Naked Lunch

Rojove dropped me off at the palace, he told me they would take my stuff and have it arranged for me (that kind of sounded like a threat).  Dunlok had changed since my last time there.  A lot of industry was in the capitol, smoke stacks billowed and dirty faced workers scurried from building to building.  Once we got near the palace that lessened and I saw the rich in increasingly bizare and outlandish outfits (had to admit kind of jealous). The palace itself had been redone in a metal I couldn't place, it sheened with a blue that looked like paint, but could have just been the natural hue of the metal.

Previously I'd never been inside the structure so I can't really comment on design changes.  There were guards everywhere though, as I was lead deeper in they had their rifles at the ready (I guess despite being invited they had no idea what I would do, as if being old wasn't indication enough). I was escorted quickly from the entrance through a bunch of cavernous hallways all jeweled and shiny with expensive metals (blue was a prevailing theme, with curtains and stylistic choices).  Eventually I was brought to the throne room, huge doors were opened by unseen machinery and there sat the emperor on a large lavish throne completely naked.  Not the the throne the emperor.  As soon as I entered the doors shut behind me and it was just me and the naked man, apparently security was lax inside the throne room, or the emperor was so full of himself he figured I could not hurt him.

He was an older man based on the body wrinkles, partially overweight, mostly hairless, pale from lack of sun (the throne room had no natural light, instead lanterns lined the walls giving it almost an eery look). He had also lost most of the hair on top of his head, but still had a considerable length of hair that dropped to around his ass.  I'd comment on his genitals, but some horrors are best left to the imagination. The only thing denoting his rank of emperor was a crown.  As soon as I had entered he came down from the throne and rushed to meet me.

"Trezlan Lorentino the man himself!" He embraced me like we were old friends, despite being fairly thin he had a crushing grip, I felt my old bones wince from the effort.

"Emperor." I choked out, I almost thought for a moment he intended on crushing me to death. He released his grip and appraised me as if actually noticing me for the first time.

"You look old, really old, I was told you had withdrawn from people, I didn't realize it meant you were letting yourself die." Told, only one person I could think of, which made me question why I was here if he'd already been in contact with Morley.

"Living for as long as I have, you grow tired of it." It was the truth.

"Nonesense, either way, I didn't call you hear to insult your age.  I need your assistance, it would appear I have a coup underway, ordinarily I would just have them all shot publicaly and be done with it, but unfortunately this latest round involved one of my top advisors and I now worry how deep it goes."

"And you want me to interogate him?"

"Oh no, no I've done that for weeks and he hasn't broke, I need you to rip the information from him. I was informed thats within your power." Again I was a bit perplexed, if he knew Morley, why would he not just ask him instead of me.

"And if I do this for you?"

"You'll be paid of course, though I'll need you after you've aquired the information from my former aide, have to make sure we get all those traitors." He had moved away from me now and started a sort of pacing.

"Should I refuse?"

"You'll be executed for practicing necromancy."

"Great sign me up then." It wasn't like I had a choice, and the emperor didn't seem like the kind of person to be joking about the execution (and honestly I also was a little leery of "and what about when I've done what you've asked" but you don't ask the what if game after they've mentioned execution, you just plan on escaping from the start).  I was told I'd have a day to prepare my ritual (which was entirely uneccesary despite being out of practice I wasn't that out of practice). I wasn't staying at that palace, they had set up a room in the moderately rich section of the city that was between the dirty industry parts and where the rich lived.  It wasn't an inn in the normal sense as I was the only occupant and there were no servants to cater to me, but they did point me to where food can be found and gave me an allowance to eat and get some better clothes (apparently the emperor had been quoted that my rags offended him).

Above all else I still had one thought beating a trumpet in the back of my mind, where the hell was Morley, and how was he involved with all of this? What can I say, I've got a one track mind with regards to him.