Way of the Wicked: Knot of Thorns [IC]

[Ixe]

Ixe clambers haltingly to his feet, gripping a nearby crate for balance. This seems to be one of the few occasions when his prized ebony quarterstaff is not within arm's reach. He approaches quietly, then slides down to sit next to you, drawing his thick velvet robes closely around his form.

For a minute or so, the two of you say nothing, both of you silently gazing on the undulating surface of the inky black water, breathing slowly and deeply, enjoying the fresh air for what it's worth. The slight waves that play about the surface of the coastal seas seem, at times like these, to be an inexpressibly profound metaphor for Life's own currents and eddies: one never knows when one might be carried away, unseen, by the undertow.

Finally, Ixe speaks, his voice little more than a whisper.

Ixe: "There is something that the cardinal alluded to during our last meeting that, upon further reflection, fills me with a deep foreboding. He disclosed that, if he thought that our Quest were utterly impracticable, he would have "delayed it to build his power base for more decades"... as if he had already been plotting this coup for decades... and as if he were someone for whom a couple more decades would pose little more than an inconvenience."
Here he pauses, awaiting your reaction.