Prison Return
Tenebrae - Tuesday, May 07, 2019, 9:19 AM
-=--=--=--=--=-<* Roleplay Nexus: Arcanists' Guild Dungeons *>--=--=--=--=--=-
Getting here requires passing a number of checkpoints, scans, and security checks. Once arrived, however, ones senses feel stifled and full, as though the mouth and ears were filled with cotton. This feeling will not leave until one exits.
The dungeons consist of a series of long halls, among which there are many rooms. Here, magic is blocked--thanks to heavy symbols engraved in wrought iron. These iron symbols lay resting into stone, itself carved. Nethercite, that terrifying legend of ages, lays placed into the walls. Guards may be found on regular patrols.
Here, the Guild takes no chances. Here, the most dangerous of mages await trial--or face imprisonment. And lately; willing plague victims. Along one particular hall, a door lies open. Outside it are a set of sith-makar guards. Past that and inside the room is a small table, with cards on it. A few dice. A set of chairs and some bare cots. Buckets labeled SOAPY WATER.
Mikilos makes his way down into the prison, nodding politely to the guard as he heads towards a cell with an unlocked door, pausing outside to rap lightly upon the frame. "You awake?" Or dressed. Not like the wizard keeps real track of what times 'normal' people do things.
Silence reigns, at least in this particular cell. Elsewhere, sounds of life. A cough. Muttering. Someone cursing up a storm. Dripping water. But this cell? Naught but light snoring. The cell door is propped open to allow the cell's occupants the ability to come and go. A small table is set centrally, covered in cards, biscuits used as poker chips, a couple of books, and the remains of last night's dinner. Three cots are arranged around the room. Two of them empty, with a third containing a roughly Gobbo-sized lump under a patchwork quilt. More snoring can be heard.
Mikilos considers a few moments before entering, murmuring softly to himself, then stopping with a frown. Oh, right, no magic. With a sigh, the elf takes a seat at the table, not particularly loud, but not exactly quiet, either. Banging pots would likely be rude.
A sneeze, followed by a groan, gives adequate warning that the Gobbo awakens. Her head pops out the top of the bed, the crackle of static electricity noticeable, and she pauses to fuss with her hair. sliding out of the bed, Acedia is garbed in a man's shirt. Someone of tall build, but it covers the Goblin completely, with the sleeves rolled back far enough to expose her hands. Stretching, she yawns and shuffles over to one side of the cell, where there is a small store of food and supplies stacked up. The Gobbo freezes, and slowly looks over her shoulder, surprise and embarrassment evident on her face. "W.wh... when did you get here?!"
Mikilos chuckles and smiles. "A few moments ago. How have you been? Sorry I havn't dropped by recently, I had a bit of trouble with a vampire."
Acedia shuffles over to Mikilos' side and reaches up to hug his arm. "I am glad you're back. I heard from erm.. Yelrona and uh... Daed? They told me that Chay said you'd returned. Have you met with Chay since? We were looking for you, and the vampire. He's taken numerous people."
Mikilos shakes his head. "I've spoken to the Guild and the Arcanist Society, and sent word to my family. Then a took a hot shower, a long nap, and came here." He frowns mildly. "I don't recall, who all has been taken, and perhaps more importantly, returned? We should likely compile a list, may it remain short, and compare notes of what we remember."
The Gobbo bounces from foot to foot for a few moments, and nods. "Alba and Selia were taken and returned. I know others have been, but I do not know whom, or their names. But we should probably do as you suggest." She hops up into a seat across from the Elf. "So what do you remember?", she wonders. "Was it the vampire Kol Demontry who took you? Through teleportation?"
Mikilos nods. "We were talking. He wanted to know about the wizard Mikilos, had the name carved into his arm. I don't think he knew it was me, but fairly sure suspected. Then he used his Domination on me. My memory is fuzzy, but I know I did agree to go with him. He took my arm... and things go blank. I have a vauge impression of stone halls, and a long period of time. Years, maybe. And then, a field, covered in snow, trying to walk, but too weak and disoriented. A man was helping me, practically carrying me. White hair, and blue eyes. Menel Dinmorin. We talked for a little while. He didn't think I'd remember the conversation, and it is fuzzy, but I do remember some of it."
"That's what Selia said... that he had her name carved into his arm. Or it might have been tattooed. So quite possibly the same guy." Acedia rubs at her cheek and huffs. "So this sort of ties in with what I've heard, about towers in the snow. This Menel Dinmorin is new though, and Yelrona and Daed were wondering if I knew him. So hrmm. What do you remember of the conversation?"
Chay has arrived.
"...sser? Ser, one heard--" One does not run. One never runs. One walks, with unhurried pace and eyes open, within the walls of the Charneth manors.
Perhaps the arcanist dungeons are much the same.
"Sser?" Chay asks. The voice comes from behind the sith-makar guards, who move, after hissing whispers and shared words, to let him through.
Mikilos is sitting at the table in Acedia's cell, alive and well. Well, mostly well. He's still worn out, but upright and moving, so better than might have been. "Menel Dinmorin, his name. I made sure to remember that. He's been helping people escape from the Mistress. She carves snowflakes into people's skin, to mark them as her own. I don't know what she -is-, but doubt it's from this plane. Demon, I suspect. But she has one major flaw, a mental blindspot. She can't conceive of people helping each other. It catches her off guard, every time. It's how Menel has been able to get people out. It never occurs to her that he will do it just to help others, with no benifit to himself." He considers a moment. "And he said he's outside the tower sometimes, so Scrying might work. I tried, but wasn't able to make a connection. I plan to try again later. And again, until I'm able to find him."
The Gobbo, for her part, appears only having recently woken up. Her hair is all over, and she's wearing a tall man's shirt. "Did she care a snowflake into your skin, then? Where?" Acedia eyes the Elf carefully. "It seems very convenient that he's just sort of hanging out there. I wonder.." she squeaks then and bounces from the chair, running to where Chay makes his way through the door. "Chay! Mikilos has returned! And I just missed you when you were talking with Yelrona and Daed."
"--I--one is glad to see you--see you both alive, ssers," Chay says. He takes a half-step back. Stops. Lowers his muzzle. "The mage was hidden from the Hunter's gifts, sers..."
"I...but it is good to see you both, again. And perhaps...if one might propose sers, if she is not from this plane. She is the one controlling the vampire, who controls the cult, sser. If...we can find evidence of this, one may be able to turn the cult against them, ssers." The tail flicks again. The shoulders do. Twitch.
Unsettled. "...and if she is not from this plane, and if the plague is a living creature--then perhaps, ssers, one has recently learned...one is--perhaps we are dealing with the magic of possession, ssers."
Mikilos frowns, and nods, pushing up his sleeve. A palm sized snowflake was cut into the skin of the forearm, near the elbow. The scars look old, long healed, at least a month ago. "Convenient, yes. Even suspicious. But, it -feels- real. I think Menel is everything he appears to be, but I think we should verify his claims, just in case." He nods to Chay, listening. "'Cult'? The Black Masks? And I agree, though it's certainly not any normal sort of possession. If such a thing can ever be called 'normal'."
Acedia grows pale, the blood draining from her cheeks. "Possession? B.bubut I don't want to be possessed." Her upset is obvious in her facial expression. "How do we ... unpossess people?" Her eyes grow large as she looks at the snowflake. "That looks months old, though. Like, if you just got back, it can't possibly have healed that much."
The Gobbo looks at Chay again. "Time travel too?", she wonders.
"...the hunter has...one has begun studies of such practices, ssers, from reflection. One has no idea if they might be successful, ssers, but after--after last time, one might attempt this on onesself first," the sith-makar says, and stares at the floor as he does.
...but one should do so near buckets, and buckets of water," he says, under his breath, barely breathing. Opens his eyes. Looks to Mikilos, "And even then, ssers. One could not even find /you/. This one is--"
He tries again. "--there are challenges to overcome, ssers. We will challenge them."
Mikilos nods. "Time travel. Or maybe just dialation? Time moving faster when inside the tower? I don't know. But the Tower itself seems to move though time as well as space. And certainly to other dimensions." He nods to Chay. "The Tower, and those in it, have proven -very- elusive. The closest I got led to my being kidnapped. But we're making progress. Slow steps, but steps foreward."
The Gobbo looks to Chay and chuckles. "You can try it on me again.", she says quietly. "May as well, since you're the one with the spells." She shakes her head. "Don't beat yourself up over not being able to find him. He is back, just as Alba and Selia returned." Acedia looks to Mikilos. "Then we'll have to get more people involved. So that we can prevent others from being captured by dint of numbers. Maybe take the vampire... wonder if that'll make the spider come out of her web?"
"..."
"...one might suggest the Black Mask Cult is wanting to be free of their webs, sser. Among at least one of them, the vampire's influence is cracking. Perhaps...would it be possible to schedule, ssers. To arrange interviews--an intervention, ssers? Where magic is used to negate possession?"
"This one is not sure how to phrase such a thing, ssers, or get them to attend."
Mikilos nods, and looks to Chay. "Do we have a list of exactly who all has been taken, and returned? Alba and Selia are the only two I know, beyond myself. I spoke with Selia, but havn't had a chance to go over details with Alba." He listens, and nods thoughtfully. "-IF- the Black Masks are... manipulated, and not willingly influenced, we might be able to talk them into a neutral meeting. Getting them here" he gestures around the prison "would be quite the task, but I can create smaller fields for a short time. The hard part will be contacting them at all."
Acedia rubs at her chin. "I think we can get them to at least talk with us. I'm willing to dress up as one, and go out publically, but do the opposite of what they do. Try to spread a positive message. They might want to put an end to that, so they might come looking for me. I could then pass along the a message, yes?"
"...sers," Chay says. He looks to the earth, the stone. Then--"If such a gathering may be arranged, ssers. Then one--one will--"
Long pause. Uncomfortable pause.
"--ssers," is all he says. "One sshould compile those lists, ssers. This one will--this one will sshare words with you all ssoon. And--you sshould not go along, sser Acedia. One--one will go with you."
Mikilos nods in agreement. "That sounds way too risky. We can work something out, but planning first. And I should be going myself. I've still a number of people to assure that I'm back."
The Gobbo nods to them both, and waves. "Be careful. See you again soon." Acedia heads back to her cot.