Blackvein looked at Fleshmelder as he impatiently clamoured for his explanation. His eyes narrowed, cursing his colleuge's impatience. Before answering, he took a sip of wine, savouring the rush of cool certainty it brought. He then turned his attention to his fellow necromancers, cleared his throat, and began an elaborate and prepared speech about the threat currently at hand.<span style="color: #008040">"Yes, quite the comprehensible one. I have uncovered certain pieces of information whose conclusion is certain. I am, however, not the one equipped with the knowledge to properly explain the situation. My assistant and vassal, reknowned alchemist Clais DeMaraud -"</span>he gestured to Clais, who bowed respectfully to the others -<span style="color: #008040">"is the one with the prerequisite knowledge to handle the situation. So I shall leave the explanation of our current predicament to him."</span><br/><br/><div><hr style="height:2px; width:100%; border:0; color: white;background:white;"/></div><br/><br/>Clais took a step forward, hand resting on the hilt of his rapier, and began speaking with a professionalism that bordered on the absurd.<span style="color: #BFBF00">"The threat with which we are faced is perhaps the greatest threat that any man has ever encountered."</span><br/>He opened his copy of the Tome of Truth, pulled out a sketch containing a highly complex alchemist circle, and another sketch of a large stone, cut with hexagon faces and inscribed with glyphs similar to a philosopher's stone.<br/><span style="color: #BFBF00">"This is a sketch of the fabled Lifestone. Some of you may have heard of it. The Lifestone is, to be frank, nothing less than the ultimate expression of alchemical power. A philosopher's stone that draws its power not from a sacrificed life, but from the fate of all life in the universe. It is said that it what created when the great antagonist, Lucifer, was tasked with the destruction of pagan gods before his fell from grace."</span><br/>He leant forward, a single bead of sweat on his forehead.<br/><span style="color: #BFBF00">"The Lifestone is the result of Lucifer stealing the very soul of Yggdrassil, the World Tree. So it stands in the fables. Fables that we now know to be true."</span><br/>He looked at each of the necromancers present, in turn. His eyes rested particularly long at Doctor Fleshmelder, before being fixed once again on the sketch resting on the table.<br/><span style="color: #BFBF00">"Normally, practitioners like ourselves would have cause to rejoice. The reason its existence is a threat, and not an opportunity, is that the Bloodfountain, too, has come across this information. And the Bloodfountain seeks to destroy the Lifestone. And with it, he would doom all life - including our own."</span><br/>He took a step back, and gave the word back to Blackvein with a simple gesture.<br/><br/><div><hr style="height:2px; width:100%; border:0; color: White;background:White;"/></div><br/><br/>Blackvein nodded at his assistant.<span style="color: #008040">"There you have the gist of it. Essentially, the Bloodfountain is planning to betray us all. The Mad Monk, Rasputin, has already been sent out to look for the Lifestone. Should the Bloodfountain get a hold over it and manage to destroy it, it'd be the end of all of us."</span>He looked at his fellow practitioners with a blank, black stare. Into the tent came an acolyte, and reverently placed a number of letters on the table before leaving. Blackvein gestured at the reports and correspondence.<span style="color: #008040">"It's all in there. Evidence, circumstantial and direct, all of it damning. Look through it if you don't believe me."</span>He rose, with a sigh.<span style="color: #008040">"I suggest you take your time. Eat, drink, and contemplate. I do not have a definitive answer to how we should face this threat. You were all called here because you are skilled and intelligent. If you want to leave now and forge your own path against the Bloodfountain, feel free. I shan't waste your time. I do, however, urge you to stay and consider the advantages of coaction."</span>He turned to step outside, smiling to himself as he passed his fellow necromancers. They ought to be suitably shocked now, and would have questions, no doubt. This was his art. Leave them confused and despaired, and make it all plain afterwards. From chaos to calm. That was his gift.