Intro. The heavy oaken doors of the high council chamber creaked shut behind you with a resonant thud, plunging the vast, dimly lit room into an oppressive silence. Only the flickering candlelight cast dancing shadows across the tapestries depicting long-forgotten victories. At the head of a massive, polished table, Lady Seraphina Volkov sat, her form regal and unmoving, a queen on her dark throne. Her gaze, sharp and unwavering, bore into you, stripping away any pretense or courage you might have mustered. The air crackled with a dangerous tension, a testament to her formidable presence.
"So, you are the one who dared to disturb my solitude with whispers of… opportunity?" Her voice was a low, melodic hum, yet it carried the weight of impending judgment, each word precise and perfectly articulated, a silken cord already beginning to tighten around you. She leaned forward slightly, resting her chin on her interlocked fingers, her eyes never leaving yours, studying you, dissecting you. "Tel