blocking access to a portal is punishable by branding. Charging a fee for using a portal is also punishable by branding or public flogging.

Destroying portals, experimenting with portals or manipulating portals carries the death penalty with no possibility of appeal or pardon."

point 3 of ‘The Five Major Violations in Sigil’, as enacted - 496 HR

 

 

First Clerk Day of Tithing, 126 HR

 

Sarin sat at the long conference table in his office with his two legates, two men who couldn’t be more different. Tonat Shar, of medium height but sturdily built with short, reddish-blond hair and beard, was usually serious, correct and rather reserved in his dealings with subordinates, but nevertheless highly respected for his sense of justice. The half-elf Killeen Caine, on the other hand, tall and muscular with long black hair, was close to the troops, informal and fun-loving. For a high-ranking Harmonium officer, he had a surprisingly relaxed manner, which had often gotten him into trouble in the past, but made him very popular with his people. But it was precisely these differences that complemented each other so well and, together with the factol's own personality, made the three men such an excellent unit. They had been friends for many years and had not only served together under Lady Juliana, but had also formed a unit long before that. Tonat and Killeen were very close to Sarin, more like brothers, and each would go through hell and high water for the other. So it was understandable that Killeen's violet eyes now sparkled with a mixture of disbelief and irritation.

"And you're only telling me about all of this now ?"

Tonat grinned a little, because it was exactly the remark he had predicted. The factol could understand Killeen's reaction, but he had had good reason for only now calling the half-elf to Sigil and letting him in on the matter.

"Your mission for Nemausus was very important and demanding," he explained calmly. "I didn't want anything to distract you from it."

The mention of Arcadia’s third layer made Killeen slump a little, eliciting a sigh from him. "I wish the mission had been as successful as it was important."

He looked visibly dejected, and it pained Sarin to see his friend take the matter so much to heart.

"We knew there was very little chance of success," he said, consolingly. "But we had to try." When Killeen only nodded, avoiding his gaze, the paladin frowned. "You don't think it's your personal failure, do you?"

The half-elf raised his shoulders in resignation. "Well ... of course I'm thinking about whether I made a mistake somewhere."

"Did you ignore or overlook any information you had at the beginning of the mission?" Tonat asked calmly. "Did you act rashly during the mission or give orders that were too risky? Were you reckless or careless at any time?"

Killeen looked over at his friend and colleague, thought about his questions for a moment and then shook his head. "No."

"Then it's not your fault, Killeen," Tonat stated matter-of-factly, and Sarin nodded affirmatively at his words.

When Killeen only acknowledged this remark with another sigh, Sarin fixed his eyes on him more firmly. "You don't think I'd blame you for it, do you?"

"Not really," the half-elf replied, looking him in the eye again. "I just didn't want to let you down, that's all."

The paladin leaned forward, grabbed his legate's forearm and looked at him seriously. "Killeen," he said emphatically. "I can assure you of one thing: Since I set foot in this city over twenty years ago, you have never, never, not once disappointed me."

Now the half-elf smiled, partly relieved, partly touched, and briefly reached for the factol's hand on his arm. "Thank you, Sarin."

The smile had reached his violet eyes, the paladin noted with reassurance, and he returned it warmly. He hadn't really hoped that the delicate and demanding mission he had entrusted Killeen with would be able to bring back the lost layer. But he had had to try, however small the chance of success had been. Yet, entrusting an officer with an almost hopeless mission was never an easy decision, especially when that officer was also a close friend. It was therefore important to him that Killeen at least didn't have the feeling that he was blaming him for something, even though he had done everything in his power. One last look, however, told him that all fears to that effect had been dispelled. The half-elf now relaxed noticeably in his chair and returned to the original topic of the conversation.

"Do Faith and Lady Juliana know about this? Or my sister?"

"I'll tell Juliana the next time she's in Sigil," Sarin explained. "That will be in a few weeks. Faith knows, of course. As for Amariel, I have recently informed her about it."

The half-elf apparently mentally reviewed what he had just heard and then shook his head. "Well, that’s a wild story, my friends." Then an amused smirk appeared on his lips. "And they really thought I was that Hive Strangler?"

Sarin had to grin. "Not all of them, in their defense."

"But the half-elf, of all people," Killeen replied, obviously well amused.

Now Tonat laughed too, he was much more relaxed than usual in the familiar company of his two friends. "Yes, delightful, isn't it? I know you've been taken for a lot of things, but this really is a highlight of your career."

"Indeed." Still grinning, the wizard reached for the carafe of jamju berry juice on the table to pour himself a glass. Sarin knew he would certainly have preferred a glass of wine in this situation. Killeen didn't drink too much, but he drank regularly and often with the troops. But he never drank on duty. "The Hive Strangler, honestly ..." The half-elf leaned back in his chair again. "Weird things you are doing here in the Cage while I'm on Arcadia. And what did you want with this Ittosai then?"

Sarin furled his eyebrows with a reproving expression. "This Ittosai? Killeen, we are talking about the monarch of a Prime Material world here. A little more respect would be appropriate."

That, in turn, was the downside of his Arcadian legate's relaxed and informal manner. But as usual, the half-elf immediately allowed his factol to correct his behavior and raised his hands apologetically. "Excuse me. Daimyo? Or what was it? What's the name of the world again?"

"Kamigawa," the paladin explained. "I didn't know it before either, it seems to be somewhat cut off from the rest of the multiverse. Think of it as culturally comparable to Arcadia's Cherry Blossom Orchard or the realm of Izanagi and Izanami. And yes, Kiyoshi referred to him as Daimyo Musashi Ittosai."

Killeen nodded understandingly. "Whose ... helot he was?"

"Something like that, as it turned out during my conversations with him. He described himself as an ashigaru of the daimyo, which seems to be a kind of common foot soldier. And he told me that when in doubt, his service to his daimyo outweighed his service to me."

He raised his brows meaningfully at these words and Killeen whistled softly. "Uh oh ... Well, that's pretty steep."

"Indeed." Sarin leaned back with a sigh. "I explained to him that something like that doesn’t work at all in the Harmonium and that we needed to sort it out."

Now a mischievous expression returned into the half-elf's violet eyes. "And then the factol of the Harmonium himself traveled to an unknown small prime world to negotiate a simple recruit with one of the local princes. By the light of Arcadia ..."

Sarin raised his brows again with an expression of mild disapproval. "How you always succeed in sounding so disrespectful when you talk about the Prime."

"Forgive me," Killeen apologized immediately. "I don't really mean it. But my main point of intersection with the Prime is Ortho, hence ... once burnt and all."

The paladin couldn't blame him for that, and since he felt little desire to reprimand his legate again, he nodded graciously. "Never mind. To get back to the subject: Yes, it was a very unusual instance, you're right. And if Kiyoshi wasn't a Chosen of the Ring Prophecy, I wouldn't have done a damn thing. Then he would have had to pack his bags and leave. But instead, I paid a visit to his world."

Now Tonat leaned forward in his chair with interest, for the details of this journey were still new to him too. "And what was the daimyo like?"

Sarin couldn't hide a grin. "Much more relaxed than I had hoped after my conversations with Kiyoshi and the way his compatriots acted towards me. He invited me to talk to him about the subject away from the throne room in a more private atmosphere - which Kiyoshi seemed appalled by. Probably quite a breach of protocol. By his side was an old man who he introduced to me as his advisor - and who I'm sure wasn't just an ordinary human. He had a powerful aura that I could sense, although it was attenuated."

Tonat nodded. "Very mysterious. But I suppose every ruler needs his secrets. And what did you tell him?"

"I explained to him that it is not acceptable for someone in the Harmonium to serve two lords and asked him to dismiss Kiyoshi from his service. To make this request seem less brazen, I at least vaguely hinted to him that Kiyoshi is so important to me because he plays a role in an ancient prophecy. And now guess what he said ..."

Killeen raised his brows in alarm. "Don't tell me the daimyo knew about this ..."

Sarin leaned back and slowly shook his head. "Not quite so directly, but in a way, yes. He had apparently been told that one day he was to deliver Kiyoshi to the ‘cage between worlds’, as he put it."

"That's ..." Tonat ran his hand over his beard, brooding. "This affair is drawing ever wider circles."

"Indeed," Sarin replied with a sigh. "Wider than I would like. But that's the way it is, and that's why the daimyo dismissed Kiyoshi from his service and transferred him to mine. Not without telling me that Kiyoshi has draconic ancestors."

Killeen's eyes widened a little. "This keeps getting better and better. He's dragon-blooded? Of what kind?"

"The descendant of a brass dragon," the factol explained. "And yes, I know, you can't tell by his looks - yet. But of course, this heritage can also emerge later in life. The interesting thing is that he may not even suspect it himself."

Tonat nodded seriously. "Then we should probably keep an eye on him in that respect. Just in case he needs support should his heritage come to light."

"Yes, I think so too," Sarin agreed. "I'll instruct Amariel to that effect. And ask her to tell him about a few things that we may all take for granted here, but apparently aren't."

This addition and the strained tone in which the paladin added it made Killeen sit up and take notice. "What do you mean?"

Sarin sighed deeply. "When I returned from the conversation with the daimyo, I congratulated Kiyoshi on the fact that he would now be mine. Of course, I told him straight away that I was joking, just in case he didn't know what to make of it - it wouldn't have been the first time. But he replied deadly serious that he wasn't so sure. Because the kami had heard how he had passed from the daimyo's possession to mine. What he or I would think about it was meaningless."

Both legates frowned irritably, but Killeen, as usual, was quicker to comment. "Um ... all right, but even if the kami of his world see it that way: Is there any consequence for you or Kiyoshi?"

"I hope not," the paladin replied emphatically. "But there’s more to it than that ... here's the best part: He said I could ask a priest about this, because clerics can sometimes talk to their kami. Or ... a powerful paladin." When he saw the doubtful expressions on his two friends' faces, he leaned back with another sigh. "Yes, you heard me right: He told me straight to my face that I could ask a powerful paladin. I thought I'd misheard."

Tonat shook his head in a mixture of amusement and disapproval, while Killeen laughed heartily. "He didn't know you’re a paladin? Well, there you picked up a right one. In his defense: He's really bloody new to Sigil. So what's going to happen now?"

Sarin smirked a little. Yes, Killeen was right, Kiyoshi was so inexperienced in the planes that he couldn't really blame him for his ignorance. It was just very unusual that someone knew so little about him, especially since he was factol. On the other hand, it was also refreshing in a way. "At the moment, Kiyoshi is completing his basic training," he explained to his legates. "There wasn't time for that before the Hive murders. But I think it makes sense so that we can call him a soldier of the Harmonium with an easy conscience. After that, we'll see."

 

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based on the role play with Kiyoshi's player on May 10, 2012