MSNPC Leilossh - A Casting-Out

[+ Vitor S. Silveira]

Writing the first MSNPC is always memorable. Doing it so well, with remarkable world building, and making us eager to see how this mission unfolds requires talent. But we all know @Gnai is one of the most talented writers in the Fleet. 

This is just another proof:

 

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(( The Grand Estate of Our Grace, Rishe Lielossh - Lesser Prash, Meirash ))

(( Late, hidden from the Divine ))

Everything that could go wrong did. It was as it had been foretold, as he preached to the working folk. He knew his sermons were only half of the story, but he also knew that the minds of those who worked the fields below his estate could not be trusted with the truth.

Lielossh, Rishe of Lesser Prash and Speaker for the Divine Light, had awoken to clamoring outside the door to his room, not the light of the Divine Light as usual. There was some sort of hissed and hushed whispering between an unknown number of his servants, just behind the entrance to his chambers. He grumbled slightly, throwing a glare at the darkened panes, shivering as he slipped out of the warmth of his nest.

oO There had better be a good reason for this. Oo

His fingers scrabbled over his scales as they tried to fasten on his outerwear, unwilling to appear unkempt even when interrupted in the middle of his nightly cycle. The nerve of his staff, to force him into this indignity, to have to be awake outside of the Divine Light, as if he was hiding from it, afraid. Leilossh was supposed to have a deeper connection to the Divine, one bestowed upon him by his mother when she died. Not that they’d understand, coming from the common rabble.

Besides the indignity, being awake at night was such a hassle. The Divine’s blessed warmth had left him as he had slumbered for most of the night. They were capable of dealing with whatever it was that they thought concerned him themselves, at least until he woke up like he was supposed to, with the rays of light streaming upon his scales and blessing him. Wasn’t that why he kept them on retainer like this?

Not that he was unprepared for such an eventuality, though. The Divine was a fickle deity, and oftentimes expressed its displeasure with the Meirashi by withholding its grace. That’s why he was there, to interpret exactly how the laity had digressed from its holy plans. And to prepare for such days (and nights, in case his liege one day was unable to hold back the ambitious Rishe, may his days be forever cast in shadows, that bordered his lands), in which the light was withheld, he had garments to preserve his warmth. Unlike the laity, however, his layers were woven in glorious yellows and reds of the Divine, not the greens and browns of the soil. He had no reason to hide in the shadows, for he was above such things.

With a deep sigh, Leilossh pulled the door open, revealing the offending servants. They were bundled up in a similar fashion as he was, and the more sensible of them shrank from the heat of his gaze – a cold heat, much unlike the heat from the Divine that sustained them. One of the braver of his retainers, his grounds-warden stepped up, clearing her throat.

Grounds-Warden: Your Grace… ::wringing her hands together, unable to meet his eyes:: There’s been a casting-out.

He felt his stomach drop. Of all the inane frivolities that he had assumed his retinue to be bringing to him in the dead of the night, he hadn’t expected this. A casting-out was reasonable to wake him for. This wasn’t some ordinary trouble, to be put off for the time it took for the Divine to bless them again with its rays. A casting-out demanded immediate response, far more so when it was at night. That is, if she wasn’t mistaken. Despite his efforts, there was always some group of heretics roaming about preaching that the sky was falling. He’d expected better of his personal staff then to believe them, but they were still weak-willed as most were.

Leilossh: No… ::shaking his head:: You must be mistaken. ::patting her on the shoulder sharply:: Who did you hear this from, those braying about the end of days in the streets? You shouldn’t listen to their lies.

Grounds-Warden: ::swallowing sharply:: I saw it, your Grace. With my own two eyes. ::she finally looks up to meet his eyes, her face wet with tears:: I saw the ancients cast out one of their own.

It couldn’t be. Why did they have to come again when he was guiding his people? Why couldn’t they have waited until he had passed on to join the rest of the nobility in the stars? Even if it wasn’t real, all the common people would be talking. Faith in him would erode..

Leilossh: Are you sure that’s what you saw, girl? ::to the rest of the servants, with a false kindness to his words:: Did you witness this as well?

The rest of the servants murmured in assent. A false warmth blossomed in Leilossh’s chest, a rage against the unfairness of his situation, and of how ignorant his servants were. His world was ending, and all they could do was mutter?

Equerry: Your Grace, it passed over Lesser Prash. A-anyone who was out would have seen it. ::he hesitates, glancing at the rest, before continuing:: Your liege, the Grand Rishe of Greater Prash… His Magnificence is coming – Greater Prash has signaled his immediate departure for this estate.

A visit from Maprash, His Magnificence, the Grand Rishe of Greater Prash, Conqueror of Upper Meirash, Lord-Upon-The-Soil of the Divine Light’s Domain? This had to be real then. The Divine was testing him.

Leilossh: He’s coming?

The reality started to set in for him. The casting-out. The stories. The Empress-That-Would-Be. Every secret of the Divine Light that was kept from the common people that might come out if this one little lie was revealed and he would be exposed as a fraud (not that he was a fraud but that he was keeping things from his people, but that was because their minds were not ready for such things and they were too simple to get it and to understand the enormity of such things as things falling from the sky) and he felt the bile in his throat rising up and his eyes widening and he couldn’t stop himself from yelling.

Leilossh: OUT! And not a WORD of this! ::even louder:: TO ANYONE!

(( With the Divine Light overhead ))

Maprash, His Magnificence, etc. etc. had arrived and foregone his usual fanfare. Instead of the procession, crowing his praises along the streets of Lesser Prash as he approached the estate, the Lord-Upon-The-Soil had instead only had three of his guards accompanying him. Their beasts had nearly collapsed from exhaustion, and were led to the shade to cool down. It was their punishment, for stealing from the Divine the warmth that they carried in their own bodies, rather than receiving that sacrament each day.

Leilossh had sent his servants to care for the guards, unsure of what exactly was to be discussed with his liege. But now it was just the two of them, in his chambers, and his liege looked uncharacteristically worried. They gathered at his desk, looking out at his domain.

Maprash: Leilossh… ::punctuating each word by stabbing his finger into the desk:: Word. Cannot. Get. Out.

Leilossh: Yes, my lord. I know, my lord.

Maprash: I know you know what you preach to the common-folk, Leilossh. That this speaks of the end-of-days. But you need to look beyond just your superstitions.

oO Superstitions?? Oo

Leilosh opened his mouth to complain, but his Lord cut him off with a glance.

Maprash: ::holding up his hands in surrender:: I’m sorry, the Divine will forgive my tongue, but I’m being serious. ::pointing out at a translucent ribbon of smoke, weaving its way above the trees:: That isn’t some fable, and we both know it. It’s real.

Leilossh: I know, my lord. I’m not an idiot.

What Leilossh wasn’t expecting was Maprash to laugh. His lord erupted into laughter, pointing at the layers that he had wrapped himself in that previous night. In his stress, he’d forgotten to pack them away.

Maprash: Sometimes you act like one. Bright colors just make you a target, you know…

With a huff, Leilossh grabbed the cloth, shoving it out of sight. He couldn’t be expected to wear such base colors, even if it made him more visible. He was the Speaker for the Divine Light!

Leilossh: ::frustrated, and not addressing the sartorial comment:: I know that the stories are just there to explain to the laity about the dangers of anything from the sky.

Maprash: Then you recall the dangers of letting anyone survive. Or do I need to remind you of how our ancestors even got their power to begin with? It took a miracle to end her reign!

Leilossh: I know, Maprash! We both had the same tutors, you oaf!

Maprash: ::suddenly serious:: You know what you must do then. That ::pointing to the smoke again:: is not a casting-out. Anyone who says so, should be censured. Anyone who approaches it, should be imprisoned.

As his Lord started to instruct him, Leilossh sat at his desk and started to note down every word he said. The orders must be carried out, he was far more cunning in the realm of governing their domains. If his Lord said this wasn’t a casting-out, that’s what he was to tell the laity.

Leilossh: Yes, of course – ::interrupted::

Maprash: And it goes without saying… Anyone near the casting-out is to be put to death, immediately. Send out those you trust with weapons out now. And make sure they’re expendable. If they question anything…

Leilossh nodded, grimly noting that down onto his sheet. It would be draconic, but that was necessary. No bad omens could come down upon their Rishedoms. Not now.

(( A few moments later ))

Leilossh: ::calling to his servants down the hall:: Equerry! Boy! Get in here!

His aide startled, jumping up as he shouted. His tiredness was apparent, as he wiped the slumber out of his eyes and rushed back into the quarters of his Rishe.

Equerry: Sir? ::eyes wide, staring at Maprash:: What’s going on?

Leilossh: ::snapping his fingers in the servants face:: Gather the people. I have an announcement to make about this false casting-out.

As the boy left, Leilossh dropped his head into his hands. This needed to work. Or they’d have a usurper on their hands, and his reign would be over.

TBC…

--

Lielossh

Rishe of Lesser Prash and Speaker for the Divine Light

as simmed by

Lieutenant JG Gnai

Science Officer

USS Artemis-A

A240102G11