Dark Waters: Barakus's Origin

Ravinica City

In the city plane of Ravinica, resides the ten guilds that govern over the plane. Each guild's conflicting ideals teeters them on the edge of another guild war. The only thing that keeps the balance is the newly reformed Guildpact made by Orzhov's Teysa Karlov.

Dimir

On the streets of Ravinca, an old man walks down an alleyway, when he encounters a tiefling by the name of Barakus. Barakus convinces the old man to come and join him at a new religious service at one of the Dimir guildhalls. After and hour of walking they arrive in a dark corner of the city with a building with the Dimir sigil on it. As they enter the grand hall of the Dimir guild. The room is covered in darkness where the old man couldn't see anywhere three inches away from him. As he is about to question why they are there, the cold touch of death passes through him and he drops limp to the floor.

Boros

 As the old man lays on the floor, Barakus cracks a wide grin across his face. He then moves on to search the body. Pulling a bag of gold. a guildpact rulebook, and a picture of a young woman. As he finishes, a man appears from the shadows caped in black. "Well done, another job perfectly executed. We have another assignment for you." The mysterious man walks over to the dead body and with the wave of his cape the body disappears.

"We need you to take out
Tajic of the Boros Legion. Although he is nearly indestructible, he lets his guard down when it comes to his culinary expenses. Everyone has a vice, it is your job to exploit it  You shouldn't have a problem getting into their fortress since you are well acquainted with them in the past. I will now take my leave." The man the disappears into the shadows without the slightest hint of moving his feet.

Barakus then leaves the guildhall towards the Tin Street Market. As he arrives at the market, he see the market as lively as ever. He heads over to one of the meat stands located at the end of the market. A very large greasy man stands behind the counter with his back turned and realizes Barakus is at his stand. "How may I help you today?" The man grins at Barakus. Barakus responds, "I am looking for the best meat you have and I heard you carry the best." The man's eyes light up at the request and says, "Well I have just what you are looking for!" The man leaves and heads back into shop and returns with a large platter with an enormous slab of meat on it and places it upon the counter. "This right here is a cut from the rare eight-tusked elephants near the Selesnya guildhall, it has the most satisfying and juiciest flavor in all of Ravnica."

"How much will it be?" Barakus says examining the cut. "It is about 800 gold pieces, but I'm sorry it is a bit out of your price range," the butcher chuckles. Barakus replies, "I will pay 6 gold pieces for it." The butcher just bursts out laugh, "What! Are you mad? Do you think I am foolish enough to accept your price?" Barakus responds unfazed, "I don't think your foolish, I think of you more of a gambling man." The butcher stops laughing but still had his grin on his face. "You have a keen eye there stranger, I guess you might have some terms for me then."

Barakus pulls out a coin and says, "We are going to play a game of fates, for the gods will judge who will determine the victor. You will call heads or tails in the air if you guess correctly two times, I will pay full price of for this prime cut and have me as your assistant to pay for the meat but if I guess correctly twice you accept the 6 gold pieces for the meat and we will never discuss this again." "I accept, but you will be working for me for a long time boy," the butcher laughs excessively.

Barakus flips the coin in the air with a large ringing tone emitting from the ring. "Tails!" The butcher cries out in excitement. As the coin descends, Barakus catches the coin in midair. He reveals his hand at it is heads. "Dammit." the butcher grumbles  in angry. Barakus flips the coin once again. "Heads!" The coin reveals heads. The butcher breathes a sigh of relief.  Barakus flips the coin one last time. The butcher yells with a sense of desperation in his voice. "Heads! By the gods, please be heads!" Barakus, once again snatches the coin out of the air. He opens his hand and it is tails.

The butcher roars in anger and declares, "You cheated! I know it! Give me that coin! If I find one speck of magic on this coin I am going to chop your hands and tongue off!" He grabs the coin from Barakus and begins to examine it. After a long deliberation he concedes and salts and wraps up the meat for Barakus. As Barakus walks out of the Tin Street, he grins and holds the coin in the palm of his right hand. Then instantaneously there is identical coin of the one in his right hand that appears in his left. Then the new coin fades away.

Boros Fortress

After a couple of hours, Barakus arrives at the Boros Guildhall. The massive fortress that towers over many of the neighboring buildings that houses the legions of elite Boros soldiers. Barakus continues to walk towards the gates of fortress. A boros guard yells down from the top of the ramparts, "Who goes there? State your business here." "Barakus is here to seek an audience with Tajic," Barakus replied. "Proceed, he is in the east tower, top floor." Then a magic veil lifts from the opening in the ramparts. Barakus continues forward to the eastern tower of the fortress. Before he enters the tower he calls over one of the soldier at guard at the entrance. "Come over here I need you to do something to do for me." Barakus shows the guard the meat that he is carrying. "I need you to run this by the cooks and have them deliver it to General Tajic's quarters." Barakus also pulls out a small shaker. "Also tell them to put this on both servings, it is a special salt seasoning that I came up with and I want the general to try it with me." The soldier nods and runs inside with the meat. He enters the tower climbing the massive marble staircases passing by squads of soldiers patrolling the tower.

 After an hour of climbing stairs, Barakus finally reaches the top floor of the tower. He looks over the room and sees Tajic at his desk reading a lot of paperwork. "Have you finally come to take up my offer for lunch, Barakus?" Tajic said without looking away from his work. "I have brought some succulent  elephant meat I bought at the butcher's today and I remember you have a large appreciation for quality," Barakus says while crossing over to him. "I also had it prepared before I arrived at your chambers." "The gesture is appreciated, please sit," Tajic gestures towards the in across from him. As Barakus sits down in his seat, a chef comes forth with elephant steaks with black salt sprinkled across it and places them upon Tajic's desk. "It is as you said, it looks and smells quite delectable," Tajic says with a chuckle. Tajic picks up his knife and fork and begins to cut into the meat and Barakus follows suit with him. Tajic and Barakus then begin to eat the food little by little. After a few bits, Tajic begins to cough and having a hard to time catching his breath. Then Tajic begins to sweat and ceases to breath entirely. Tajic grappling his throat and begins to cry out for help. Barakus continues to eat his food fully aware of Tajic's demeanor. Tajic begins to grow pale and then collapses to the floor. Barakus stands up and begins to leave.

 As Barakus begins to leave, he hears, "What a pitiful excuse of an assassination." Barakus turns around and sees Tajic completely unaffected by the poison he administered to the meal. "You think
using Ignition salts could kill me. You should know better than that Barakus." He then snaps his fingers and eight wojek halberdiers enter the room. Instantaneously, Barakus casts a spell that bind the half the guards in black threads. This was not enough room to give him passage to the exit, so he made his own. He casts dimensional doorway on the wall and runs towards the door. However, just about the time he reaches the edge of the door, Tajic grabs him and puts a sword to his neck. " Did you really think you could escape after what you have done. Hold him still." Tajec hands Barakus to two soldiers and the force him to his knees. "Although you would get a trial, you have angered me so that your execution will be done immediately by my hands." Tajec pulls out his sword and lifts his sword up into the air ready to strike. Then he swings his sword down upon the tiefling's head.