View source for In the Shadows of Salina

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== Log Info ==
*Title: In the Shadows of Salina
*Emitter: Cryosanthia
*Characters: Cryosanthia, Seldan, Auranar, Faranmidahn
*Place: A15: Mithralla Merchandise
*Time: Friday, May 08, 2020, 2:53 PM
*Summary: Cryosanthia is in Mithralla Merchandize, making notes and diagrams of what she can recall from her time in the Shard Tower. Auranar is assisting the sith, when Seldan arrives seeking a stone shaping wand. They get into conversation, with the women obliquely explaining the bad time they had with Eclavdran in the forest, while Seldan informs that he successfully rescued his mother from Salina, and a cure is being investigated. Faran arrives, still fragile and strained from her experiences. Both she and Cryo are upset and impatient, knowing loved ones are held prisoner and likely being tortured by Salina. Options are discussed, but Seldan confirms that their only real option is to assault the tower and walk into her trap. He accidentally indicates this change is plan is becaus Salina is now aware of Malik and might target him. Faran verbally assaults him about the unreasonableness of his husband requiring urgency when so many others were taken, and Cryo re-iterates Malik's observation to consider the hostages already dead. At statement that didn't win Malik much affection at the meeting. Cryo also says she can wait a few more days, but then she's going to do something stupid that will drag in all the more experienced heroes who likewise, seem like they will only be motivated if someone they care about is threatened. Auranar tries to calm everyone down, stiff apologies are issued. Seldan leaves then Cryo throws all her notes in a pile and burns them, and asks if anyone wants to dance since their time has been wasted with fruitless research and they might as well waste it exercising while their family suffers.</div>

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Here, a large wooden structure has been built. Its somewhat eccentric yet elegant design suggests its owner may be of the arcane persuasion. To the side of the main structure is a small corral to for horses or wagons. Before the central building, a massive sword emerges from the earth. A sign upon it reads: "MITHRALA MERCHANDISE."
          
Inside is a small seating area with several comfortable chairs. To the back, an unobtrusive but businesslike sales counter, and two large signs. One asks patrons to please wait here and not disrupt those inside the lab. The other offers a lab rental at a very reasonable rate. 

To the left and right are a large set of doors. The doors on the right lead to a large room which takes up most of the building. Several long tables are scattered about, many with small tool racks. A small forge sits off to the side. Unlike the average workshop, maps of celestial bodies and guides to the elemental planes line the walls. Large frameworks of brass, silver, and crystal occupy space between the tables. A large shelf dominates the far wall, the containers upon it sporting such labels as "wyvern bile," "sulfur," "tiger's tears," and other exotic items. A glass-covered hole in the roof, set with mirrors, offers direct sunlight, or moonlight, to shine upon various projects.
          
The doors to the left lead towards the direction of the mountains and what is reported to be a sildanyari-style ball room. Wizards.
          
During regular store hours, a young Llyranesi man, Belhan Mithralla, keeps an eye on the shop and the lab. When not cleaning or helping a customer, he can usually be found reading some book from the library. 

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<pre>-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  Appearing, in Order  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Cryosanthia  6'9"     267 Lb     Sith-Makar        Female    A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman.
Seldan       5'11"    187 Lb     Human             Male      Ginger-blonde human in armor wearing Eluna's symbol.
Auranar      4'8"     123 Lb     Wild Elf          Female    A wild elf with dark skin and a red dress
Faranmidahn  3'3"     35 Lb      Halfling          Female    Albino Lucht woman in black leather armor with a BIG spider
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=</pre>

It's been a few days since her escapade in the woods and the necessary follow up ceremony at the Temple of Vardaman. Cryosanthia has not gone outside of Mikilos' property since. A guest room has been converted for her, lined with lead, and had a bed added for her lucht sister. The halfling has been spending most of her time there, deep in dark thoughts, weaving. The sith sometimes keeps her company, but mostly splits her time between hanging out in Mikilos' shop where she does some work, and taking out her excess frustration physically in the mountain mansion's ballroom by running and jumping around.

Her latest exercise session ended a while ago, leaving her scales extra shiny and her general scent strong. Cryosanthia is currently working on the same thing she's been focused on for days, finding something useful in her memories. These are not pleasant things to focus on, and the main reason she ends up with a lot to work off. Still, she writes down what she can, draws maps and diagrams of things she worked with, and has constructed a crude timeline of ... call them significant moments. As much as she'd like to put it all behind her, knowing her cihuaa is suffering every second she delays keeps her tightly wound. Papers and a couple notebooks are spread on a table before her, and she occupies a customer's seat. Belhan occasionally exchanges pleasantries with her, but she leaves him to handle actual customers.

A chime rings, somewhere in the shop, announcing a customer entrance. Seldan strides with focused purpose through the door, in his most-common shirt, trousers, and open-front robe with the holy symbol of Eluna prominently around his neck. On his feet, though, the serviceable leather boots have been replaced by shorter black suede ones, across which a bolt of white-blue lightning seems to crackle here and there, now and then. He seems well, hale, and fully awake, if exceptionally focused, and another set of fang marks in an angry red grace this time the other side of his neck. If the man continues as he's going, he's going to have quite the collection. "Belhan," he greets in that Myrrish-tinted, polite tone, "have you any wands of stone shaping on hand? I fear I have not the time to wait for their crafting, and I have urgent need." He doesn't seem to have spotted Cryosanthia yet.

The bell draws her attention, then the voice. The whitescale sith looks up, "Seldan!" She rises. She has a pencil holding cup attached to one of her horns and she pops the one she is using in it, then brushes down her robes. They're less than immaculate looking, part of her dance routine seems to have had her dusting the floors and somehow finding some grime despite all the unseen servants and prestidigitation in the mansion. She nudges a book back in place on the table, then flows around it to approach the paladain.

"Are we ready now? I'll get Faran."

Auranar is sitting at the table where the sith was sitting as well, though a pile of papers nearly covers her presence. It's Seldan's arrival that causes her to rise up however, eyes widening in surprise at the sight of the paladin and offering him a polite curtsy. "Sir Seldan. Greetings." Her dark eyes flicker from the paladin to Crysoanthia and back again. There's a stain of healing bruises around her throat. A few days worth of healing has done something to take the bruises away from the black that they were, and left them odd shades of green instead. It's still very clear however that someone had been holding the elf very ungently by the neck.

Seldan looks up from the counter as Cryosanthia greets him, and a smile unbidden grows across his face at the impromptu pencil holder. Smiles like this, the ones that reach his eyes, have been rare from him as well, but it's there now. "Yes, as soon as all can be gathered. We can no longer afford to wait, or lay plans. A trap will not avail us, and so must we walk openly into her trap." 

While he speaks, Belhan frowns. "Let me check." The man scurries off into a back room, leaving Seldan to greet Auranar. "My lady. I do not think that we have been properly introduced, a fact for which my mother would scold me most harshly, although I see that you have the advantage of me." 

He blinks, looking at the healing bruises, but does not ask, instead looking between the both of them. "Mourner Verna spoke to me of an incident ... and yet do I have a tale that I think will please you."

"This one is Auranar, she's a friend from the Temple of Daeus. She's been helping me a lot." Cryosanthia says, turning with a wave of her hand to indicate the wild elf. The sith exhales, removes her left glove and makes a quick casting. A trail of light trickles down her side, finishing with a glow in the scales around her eyes. She glances at her snowflake marking, and nods.

"That's good, and bad. That we're moving." Her tail curls around to her left and stays there, "Our story is less pleasant, perhaps we should go first. Mourner Verna has greatly assisted, yes..."

Her expressionless eyes linger on the fading marks around Auranar's neck. The bitemarks on Seldan's didn't escape notice. "Do you want to tell it Auranar? It's... mostly yours..."

The elf smiles at the introduction, but shakes her head slightly. "Not really from the temple of Daeus, I was simply using their records when we met." Still, bringing up Verna and the... story steals the light of faint amusement from her dark eyes and she looks down to try and hide the spark of memory that she worries will spill her emotions across her face. She shakes her head slightly and smiles a thin, tight smile that lacks any sort of pleasure in it. "If Verna has spoken of it, I'm sure she's said enough. And it sounds as though you have perhaps more important news? I would spare the retelling for learning what we do not already know. Particularly if it is pleasing to hear."

"Mother is safe." Seldan's smile widens as he speaks. "She is not yet sound and hale, and we must yet determine how to reverse what has been done to her," some of the smile fades at that. "But ... she has been ripped from the grasp of the Endless Winter, thanks to Mal and Verna. It is in my mind that she will try no such thing again." All of the smile fades, though. "There is a price, though, that forces my hand, hence our swift movement. Still, when we venture to the Tower, I would have her notes be among the things that are wrested from her."

"Oh good! Oh GOOD!" Cryosanthia bobs in place. She does receive the news well, and smiles, "I'm glad, so glad you've freed her. I hope this stops any similar plans. I worry about Zeke and Faran's parents and how they will be used against us. I've been writing down what I can, trying to organize my memories, making notes..."

The sith waves at the pile of papers, "Of... things I remember her doing. So of course, we will get whatever research books she has..."

That Cryosanthia remembers filling in for her Mistress. "There could be a lot. Bring some deep bags."

Auranar smiles brightly as well. "That one that the fae woman has taken from us is returned is good news indeed. It gives us reason to hope for the others." THe smile fades somewhat as he continues, and she glances over the paperwork that has accumulated on the table before them. "I shudder to think what we might find in her tower along the lines of notes. From what we've gleaned from Cryosanthia's memories..." She trails off with a little actual shudder. It has been a far from pleasant read.

"Did... she see anyone else...?" comes the question from the doors on the lefthand side, the source, clad in a roughspun silk night dress, is Faran. The dishevelled and haggard looking lucht stands half through the door, her hand curled around the edge of it. She sees Auranar, lingering guilt keeps her from managing more than a fragile ghost of a smile.

"I have not asked, Faranmidahn." Seldan turns his gaze to the newcomer, and any lingering relief or pleasure vanishes at the sight of the halfling. "I can do so, if you would have me do so, though I know not if such would have been vouchsafed to her. She would have seen another only did Endless Winter will it, to her own purposes." He pushes that stray lock of hair from his face, sighing. "As do I, Cryosanthia. I fear for all those taken, and would not leave them to suffer another day. But ... although those notes may be an unpleasant read, I would have you see them as a possible source of hope, to understand and perhaps restore her prisoners from the horror that have been visited upon them. That we were able to wrest Mother from her is proof that she is not so all-powerful and all-knowing as she would have us believe."

Cryo moves over to Faran's side and crouches down. She rubs her back then puts a cool arm across her shoulders to give her a side hug while she gazes with her at Seldan. The sith nods, listening to his words, although she doesn't so much smile as grimace at the hope. A hard exhale and a small cloud of visible air comes next from her.

"Mostly I remember the conditionning, and wasn't present for enough of her experiments to make any sense of them. I'm reasonably certain that there are no more surprises in my mind. Also that I'm not unusually resistant so she wouldn't have had enough time to do that to others. Zeke, possibly, but she wasn't focusing him on me while we were there and it's only been a month since. Mine took... years..."

Her hands squeeze. She stands and walks impassively over to her collection of notes, stares down at them. "I wish I had something more helpful to show for all my time there. She was poweful enough for me." Cryo checks her left hand again.

Auranar shifts her weight. "None of these beings are as powerful as they want us to think they are." She half-lifts her hand to her throat and winces. "Though they are powerful enough. I would be wary Seldan, as there may be some trap for you in the return of your mother which you do not know yet. She has proven her patience, and her willingness to do... unspeakable things in order to achieve her goals."

The elf motions to the table and glances toward Cryosanthia then away. "I have an uneasy feeling in my stomach about the whole thing. Something feels..." Auranar waves a hand in the air, a troubled shadow falling over her brow. "Missing. I understand that we're running out of time, but I worry that we are doing exactly what is wanted of us."

Faranmidahn sighs and shrinks a little into herself, almost a flinch, either at her formal name, or the lack of new information. She turns into Cryo's hug and she shakes her head, "This place... we can speak, here...?" After what she allowed to happen, she doesn't deserve a happy ending, but... still, they're her parents and that delicate ember of hope still keeps what's left of her soul alight. Hmmm', "How much pull do we have with the Arcanists?"

"And what would you have me do, my lady? Shall I permit her to take Malik as well, that I might have more time to think?" Seldan turns his attention to Auranar, his tone still polite and level, but his eyes dark and haunted, something in the words fraught with a gamut of emotions. "How many more must suffer and die at her hands, while we ponder the best course of action? She has had centuries to draw her plans. Our best hope lies in teamwork and in improvisation, in doing that which she does not expect. In such acts have all of our victories been achieved." 

He draws a deep breath as if to steady himself. "If it is what she will bid Eclavdran do while we are gone, I will not speak of that here." He turns then to Cryosanthia, queryingly. "Think you that She listens?"

Cryosanthia sits, looking across at Auranar, "You've been through all the research with me." Her head turns towards Seldan, "And you know Everything that happened to me there. I had hoped your sacrifice to help me remember would have filled in that hole, but it hasn't. I can't figure out what we're missing and I don't know what else I can do."

The sith holds up her left hand, casting again to set off her detect magic spell and examine it with glowing eyes. "Yes, she does, sometimes. Not right now. She was ignoring me until I scryed for Zeke. That didn't go well. I haven't noticed it activate since."

A conflict of emotions flashes across Auranar's face, and though she meets Seldan's gaze briefly, she can not keep it. "That's not what I mean at all. I do not disagree that we need to move..." She licks her lips and sighs, her face tightens and she grips the chair she rose from in a harsh grasp, seeming about to speak, but she holds the words in place and then finally looks up again. "Yes, fools we were to /scry/ her works and set the demon on us all." She levels a look at Seldan. "Careful your plans Silverguard. Our best hope is to work together yes, to do something unexpected so that she can not plan against us. But if we move unwisely we might well find ourselves stripped of those that might fight against her and her demon ally."

Auranar rubs her palm over the back of her chair and glances down at the paperwork. "I don't know what your plan is, but if you do not have some idea for what you intend to do to divest the demon from her then I fear us lost before we begin. I do not think we can hope to defeat them both arrayed agaisnt us at the same time."

Some of Seldan's tension relaxes - at least a little, and he nods. "Quite so, and that is in my mind. Someone known to you, whose actions of late have not all been to your good health, is even now addressing the matter. I have some knowledge of her intent, but will not speak here." He nods to Cryosanthia. "Forgive my caution, all of you. Your words are well-considered."

"Just pain." The sith seems more focused on what she's written than what others are saying around her. The tension clearly winds up in her. Cryo slams her fists down on the table. She pounds her notes hard enough there's a loud thump and crack. She stands, knocking her chair over. Tail lashing. Her eye ridges tight, eyes narrow. Hands still in fists because otherwise they'll turn into claws. "Pain and a convinction she must die. That's all I brought back. How to cure the ooze? No. How to control the tower? No. How she controls Eclavdran, Kol, Yukia? No. How she got her power? No. A betrayal of fae? No. Her plan? No. A weakness? No. An alternate option or an opening for peace? No."

"Nothing." Faran's touch helped, but it was brief and she left. Seldan's calm words and Auranar's thoughtfulness wash past her like water on her scales. The palescale stares at her overturned stool. "Clearly I'm agitated. I might as well go for a walk and shout her name. It's as good a chance as any to get her to send Eclavdran to kill me. Cause problems where I am. Out of spite, it seems. For helping Menel escape. I have no secret of hers she needs to protect from what I can tell. Nothing no one else knows."

Auranar startles at Cryosanthia's loud thump and the crack. Immediately she shifts, moving toward the sith to lay a hand on her shoulder. "We are working on it. I'm sorry Cryosanthia." Her voice is soft as she tries to sooth the other woman, glancing at him as if to ask him to help her. "Don't go. Don't give up. And trust me... You don't want Eclavdran to kill you." She smiles a small thin smile, trying to joke away something that was clearly painful.

<pre>GAME: Faranmidahn rolls perception: (20)+4: 24</pre>

"Cryosanthia..." Seldan watches the sith-makar's frustration, closing his eyes and lowering them. "Well do I know the feeling that one is powerless against her, and yet may but one be. Still, we are not but one. We are all of us together, and the more we are, the less I believe her to understand. In the times that you watched her experiments, did she ever take two victims together, or was it always but one at a time?" He looks up now, his own gaze steady. "As for the others ... why can we not learn how to control the tower by feel? Is your magic not by feel and instinct alone? Is not mine?" His eyes clear, and hold now nothing but faith. "For in that have you already brought back much - something of the understanding of her mind, and her habits. You know more of her than anyone, Cryosanthia. In that has your sacrifice been of great value. And ... in your words do I see her weakness."

Slp-slp-slp-slp! there is the pitter-patter of little bare feet before, the door's near closure ends with tiny off-white fingers slapping curling around the edge of the door again and pink eyes, wide with concern edge out past to see what's going on. She intones a gentle, "Cryo... " but clams up with the little gut punch about Eclavdran, then fixes her eyes on Seldan as he speaks anew.

The muscles are very hard in the sith's shoulder. She's quite tense. The wild elf's touch helps, a little. Seldan's words, a little. His question a little more. She's still breathing like an angry beast, her nostrils flaring. This slows when she hears Faran's feet. Cryo pulls some of herself together, and her feelings just fade away into the Tower she keeps inside. Another strong exhaled sigh and she says, "Thank you. You'd think waiting would be my strong suit."

Her eyes roam the notes, but those are really only an organization of the answers she holds, and the sith falls through memory after memory. "She usually experiments on people one at a time. I suspect I was allowed to see Zeke because she was observing my interactions with him and because our closeness made me a more vulnerable target for manipluation." Cryo's fists stay tight. She keeps staring at her notes. Her body tenses up again. Her voice cracks, "You're right Auranar I don't, but it's hard waiting knowing what she's doing to him."

Auranar nods quietly. "I can not imagine how it would feel to have someone I love in the hands of such a creature." She looks down and away, glancing toward Seldan and then quickly anywhere else. "If you would Silverguard... Why does it matter how many people she... experiments on at a time?" It's clear she's curious as to his reasoning.

"My lady, in the higher circles of magic, the power is drawn as much from the interaction between the gestures and sigils, as from the sigils themselves," Seldan explains, not seeming the least bit put out by the question. "So too is it with people, that the power of many together, interacting in the correct way, is greater than but one alone. We know that she wishes to understand, and that her experimentation is geared towards that end. She understands manipulation, a subtractive interaction, a means of forcing the hand of others, but I think she does not understand the power that may be gained when many work in concert together. That she takes but one at a time is evidence of this - that she would understand by looking at each individually, and yet she does not see the whole." He turns that gaze, and that smile, upon Faran, but goes on. "She may understand each tree, but it is akin to the difference between knowledge of a tree, and an understanding of the forest."

The little Lucht looks momentarily like Kol snacked on her again as Cryo relays truths previously... unrevealed to her with an aghast, breathless "What?" She suddenly trots to her sister and tries to hug her, 'Oh, honey...!'. The first musings about loved ones gets, 'Knowing the horrors she could twisting them with now? It's'"fucking"' awful, Aura!' her voice, under the sudden heat, every note the truth of her statement. The albino seems to suddenly realize she snapped and ducks her face, abashed, 'That was... uncalled for... please forgive me.' The question, though gets 'That's something I was thinking about, too.' Faran says softly, moving out to join Auranar on Cryo's other side, reaching out to gently stroke the scales, 'I realized something after... after we ran into Ecky.' There is a quick, 'is it safe?' kind of look given to Cryosanthia, 'You forget, Sir.. she took two at once in the Desolation. Her every answer to interference is one of overwhelming force. -One-. Despite the awesome agents she has at hand that we know of, only once have I seen her deploy two to counter us. Perhaps when the leech and miss Yucky disrupted Master Mikilos' scrying, she realized she lacks positive control on such powerful beings in numbers. She can only swing one big hammer at a time.' Canting her head, 'Even cheating, she can't be everywhere at once.' <halfling>

Cryosanthia remains still. She watches Faran because she knows the lucht won't enjoy her answer, or where the questions are going, and even Seldan's words could lead to unpleasant thoughts. She's not enjoying it much herself, tucking everything she feels into the ice and the tower. The sith wraps her arms around the little knight, and hugs. Her breathing is steady but it's there, the noises she makes to comfort herself, her offspring, pretending things will be all right. The stroking on her scales is a helpful distraction. "It's ok Faran, not the worst I've heard or thought."

Cryo keeps a careful eye on her hand, in case her Snowflake starts glowing. "And, that's true. And I was thinking if you gathered Serene, Hun'rar, Darius, Durrankar, Svarshan, Mikilos, Malik, Verna, Azog, possibly Silmeria, you would be able to take the Demon, were he to appear. And it's not hard to get him to appear."

Auranar nods thoughtfully to Seldan's words. "That's a wise observaton. Perhaps by our gathering of force alone we might be able to surprise her and undo her work." She glances at Faran and nods again, holding her hands together and rubbing them one over the other. "And it is nice to think that she might not be /capable/ of arraying a larger force against us though... I worry what it might mean to underestimate her merely because we have not seen her do a thing /yet/." The elf looks at Cryosanthia's mark with unease then lifts a hand without thinking about it to rub her neck. "Were that we could take him out of the picture..."

"That is so, Faranmidahn," Seldan nods his understanding, "and yet does that not mean that she understood all that that implied. Consider you, that our defeat of Kol, that our wresting of Mother from her grip ... was all the result of acting in concert? It is in my mind that she understands subtractive interactions, but not additive ones." His eyes go to Cryosanthia's hand as well, and he pauses before speaking. "It was not in my mind to take sword to him, not yet, for in truth would that weaken us for the battle against Her. Time enough for that when she is no more, and as he serves her not entirely willingly, it is in my mind that Her destruction may cause him to begone as well. No ... there is another way, and one that may yet serve us better, for in truth is it possible to bind a demon within a summoning circle, does one merely alter the circle and infuse within in the power of an anchoring spell...." He muses, then shakes his head. "Forgive me. I am not well-versed in summoning, and much of my knowledge do I have from others."

Faranmidahn lowers her eyes and nods, "As you say, Sir Seldan. Perhaps... when she let her caretakers die... she only took from that, that attachments are a weakness." She cants her head, "You saw her there, had you not? What had you seen in her, then? Tears? Anguish? Or was she then as we see her now?" She turns her eyes to Auaranar, then, "You're right, she could be acting this way to bait us into a specific response. On the other side, just because someone can do anything, doesn't mean she can do -every-thing. What if we set up multiple scries at once? She'll have to see what it's about. If we can ambush Ecky, great. If we can ambush Yucky, great."

"Did she have something to do with Alexandria moving in time? The summoning circle is beneath the entire city." Cryo asks, leaning against Auranar, curling her tail around Faran. She makes a small shrug, her body is still tense, "The circle has been broken twice, by Arngrim and Toha. There's people down there, they may have fixed it. I can't help you with the binding."

"That She doesn't understand people working together, is, curious. True, perhaps. Faran's question is a good one and I still wonder what happened to the other demon, yes."

Auranar looks at Cryosanthia, seeming to take some comfort from the sith's closeness. "I've heard of using a summoning circle to bind a demon. Though it's a dangerous prospect because one small error and the demon is freed and... Usualy very displeased to have been trapped so. It's good though, to know that Eclavdran is not forgotten in the plan. Even if we do not fight him now, he is a factor we can not forget to account for." She sighs and shakes her head slightly so that her black and pink curls bounce. "Breaking the circle is dangerous in its own fashion as well for it frees him to do as he will, and his will... Is not something that we can know or trust."

<pre>GAME: Cryosanthia rolls knowledge/the planes: (17)+6: 23</pre>

"So it is. Mourner Verna is much more versed in summoning than I, and may know another means." Seldan looks between them. "I would have you speak with her, do you know aught that might be of use, and do so swiftly. I dare not wait longer than I absolutely must."

Faranmidahn hrmmm's softly and cants her head, "I can do that. I had some thoughts about that circle, anyway.... but I should get.... presentable, first."

"Seldan, she's the Queen of Endless Winter." Cryosanthia says, looking at her hand more than she is looking at the Silverguard. Holding onto Auranar and Faran is keeping her grounded, she's even relaxed a little, her aura is warmer, slightly. Her confusion is obvious enough when she looks at Seldan, "Speak to Mourner Verna about... binding?"

The sith waves her hand in a counter-clockwise motion, dialing back time. "I meant your earlier point. She doesn't understand collective actions. She's a Queen. Queens have subjects. How can she be unlike the other fae monarchs and have none? She should, and... she probably does. There's no evidence of it, but I'm almost positive that she does... Yet I've never seen her use them. Has anyone else? They're not mentionned in reports of her. This begs the question - why and where the scales are they?"

Auranar nods to Seldan. "I will. Though I know little enough on the subject I'm afraid." She lets out a breath and nods. "Do as you will Silverguard, you will have my support in it." Her dark eyes trail back to Cryosanthia, looking up at the much larger sith-makar. "I... I had not thought of that, but I would not buy trouble if we can avoid it. Perhpas she has killed all her subjects. Perhaps they have fled her rule because they have found it too cold. Whatever the reason... I will thank it if it means we do not find an army arrayed against us."

"She may have... experimented on them, first." Faran comments softly, eyes lowering, "If she would let people caring for her die, what care would she have for those intended toward dying at her pleasure? Why forage, when all you need is at hand?" She sighs, "Still, the city is a good point. If she had a hand in that, then she may be intending to do it again, or perhaps to excise it completely from the world? Stick it into a pocket dimension, like a shirt in a bottle." Her hands continue to gently run along the scales, hoping to give, and draw comfort from the familiarity.

"I will speak with the Mourner on the subject," Seldan seems to dismiss the matter of the binding for now. "The only way to protect the city is to see to it that Eclavdran cannot be summoned to her whim, and bid her look to her own affairs." He watches the three of them huddled together, lowering his eyes. "I cannot say what has become of her subjects, although did she experiment upon them first, we might encounter them as an undead army. Perhaps moving back in time will be of aid." He looks towards the back room where Belhan disappeared to, and from the noises back there, continues to search for something. Would that I could offer you more. We move in two days' time."

"That would be against the Wild Hunt rules, making them undead, this one thinks." Cryo says, doing her best to remember what those might be. Her tail gets looser around Faran, holding her gently now, and less in desperation. The little hands on her scales help. She concentrates on those, on the scent of the wild elf beside her. She is in a safe place. Stay relaxed, stay focused. Winding up will not help Zeke. "She might have sent them ahead in time, to meet us when we go to the tower."

Cryosanthia huffs, "And she might have invisible assassins trained specifically in our fighting styles. There is only so many potentials we can consider. I think they must be somewhere, with the Ice Demon, hiding, frozen under water. Mikilos asked the Fae rulers for an army, if she truly doesn't understand collective command, perhaps they are awaiting someone else. We could use hers. If it was not her that moved Alexandria I guess it's not important. Two days, I'll be as ready as I can."

A thought strikes, the palescale holds out her hand more, stares at the snowflake mark, "I'm her property, does this make me her subject? Did she turn the other fae into oozes so they would make more subjects and grow her power?"

<pre>GAME: Cryosanthia rolls knowledge/the planes: (11)+6: 17
GAME: Asmli rolls 1d20+9: (1)+9: 10 (EPIC FAIL)</pre>

"The Wild Hunt hunts oathbreakers and kinslayers," Seldan answers Cryosanthia. He leans against the counter hile he continues to wait, adding, "Had she experimented upon her own subjects, she may well have been targeted by the Hunt for such an act. I know not where her subjects might be, but how likely are they to be within the tower?"

"I should be finished in time." Faran murmurs softly, but continues trying to reassure the sith, "You're no one's property, Cryosanthia. You were a captive. A victim. A thing is owned, a person... coerced, but not the same." She looks up at her inquiry about the slimes and, while vaguely horrified that the concept is well within Salina's potential, she says, "I... think I would have seen a transmutation aura if she had, but... obviously there is some... transformative effect based on... longer instances of infection." A palm comes to her face as though she dreads that she already knows the answer, "Has anyone else tried to examine the slimes? More experienced eyes than my own?" She shakes her head, and, "If such is the case... then the oozes, what we consider a plague, could be... gods... could be Sally's first, perhaps most unfortunate victims. We must know. To mourn, or cure, we can do neither in ignorance."

Auranar makes a face at the snowflake scar. Then lets out a long breath. "None of this matters now unless she made an oath to these people that we can use against her. And we have no way of knowing if she did. Or if she... did this to them even." She looks like she might be sick. She takes a step away from Cryosanthia as a shudder runs through her and she rubs her arms as if to warm herself. "It would serve us well if in freeing her prisoners we were her undoing, but I would not risk my hope on such a thing. Instead we must plan as if we will have no help at all against her."

The whitescale shrugs, holding her hands out and wide. "This one wasn't above the first floor. They could be, if they're small. The tower seems big enough and to her whim, she could have a door open on an endless landscape as far as this one knows."

Cryo carefuly strokes Faran's head, "We had Verna look at our memories, not the ooze though, but not likely. This one is unsure we would learn anything useful about oozes. If they are her subjects, transformed, they still live. It's likely within the rules." She looks at Auranar as she steps away.

"Sorry. You're right, plans should not include them. And, thanks Faran. Maybe we'll find the answers to them in her notes."

"Even so." Seldan inclines his head to Auranar, in agreement, then turns back to the others. "It is ... not my wish to sound callous, Cryosanthia, Faranmidahn ... and yet. I fear that I must leave the curing of the plague, and its reversal, in the hands of others, until such time as she be thrown down. The price of freeing Mother ... Malik revealed himself to Salina. It is a matter of time ere she finds him, and I must move on her ere that happens, else do we lose a valuable ally." His eyes are now on the floor. "I must leave all that is not Her undoing in the hands of others, till this be done."

Faranmidahn's eyes, mournful and tired, are suddenly alight with incredulous indignation, "What the FUCK?" she screeches; a mouse midroar. She disengages herself from her sworn sister, their sorority nearly more of anguish than love, and stalks, trembling with anger toward the paladin, 'Not our parents, not poor Zeke. No, we wait...' her head shakes and she gestures back toward Auranar, 'Auranar is killed when we accidentally dragged her and Verna into our trouble, because WISER EYES kept turning away from the word of those two useless twits who only cracked -anything- about the gods forsaken slime in the water supply. No, we wait!' Her teeth are gnashed together in a snarl, 'How many others taken by the Winter Queen's pets for a honeymoon in hell until someone rescues them? How many of them have to WAIT?' She's not armed, but Gilead help her, her hand is halfway across her waist as though reaching to draw, 'Now, when your husband is exposed... -NOW- we've graced with urgency??' <halfling>

<pre>GAME: Faranmidahn rolls knowledge/arcana: (7)+10: 17</pre>

Faran's anger ignites something in Auranar, and she moves quickly across the space to the lucht's side, wrapping her arms around the smaller woman from behind. There's anger and hurt in her dark eyes, but it's not anger at Seldan, not hurt caused by this man. "Faran!" She says the other woman's name urgently. "Let it go. Please. He's not your enemy! He only wants to protect the one he loves like we do."

There's something hollow around the edges of her words, a pain she chan not erase entirely. "Please. Save your anger for the one who really deserves it." She looks up at Seldan from where she's crouched around the other woman. "It's just pain. Too much has been taken. Too much."

"Seldan. I can wait two days." The sith is calm, her words cool. She kneels to put her hand on Faran's head, Auranar has effectively hug-shielded the rest of her. The gestures is support more than restraint, and she looks up at the Silverguard. "You know what She is doing to Zeke. What She can do in two more days. We've seen our ineffectiveness so we know. I have few options except waiting."

A flash of light crosses her gem-like eyes, "I could go to the Exporer's Guild, hang around the Colosseum. Do nothing and the Demon might show. So called heroes with no stake in this would be forced to deal with him. Nothing of value might be lost. Perhaps even the Mistress would come for me herself. Instead I hide and wait to be told what's going on. Has anyone even tried to find Kira or Merek? At least one would be a valuable ally still. It's been, a week? The minutes in hell go slowly too, I'm sure."

"I can wait. Your husband said I should consider my mate dead. All our lost allys dead. That's hard fertilizer to grow sympathy in. I'm not about to spend my life uselessly but I will dive in the dragon's maw for a wild chance. The longer I wait the more that's going to seem a good idea." Cryosanthia is very focused. The pencil rattling around in the horn-cup somewhat weakens her words.

<pre>GAME: Seldan rolls 1d20+24: (17)+24: 41</pre>

"Draw on me now, strike me now, and disgrace your blade, Faranmidahn. A knight has better control of her temper than that, and well you know it." Seldan doesn't move as Faran advances on him, his entire bearing and demeanor going impassive. "Yes, it is time and past that we moved. Long since past. Perhaps you are unaware that an archdemon stalks the very sewers of the city, and may be summoned at will by little more than a wish, a spoken name, and a few drops of blood. Do you think that Zeke and you and your parents are the only ones who suffer, you had best correct your thinking quickly. I could not protect one who left of his own free will, but I mean to see to it that she takes no more, and there is nothing to be gained by tears or anger. We must all work together, as I have said, do we wish a hope to succeed. The choice is yours." He seems about to go on, but stops himself with an effort, and turns to Cryosanthia. "Prepare yourself. Prepare your gear. We know not what we face, but hiding and waiting indefinitely will not improve what is to be."

Faranmidahn is effectively pinned being so wrapped in the larger woman's arms, and she shakes her head at first, "A Knight doesn't let an innocent woman DIE!" she screams in anguish, "Cryo told me what happened in the Fernwood! She tampered with my memory, I didn't fail Cryo... and I find out just in time, I have that back, for seconds, just in time to fail Aura!" Still, just as well none of her weapons are actually on her, even pinned she might have done something silly. She struggles some to get loose, though after Seldan's browbeating, into the explaination, while uncooled, her anger is given reign. The hand on her head and the elf's embrace now given their chance to calm her further, and again ashamed, her head hangs and it takes several shaking breaths before she murmurs, "That... was unworthy... I... apologize, Sir."

"You never failed me Faran. I was never yours to protect." Auranar doesn't let go of the smaller woman, half fearing that her anger will return and something unfortunate might happen. Something that Cryosanthia says - the comment about what Malik says makes her wince, looking down and away. Stairing at the floor as if it might hold the answers that they so despirately need. "We hear you Sir Seldan, and we will aid you how we can if we may." She finally looks up. Her eyes tight. "May Eluna shine on you that your loved ones stay safe."

Cryosanthia remains crouched, rubbing Faran's head, listening. She's not bound by knight's oath or paladin code and ties of friendship and family can become... strained. "Get gear. Got it."

There doesn't seem to be much more to add. Although she finds something, "As I said before, whatever you need, Sir Seldan. I'm at your command. We will be here."

The sith glances at Auranar, at her voiced prayer. While she attempts to echo the sentiment it only sounds bitter, her prayers have been answered more by people than divinities, "May whatever Gods feel so inclined to protect us and our loved ones do so, yes."

That shame is echoed in the look on Seldan's face, as he looks between the three of them. "She blesses me already that you yet follow me. I am not full worthy, either, of that." With that, he makes to turn away towards the door, his own shoulders tense.

Faranmidahn doesn't lift her chin as he leaves her apology hung. So be it. As he turns to depart, she affirms, "We will be ready, Sir." He is given several heartbeats peace, then, "After... were it possible... I would speak with you. Walk.... softly in the Hunter's favored winds, Sir Seldan." And, like that, she sinks into Auranar's arms and sighs, "You're... very kind, Aura...." Though Cryo's words has her a little concerned, that might be a conversation for later.

Auranar squeezes Faran gently. "I only say what is true. Don't hold my death as your responsibilty Faran. I'm glad he chose me. I'm glad I'm the only one he hurt." She buries her face in the lucht's hair and... she's shaking gently. The haunting memory of her own death too fresh in her mind for her to not feel a thrill of fear at the thought of it.

Cryosanthia stands, waiting demurely and watching Seldan leave. Her hands clasped in front of her. Whatever she is feeling, it's hidden. Once he's left the shop she leans to rub Auranar's head, then Faran's again. "Thanks."

The sith turns and looks at her notes spread out on the table. Her eyes unblinking, hard and impassive. She steps over to them and sweeps them all together in a pile, unconcerned at how scrolls and notebooks are crunched and folded. She turns and exits the shop into the courtyard outside where she throws the pile on the ground. Her hand flips a series of gestures, a swirling of light cascades along her arm. A tiny firey dragon appears on her fingertip, she points it at the pile and it zooms into the papers and explodes in fireworks.

The sith turns her back, returns inside, leaving the pile to burn. Looking at the other two, she smiles, "So, anyone feel like dancing?"

{{LineSkulls|300px}}

[[Category:Logs|In the Shadows of Salina]]
[[Category:Plague|In the Shadows of Salina]]