"The deed is done," Jevan said with an easy nod. "Houndarel was miffed to have lost his investment and required the assurance of a favor owed to bring him into the conspiracy. I deemed this a reasonable concession - he must gain something from this arrangement after all - and of course provided the necessary assurances."

"When the time comes to fulfil that bargain, depending on what is being asked of me I may come to you for assistance. Otherwise and until then, may I be the first to congratulate you on an auspicious future at Tier Breche, Master Satou."

Despite himself, Satou gave a slight smile at Jevan's congratulations. "Well, I will be glad to help with that task as I may depending on what is being asked of you. I will politely remind you my half of our arrangement has already been paid in full, but in the spirit of continuing a mutually beneficial arrangement my door will always be open to you. In that regard, I offer you this;"

Satou reached behind his cloak and pulled out a single arrow; long-shafted and fletched with white feathers. "I pilfered this while you spoke to the instructor; he was well hidden, but I was better. It seemed to me that Vahn'Galen was banking on your interaction to turn sour, so he could make sure the altercation went in his favor. Or that of his house? Who is to say."

Jevan sighed as he plucked at the shaft and let his fingers play through the fletching. "Only to be expected, I suppose," he remarked. "I did embarrass him rather unforgivably."

"Perhaps Houndarel is right. I could do with a diet. The food here isn't all that good anyway."

Satou shrugged, "The way I see it, he embarrassed himself. If ever you want him killed, let me know. I am most adept, though I also have some skill in spying and theft as well. All for a price, of course."

With that, Satou dipped his head and turned to leave.

---

What next? We can jump around, if there's anything in particular you want to do before graduation and leaving the academy though, now would be a good time to let me know.

Jevan stared a moment long at the arrow in hand before turning to depart for the chapel. Da was likely there. Da was always there. And Jevan wanted to be the one to tell him.

Jevan headed towards Melee Magthere's chapel. Being as the hour was outside any mandatory worship services, the chapel was as often devoid of most any other students or faculty; except as expected Da Hekar. Rather than being prostrate before the altar of the Spider Queen however, Da simply sat in one of the front pews, recumbent, as he seemed in a contemplative mood. His shield and mace leaning against the pew next to him, Da did not react or seem to notice Jevan's entrance.

Jevan made his way down the center aisle and took a seat one row behind Da, but on the far side of the aisle.

"Good morning, cousin," he said quietly. He directed his gaze up towards the altar.

"And to you, my brother" Da said, keeping his level gaze forward. "By all rights, if you've come to settle the score for my betrayal in the labyrinth then this would be the place and time to do it."

Jevan shook his head though Da was not faced such that he could see it. "No. I can hardly fault you," he replied. "That was in the nature of the game. I would have been a fool not to anticipate it and you would have been justified in taking my place."

"I have come with news, actually. Of a rather different betrayal."

Da turned in his seat, craning his neck as he now faced Jevan. He cocked one eyebrow but said nothing, waiting for Jevan to go on.

"I returned to the labyrinth this morning. Unbeknownst to me I was followed. I think Tuith was trying to correct his last night's mistakes. He was hoping Master Fey-Branche would promote him to the ranks of the faculty. I think he feared his defeat at my hands had put that plan in jeopardy."

"I'm sorry to say it came to blades. But then again I don't know how loyal he was to your family if it was his intention to remain at the academy. The good news, if it can be said to be such, is that you are now the fifth highest finisher in the Grand Melee. Congratulations, cousin. That is quite an achievement."

Da tweaked his eyebrows thoughtfully, then of all things smiled at Jevan. "Well well. It seems house Hekar cannot in all righteousness succeed in betraying you, Jevan."

He then turned back towards the altar, contemplating it thoughtfully. "Before you came in I was considering my performance in the Grand Melee. Even now; elevated by actions not of my own, yet still relegated to the bottom of the pecking order I find myself in. Is that my fate? This path I walk leads to no greatness, that I know. Yet I choose it anyway..."

"Not all of us are destined for individual greatness, Da," Jevan remarked. "For some the goal is to further the greatness of their house alone, and that is enough. I can't tell you what fate has in store for any of us, but I do know the path we walk can always be changed. Chaos, Da. Nothing is fixed."

Jevan smiled and looked over at Da.

"Last night was merely the end of the beginning. The wider world awaits once we leave these walls. Should you ever wish to talk, or perhaps join me for a drink in the city do not hesitate to seek me out."

Da cocked his head askew; "That would be nice, Jevan. We shall see what awaits for us all on the outside. Thank you for informing me about Tuith; I will tell my mother that he died spinning Lloth's webs. That... will please her."

Jevan nodded and rose from his pew. Stepping into the center aisle he reached out and put his hand on Da's shoulder. "I'll leave you to your contemplation. See you tonight, Da."

Turning back down the aisle he left the chapel behind.

Jevan has no more specific goals accept to stay alive until graduation and claim his money from Pharn. We can advance as far as you'd like.

Jevan wandered into the mess hall, nearly an hour early before dinner would be served. He did not have to look for what he came for, as within a moment a call was heard; "Jevan! So you live. That is good, coin is for the living and I have some for your here."

Pharn wandered out from over by the kitchen where several other staff members and slaves were hard at work for the upcoming meal. The supposed head cook seemed entirely unbothered by it all, and instead focused on a bulging burlap sack he hoisted over to a table instead. "A full hundred gold, as promised. Your information proved quite valuable indeed."

---

Just one last likely short scene. After this I think I will narrate your graduation and closing ceremonies in a montage so we can move along to you actually going home. Of course I won't skip over or montage anything that could be deadly lol.

Sounds good :)

Jevan smiled as he collected his earnings. "I will miss our games of sava, Pharn. You will have a new class of students with pockets flush with coin soon. Indeed my nephew Spirdor is not long from these halls. A few more years at most."

"Why miss anything? Come, we can play one now. You can always come back to visit, or better yet give me a key to your house gate and I will come visit! Only to play Sava, of course" Pharn said in a jocular tone, tossing Jevan a wink.

Jevan grinned. "This close to dinner?" he replied. "Any other night and you might be able to twist my arm, but I must get ready."

"It's important a man look his best while his 'friends' wish him dead. It helps them focus."

"A shame to that, Jevan. Speaking if friends, I hear that yours was successful in the game he played! Well done, I'm sure he has you to thank for it. A good situation, to put a master of the academy in your pocket; perhaps it will give you a second reason to come back and visit eh?"  Pharn said, giving a suggestive smirk and nudging Jevan.

"I like to think we all benefit," Jevan remarked. "But perhaps I will find a reason to come back after all. I'll see you tonight, Pharn."

The rest of the day went on without incident, other than the susurrus of gossip once word inevitably got out about Tuith's death. Still, the news calmed many of the other drow; Billarius was content to at least not be the bottom of the top five, and Gul'tal in an uncharacteristic outburst loudly claimed from across the room that it took the entirety of the top bracket working together to keep him from total victory. Both braggadocios nobles seem content once word 'leaked' that the commoner--the one they still did not bother knowing the name of--was not just a faceless peasant but had been groomed for the place of a master.

After dinner, once a few hours had passed and allowed the graduating nobles ample time to prepare their outfits, First Sword Malaggar Faen Tlabbar and Master Houndarel Fey-Branche gathered the lot at the entrance of Melee Magthere where they awaited summoning to Arach-Tinilith for the final ceremony.

Eventually, the First sword tweaked his head, then nodded in silent acknowledgement of some equally silent signal. Houndarel, receiving the nod, opened the front gate of the pyramid and the two instructors lead the group out. As they filed out of the school, Jevan found himself abruptly cut off by the wide-shouldered frame of Gul'tal Duskryn; the drow warrior was wearing a much more traditional and stylized set of ceremonial black armor adorned with spider web motifs; not nearly as heavy as the Duergar-forged set he had worn during the Grand Melee. Duskryn didn't seem to acknowledge Jevan but ambled in front of him slowly as the rest of the class surged towards the priestess school and their final ceremony.

"Ah, Gul'tal," Jevan said with a saccharine smile. He matched the other man's languid pace and fell in abreast. "You're looking very clever tonight. Hoping to impress a certain someone in Arach-Tinilith, mmm? Or perhaps he's in Sorcere?"

"I impress by being impressive Jevan, not by what I wear" Gul'tal replied brusquely. His long legs carried him forward in front of Jevan again where Vahn'Galen joined him, the smaller drow still forming a wall in front of the Freth noble.

Vahn'Galen, wearing a revealing and intricate outfit mimicking leather flames dancing along his body, did not look back at Jevan but spoke to Gul-tal. "You are being rude; Jevan paid you a compliment, you should respond in kind Duskryn."

Gul'tal did not respond, but did make a motion with his head that seemed likely to be extending a roll of his eyes. Meanwhile, the group was approaching Sorcere and the two were effectively keeping Jevan at the back of the procession.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:50, Thu 13 Jan 2022.

"That's very kind of you, Vahn'Galen, but that's quite alright," Jevan remarked, trying not to let the irritation make its way into his voice. "Gul'tal does not appear to be in the mood to offer or receive compliments tonight."

"I'd say he was sulking over last night, but that's hardly dignified of one of the greatest houses in Menzoberranzan so this must be brooding."

Jevan looked past the slowly shuffling wall of petulant nobles to the gates of Sorcere beyond. Mentally he counted steps. If the two of them wished to play at this nonsense like children he would let them. And then he would step away at the last moment and let them scramble to catch up.

Not sure how far we are presently but Jevan will use Misty Step to travel the last 30'