Previously: Twenty ex-suppressors found dead (Early Dyo the 14°, 81387) Free Mages may consist of missing 'dragons (Mid Dyo the 26°, 81387) -- It had been four days since Schevsdan de'Volithin, the Guildmaster of the Bounty Hunter Brotherhood, a USR official, and the head of Swaraj law enforcement had told the public of Ramath-Lehi about Nezoo Azlur's account of being contacted in a dream, and of how there was apparently an emerging pattern - many, many mages had been contacted around the time of the Magicka Ban, all seemingly by the very same being, making the very same offer. The context of each dream was different, but it all came down to an offer to fight against the Council of Thirteen and the USR, and their control over the magic of Ramath-Lehi in the name of keeping order. Searches had been done, interviews had been conducted, and now rumours were spreading of who was involved in the Free Mages, and why they would willingly join - or whether their minds were being controlled by Pakaros, the group's undead leader. Little was known about Pakaros, aside from the fact that he was a powerful mage and a walking skeleton in clothes; it was rumoured that he was a Lukuo in life, judging by his horns and the unusual shape of his eye sockets (it looked like he had multiple pairs of eyes). Beyond that, though, even his sex was unknown - he, or rather they, kept out of the public eye. Messages like his declaration of war against the Council were rare for him. So, when in the early hours of Mid Dyo the 30°, someone reported seeing him in Trilok, the reaction was immediate: What do you know?! The one who saw him, who wishes to remain anonymous, was able to capture him on video. Though the quality was poor, as it was taken at night with outdated non-machina technology, it still showed what many had wanted to see: a short figure, clad in ornate blue, red and golden robes, and quickly turning out to be the skeleton of a pendragon. Curled horns emerged from the skull, and a single white light rested in the eye socket. Its attention was focused on a device clutched in its skeletal hands. After a few seconds, the skeleton looked up to see the camera and its owner. The owner panicked for a second, before abruptly freezing in place - as if his movement had completely halted. The skeleton had made some sort of gesture, with individual finger bones glowing. Afterwards, it looked directly at the camera, and spoke in a strange voice - it was impossible to tell if it was male or female, or even natural. «Las shan taa shet nattuda. » «Nuy heii ydqaxcpodq cuud. Pba Suydsei heii xaoieca epc lxowa jecpoza. » «!o #sr!ros o~r c~s!~rs !s !#s skss o* Kro!sc!!os... #!rhrkcs*~s. » «Oya fhy fuju putkumpup vjyn nidut thyalp cmyf russuj... Grader. » With those words, the figure turned around and seemingly vanished into the darkness. Seconds later, the camera's owner began to move again. There, the video ended. The location of this sighting: Cronvint, the capital of Trilok. Hours later, the USR was already sending forces, and bounty hunters were on their way as well. The people of the continent were warned not to approach Pakaros if he was spotted, but to notify the USR or law enforcement immediately. However, this came with another warning from de'Volithin, a descendant of a bloodline of Khell mages: Pakaros was, amongst other things, a powerful illusionist. How could they know that the Pakaros seen in the video was the real one? And furthermore... what would stop him from disguising himself as a normal, living pendragon?
