Halls of Ivory

Chapter 13 - Vabbian Nights

Elona, land of the golden sun.

Over a millennium ago, prior to the exodus of the gods that coined the Tyrian calender, five of the six human gods waged a war against Abaddon, the god of secrets. The shockwaves and the heat radiating from the amounts of energy expelled in blasts launched between the Five's servants and those of Abaddon unearthed an entire new landmass from within the Crystal Sea, where previously there was none. Bearing the marks of devastation, this new land was since its inception a desert, any solid rock once on its surface pulverised into heavy layers of sand. Pockets of humans that once only lived on islands settled in the Crystal Desert and made it their own.

This subcontinent became known as Elona, named after a large river, the Elon river, which served as a lifeline for many of their early camps and villages. Since then, Elona had seen the rise and fall of entire civilizations, its people were known to perfect ways to solidify peat, clay and various forms of sandstone to fashion large structures and reshape their environment, transforming it into a land with oases, jungles, floating gardens and squares, towers and onion domes that pierced the skies as well as underground temples and cities, all sheltered from the burning sunlight. Now, many of the most expensive cloths and spices traded within Central Tyria were Elonian exports, and the Elonian merchants circulating them made a killing off of them, allowing them to purchase and found new businesses all over Central Tyria.

The time had come to embark on the journey to rid Kryta of the Charr. The notary from Divinity's Reach had not only arrived but finished his first copy. Copies of the film were made and whichever Asuran contact was making these 'cameras' and 'projectors' had finished a spare reel and projector, just in case the first ones broke on the way to the city.

The Commander and Logan were offered to sit this one out, but they both declined. Even if they had to use illusions and disguises, they were not about to trust the fate of their nation to strangers. Both of them felt that if they wanted this to succeed, they had to be present to make sure that the plan would be seen through to its conclusion.

Their disguise would be two-pronged. It wasn't necessary to keep up full-scale illusions to alter their appearances. Logan had his hair cut short and both of them dressed themselves in the brightly-colored woolen garments of Ordhral Salannah's servants and packed spares of the same clothes. Instead of bringing their weapons of choice, they grabbed replacements straight from a local weapon stash. Finally with several bags designated for each 'servant', the mesmers that wore the same disguises cast illusions to alter their faces and voices, including those of the Commander, Logan and Minister Aldryn.

Casting full-scale illusions all around them to make them appear like something completely different, would have been much more draining than this - as well as easier to sense. In the ministry, there were always people who maintained illusions on themselves at all times - purely for cosmetic purposes. But like this, almost anyone would fail to pick up on them and even for the most sensitive person, their smaller illusions would blend in with those of the ministers seamlessly or be passed off as such.

Several times, they cycled through all the bags from dolyak to dolyak to double- and triple-check whether everything was accounted for. Then it was time to head off. The first hurdle to overcome was to pull the rug over the Shining Blade's head in regards to the direction 'Ordhral's' posse came from.

They had scouts posted at every chokepoint the Shining Blade's patrols used to come through, with instruction to take out any that did. Whenever possible, they used obscured routes where they couldn't be spotted from afar, even if their ambushes were to let an enemy through. Then once they passed by Fort Salma, instead of taking the road north straight to Claypool, they traveled further east, into the caves formerly inhabited by Centaurs.

Within, they had a clearly mapped-out route, with tunnels dug wider so that larger groups of people - or their dolyaks - could pass through. It was wound and confusing to anyone not familiar or equipped with a map, but after a while, it led into a tunnel straight north. The exit led into a camp. A former Centaur stronghold cleared out by the Seraph. Now that the only chunk of the Seraph Logan could account for had fled to Scarycave it was completely abandoned. One of their many nights' rests, they held within the shadow of the caves.

Then they undertook a lengthy trek in the shadow of the Heartwood's thickets and by the end of it, made camp in a cave within a hill by the river. Every step of the way, they had two scouts move ahead to check for Charr patrols. Charr weren't necessarily hostile, but if their troop was caught traveling from here and word of it reached Anise somehow, they would lose plausible deniability on coming from the south. For the time being, the safer narrative to agree on was that they had come from the east. They had even packed heavy coats for everyone just so they could claim to have been through the Shiverpeaks.

When the scouts came back to tell them that the coast was clear, they could finally cross a more shallow segment of the river and make their way up the hill to get to the main road. Not having been spotted up to this point, they could claim they had passed by Beetletun even if they were spotted on their way to the city going forward. All of these considerations and preparations were made only for the hypothetical event where someone did ask about where they had come through.

With declarations of peace to most Charr they passed by and their weapons drawn at those seeking to rob them, they got to the city in one piece.

The city was much less lively than the Commander remembered. The first notable difference was the silence. There used to be street musicians frequenting the western commons, whose music one could hear from the edges of the outer ring spanning the enormous structure that supported the upper city.

Instead, the improvised tents of the growing homeless population covered more and more of the one square the Commander took a peek at. More and more of the streets in the commons were covered with citizens fleeing from all over, huddled together in the night, wondering in-between uncontrollable shivers, when this nightmare would finally end.

As they passed the abandoned manufacturing halls in the inner ring, two Shining Blade soldiers approached them to accost the minister. "Halt. What is your business at this hour?"

Aldryn shrugged with genuine innocence. "I only just arrived, what seems to be the problem?"

One of them wagged her finger at him. "It's two hours past curfew! You have no business being out at this time, your presence is making the streets unsafe."

Logan and the Commander were mentally prepared for an immediate combat situation. Aldryn threw up his hands and smiled in disbelief. "Unsafe? I'm but a harmless merchant. Me and my staff have just come home after a long and arduous journey. Now please, it's cold enough during the day, nevermind now. We all just want to retreat into the warmth of my estate."

The minister's plea emboldened the soldier. "Don't handwave me like that, Mister! We're moving into a new age and it is time that ignorant men like you are held accountable…"

The other soldier, a young man with long, black hair, pulled her aside and tried to reason with her. "Let's not make trouble where there is none, it was just issued a few weeks ago and they only just arrived. They had no way of knowing."

To no avail. "That doesn't excuse them! It doesn't matter if they just got here, they're supposed to know better! Society can't improve if we just let ignorance like this stand. We have to make some examples. Maybe a few months behind bars will teach them better!" She went on and on. Her expression was less an angry grimace and more of an excited grin. Upon further reflection of the entire encounter, it was clear she derived some kind of sick pleasure from lording her authority over random citizens like that. And after the minister had addressed her in such a soft and apologetic way, she smelled blood in the water.

Aldryn sighed and turned to the Commander with a tired look. "Let it be said that the option of being nice was tried and has been…" He paused. "…EXHAUSTED." With one motion, he turned to the soldiers and his entire demeanour changed completely.

He cleared his throat loudly enough to interrupt both soldiers and then he addressed them with a stern and increasingly agitated tone in his voice, all with a note of deliberate condescension. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to parade my name around, but it appears I am mistaken. You are talking to Minister Ordhral Salannah. Several of the manufacturing halls both up here and in the commons belong to me and that doesn't even account for my many businesses abroad. I assume it would be in everyone's interests if the Countess and the ministry didn't have to hear about random soldiers harassing a sitting minister in the streets?"

At once, the strong steps and cutting gestures vanished from the aspiring tyrant and her male colleague apologized on her behalf. "I'm terribly sorry for this, sir Salannah. Please proceed. We won't bother you any further." The other soldier's lips twitched, but before she could say something, she was dragged away and kept from further embarrassing herself.

Once out of hearing range, everyone in the troop let out sighs of relief. This could have gone much worse and turned out a lot more bloody. They were lucky that their cover was flying the flag of someone of such high status. Were incidents like this commonplace nowadays? The Commander couldn't bear imagining the fate of any commoners on the street sought out and subjected to this treatment.

The estate they were headed for was in a good state for an empty building. The interior was kept clean, so was the rough stone that made up its outer walls. It was well supplied, both with food for their stay and a good amount to carry back. It had a stable for the dolyaks and comfortable bedrooms for all the staff. Protective walls, any food and other services they could ask for and yet none of them could relax either way.

The Separatists didn't know what Asuran devices the Shining Blade may or may not have been in possession of and apparently some of those could potentially be used to eavesdrop on any conversations within the estate. Which was why the Commander and Logan among the rest were instructed and coached to remain in-character throughout their stay in Divinity's Reach. Each person had a full backstory to draw from, just in case outsiders asked them or it came up otherwise. The closest thing to breaking character they planned to do throughout their stay, was showing the evidence they brought during the trial.

They arrived, they stabled and fed the dolyaks, they carried everything they had brought with them to where it would be the most convenient, they had dinner at a grand table and exchanged pleasantries and they went to bed, all without ever mentioning each others' real names, the planned trial or even the Shining Blade outside of the incident on the street.

And on the next morning, an expected message came by the hand of an Elonian servant. A rich and famous merchant Lord Aldryn had contacted was inviting 'Ordhral' and his servants to his own estate, not for the evening, but immediately. "Would you look at that." the minister pondered. "It seems our friend isn't keen on wasting a single second." The merchant didn't want to waste any time and so neither of them saw reason to either.

It was always astonishing to see the vast contrast between Orrian and Elonian architecture, juxtaposed as closely as they were here in the Ossan Quarter. Whether it were the windows, the front doors, the outer walls or the arcs they passed through in the hallway between their host's front door and the spacious dining hall.

The dining tables were much lower than in the more familiar Orrian building. Instead of chairs and benches, the guests were expected to sit on cushions arranged around the table, like some of the local staff and one of the host's presumed wives already did.

The host himself though, stood tall and ready to greet them. Dressed in garments of bright yellow and brown woven artfully together and a long orange cloth draped over his neck hanging almost all the way down to his knees, the unmistakable owner of this establishment beckoned them in with a hand covered in jewelry and greeted them with a deep, exalting voice "Lord Salannah. You came just in time. I was growing weary of waiting with proceedings. How was the journey?"

The minister bowed. "Apologies, travels can be rather rough, what with all the armed hairy creatures seeking to rob travelers on the regular."

"Ah yes, I'm only too aware of the Charr's recent occupation of this country." He gestured to the tables. "Please, take a seat. All of you." He was an Elonian all right. While his complexion was much brighter than that of the average Kournan or Istani, the broad pig-like nose, the jutted-out eyes and the massive frog lips comprised the unmistakable hallmarks of an Elonian face. "As always, I see some new faces. For those of you new to me and ours, I am Zalambur. Owner of many establishments around Amnoon Oasis, the dyeworks of Divinity's Reach and a range of small ins and locales throughout Maguuma and the regions south of Lion's Arch."

After some formal introductions, everyone sat down and swiftly proceeded to get to the matter at hand. "So, as to the occasion we're here for, is it true that you take issue with the legions' presence in Kryta?"

"Indeed I am. Most of my businesses in Kryta had to close down on account of their locales going up in flames, many of my employees are either dead or out of a home and I needn't tell you how impossible it has become to run supply chains with the Charr in charge. And without a doubt I'm not the only one suffering such losses." He took a sip from his wine glass. "I just seem to be the only one of my standing who doesn't lack the spine to be vocal about it. I've sought like minds, but all other nobles and ministers I talk to about this begin to stutter out the Shining Blade's repetitive rhetoric as though the Countess herself was holding a knife to their throat."

"Then seek no more, as you have just found the willing compatriot you've been looking for. I like to feign ignorance, but I've been following the entire situation closely and find the treaty to be a complete and utter travesty."

Zalambur's eyes narrowed. "Are you willing to put your money where your mouth is?"

Minister Aldryn met his skepticism with confidence. "Absolutely. I shall spare no expense at rectifying the situation assuming there was a conceivable way to go about doing so."

"So long as there is just cause and the coin to see it through, anything can be achieved. And I'm not about to leave a stone unturned. Despite Anise's best efforts to keep the exact details of the treaty from the public, I was able to procure several notarized copies of its full text. And the wording in it is clear: The transfer of Jennah's - and through her, our - claim to the land is contingent on the Charr leaving the city alone. And I have secured dozens of witnesses who can testify to Charr attacks inside the city walls. One of them happened a little over two dozen feet away from this very house."

The minister raised his palm in confusion. "You're relying on witnesses? Those can be tampered with and people who become a thorn in the side of the Shining Blade have a tendency to disappear."

"Which is why I set up my own little witness protection program, all on my own coin. They are stowed away safely, in a place I won't disclose even to you, under the watch of men in my pay who are to draw their weapons on anyone who tries to enter."

Here was a good opportunity to feign ignorance again. So the Commander asked him: "What of the Seraph?"

"Up and left months ago." their host answered flatly. "They declared that they couldn't keep the people safe anymore, grabbed anyone willing to follow them and then left the city. Ever since, the Shining Blade's sent out town criers several times a day to decry them as 'regressives' or 'ignorant men' with a strange emphasis on the 'men' as if that in and of itself were a refutation of their judgment."

"Interesting.", Aldryn remarked with a grin. "It would follow that one could easily provoke Anise by implying the opposite."

"That it would, I guess."

Logan couldn't keep himself from prying for more information on how much the citizens knew. "What of the Seraph's whereabouts?"

The Elonian shook his head. "Nobody knows. There's rumours about some underground hideout on the border to Maguuma. But since they're not here - and you should know as well as I, how unusable the waypoints have become - there's no point in assuming they're coming for the rescue any time soon." That was very prescient to Logan. He had assumed that Anise would be very eager to declare them traitors who joined forces with the Separatists. That she didn't, could mean several things. It could mean that she acknowledged the people's remaining trust in the Seraph and feared dignifying the Separatists if she did.

Or it could simply be because not disclosing that she knew would serve to better claim innocence if something unexpectedly happened to them. Like for instance, poison gas filling their hiding place and killing everyone inside. In which case she would have been perfectly happy to sweep any skirmishes between them under the rug and make it seem like there had been no hostilities on their part whatsoever.

Which only conjured up an even more depressing thought. Was this selective secrecy normal to them? The Shining Blade always had a reputation for being peaceful, averse to conflict and violence and only engaging in it to defend themselves when they were being attacked. But they were all too happy to claim the Seraph had attacked the palace when Logan was the only Seraph involved, while making no mention of their own attack in Maguuma. Omitting wrongdoings on their part to make the response seem unprovoked and then distort the facts of the response to frame whoever currently needed framing - was what they had done to the Seraph standard procedure?

How many massacres had they committed and then covered up? In his time with the Seraph, he had to deal with so many 'unprovoked attacks' - many of which were Separatist in nature. Could they have all been provoked after all? Were they all in fact responses to things the Shining Blade had done and then lied about?

Logan started to get a very clear picture of just why these 'new' Separatists were as bitter and jaded as they were.

While Logan was in his thoughts reflecting on the implications of how the Shining Blade had marketed their conflict with the Seraph to the public, their host expanded on some of the details on what preparations to make for the coming trial. Zalambur had explored every angle of how it might go, that he could. He knew Anise would try to have the case dismissed without being heard and he knew she would try to relegate it to the courts.

He also knew that Anise was banking on the people's fear. A person's fear of being the only person aware of a Charr attack, fear of being the only one to question the policies put in place in the last half year or fear of social repercussions if they were to rock the boat and even imply that the peace from before the treaty was preferable to what they had now. Which was why he was preparing messages to pass onto town criers and send them in every district and on every bridge in the city. To tell the people that they were not alone and that at long last, two nobles were not only taking action against the treaty but also urged the common folk to swarm the ministry and attend the trial themselves.

If the ministers would have it thrown out, concede to Anise's circumvention of the ministry or ignore procedure, they would do it with the eyes of the masses staring down their necks. Leaving no room for obfuscation of the facts or top-down dismissals of public concerns. Zalambur had retained small time lawyers, even such that had failed to get work in the courts for the sole purpose of pointing out violations of procedure to the people watching. So if the ministry did anything - ANYTHING questionable to dismiss his complaints, the people would watch and know about it. Every time the ministry betrayed them, the people would know.

Going through all these lengths just to put a magnifying glass on the highest authority on legal matters - Logan always had concerns that since there were no Seraph to enforce the law, and the official channels would fail to bring justice, lynch mobs would form. But Zalambur wasn't just aware of the possibility of a lynch mob, he was seeking to provoke one. And he was setting up the ministry to be its first targets.

Aldryn preferred to be vague about their direct contributions to their case. He promised financial support and clued in Zalambur on what preparations he had to make to admit his contributions without specifying what they were. A fortunate relic of the times preceding Jenna's era was that what little regulation to the legal system existed, was tailored for the purpose of finding out the truth rather than protecting the accused, so there were no laws prohibiting or even obstructing unannounced evidence as long as it could be proven admissible in hindsight. It was perfectly legal to ambush an opposing party with evidence they didn't know existed and it was all the more effective for a case if one could pull off doing so.

Both parties exchanged vagaries on what they intended to do while excluding information that the Shining Blade might use to shut down their case if they had someone listening in. And even after the several-hour long visit to Zalambur's home, the Commander and Logan had to continue being in company of at least one of the minister's mesmers. In part to maintain their illusions, but in part to pull off maneuvers to shake off any Shining Blade following them as they went about the city preparing the case.

As the sun passed the outer walls of the city, they wrapped up their tasks and went back to Salannah's estate, where Aldryn had drawn more of his local soldiers to keep watch over the night as everyone actually involved in the upcoming trial got some much needed rest.