See No Evil
Log Info
- Title: See No Evil
- Emitter: Cryosanthia, Aftershock
- Characters: Cryosanthia, Faranmidahn, Verna, Auranar
- Place: A15: Mithralla Merchandise, W02: The Wilderness
- Time: Monday, May 04, 2020, 1:16 PM
- Summary: Cryosanthia has summoned a few people to help examine the ooze, Faranmidahn, Auranar, and Verna. Malik and Mikilos are unavailable so Verna has come as the substitute expert mage, and Auranar is along to take notes and distract her from her thoughts of Eclavdran. They begin by sharing Faran's memories, of what she saw during the ooze experiments in the Fernwood, and later when Salina arrived. Verna is shocked by the memory of being engulfed and watching the ooze magically infect Faran. Next, Cryo's memory of the two Salina's is shared, and the Mourner is again horrified. Not by the bodies, but the experience of the vivisection Cryo underwent as punishment. Certain that their memories will give up not more useful secrets, and hesitant to experiment on the oozes. the group decides on the MUCH SAFER option of scrying for Zeke. As a precaution, they relocate outside of the city in case this effort attracts Salina's attention. They scry at a pool, which delivers no results but does bring the Duke of Hell, Eclavdran, out of the woods in his handsome human form. He proceeds to strangle Auranar while everyone else struggles to stick to the plan of 'every woman for herself' and running madly away. Eventually, after conversation proves fruitless, they do. Verna, to cover their retreat and deny Eclavdran, casts Cloudkill to give Auranar a mercy rather than let her die in the Demon's crushing grasp.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=<* A15: Mithralla Merchandise *>=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
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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-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Appearing, in Order =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Cryosanthia 6'9" 267 Lb Sith-Makar Female A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman. Faranmidahn 3'3" 35 Lb Halfling Female Albino Lucht woman in black leather armor with a BIG spider Verna 4'5" 98 Lb Half-Elf Female Petite humanoid in bulky gray robes and cloak. Auranar 4'8" 123 Lb Wild Elf Female A wild elf with dark skin and a red dress -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
One of the guest rooms in the Mithralla Mountain Mansion has been lent to Cryosanthia. It was modified per her specifications, with lead lining the walls and door. With the door closed, it should be scry-proof and only a little stuffy. The bed was turned into a stone nest, a writing desc added, the shelves expanded. A second bed was brought in for Faranmidahn, similar to the footbed she had in the Temple of Daeus, and a few more stools and chairs have been snagged from the kitchen.
The room is large enough for experiments and Cryosanthia is feeling just paranoid enough she wants the added anti-scrying protection. The basket of clubs from the Temple of Daeus is on hand, along with the bottled oozes, the bottled city water, and the larger bottle that can hold them. She's invited Auranar to help out, to take notes and partly to prevent her conducting her own research on Eclavdran alone in the sewers. Verna's name was given as an alternative by Malik if he wasn't available, and so she received a message requesting her help.
The sith sits on the edge of her stone nest, waiting.
Faranmidahn is settled on her smaller bed as she's been since the... get-together after she lost track of Auranar, clad in her black silk arming dress, splicing a strand of braided silk into an array of others. Zephyr, her little white familiar, is perched on her shoulder... purring. Her work has most of her focus, but she hasn't fallen into her previous pit, again, as she's been responsive, and her sullied mood has returned to something like her current 'normal'.
Verna received the missive and is familiar with both Mikilos and his merchandise. The current situation has been at the forefront of her focus for some time and numerous reasons, not the least of which is the sheer quantity of deceased passing through her care. More recently, however, there have occurred some ... distractions. The request is a reminder and an excuse to return her attentions to the more pleasant topics of world-ending, magic-devouring plagues.
She arrives at the shop and then takes the ingress to the intra-dimensional temporary abode. Upon arriving at the room indicated, Verna raps at the doorframe with gloved knuckles before stepping within. "Good day. It was suggested that I may be of some assistance?"
Auranar arrives with a polite little and somewhat uncertain knock on the door. The elf looks... hollow-eyed after the meeting yesterday. As if she didn't sleep at all last night. Or rather in her case as if the peace and calm of meditation did not find her. She offers a short smile to Cryosanthia, and one that's equally faded to Faranmidahn before she settles into a chair and crosses her ankles. She doesn't even offer a hello, just settles in as if she can't quite force herself to make polite conversation.
Cryo opens the door for both, watching Auranar as she takes a silent seat then making a small bow to Verna, "Peace on your Nest. Yes. We had two things we were going to try and accomplish today. Both involve memory magic, which... this one understands you can do? Also, we need someone with better magical insight than Faran and I are able to bring."
The sith moves back into the room, retaking her seat on the edge of her bed. She gestures at the bottles lined up. Two smaller ones have black plague oozes aggressively trying to escape, sloping and slorping around the inside of thejars. "The plague oozes originally were part of Zahier's tower, making it self-repairing. They got changed somehow. Faran determined they're Universal Magic, but there was some mechanism going on as it came into existence. We were hoping you could examine her memories of what she saw, and perhaps better understand it. If that doesn't work, I have a couple jars of city water. It won't turn into an ooze anymore, the magic has been drained, so perhaps it needs to be hit by a more powerful spell than I can manage. So if we can't get an understanding from Faran's memory, we might try making a pure ooze. The ones I do have... went through me, and that's made them a lot harder to analzye."
"If we get somewhere with either of those, I was hoping you could look at some of my memories of the Fae Queen in the Tower, and maybe see if she's using spells to manipulate the mechanism, and what spells. So we have a way of controlling it."
Faranmidahn looks up as the arrivals come in and, while she affords a weak smile, clearly the little albino has things on her mind, yet. The 'peace on your nest' greeting still bothers her, though she mostly keeps a reaction from her features, chiming in with her own, "Thank you, both for coming." She fixes Auranar with a sympathetic look for a moment, then turns her attention to her spider, whispering softly before dipping her chin to gently kiss her shell. Silent, now, the little arachnid ventures over toward the troubled elf and stops by her foot, staring. P-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r.
Verna doffs her hood, all the better to hear the explanation, and then glance aside at the jars mentioned. "Fascinating..." Her focus returns to the Sith-makar to nod. "Yes, the missive made reference to memories, and so I made the appropriate preparations." After a moment of thoughtful consideration, she continues, "Your proposal seems quite valid, and sound. While you claim to seek more insight, your investigative process, theory, and contingencies are commendable. I will provide whatever observations that I am able to glean."
Verna looks to the others, nodding an acknowledgement to the rather quiet Auranr before settling eyes upon Faranmidahn. "At your convenience, I can study yours, first..." a return glance to Cryosanthia, " unless you wish yours foremost?"
Auranar listens silently to Cryosanthia's explanation, though she doesn't look overly pleased with the plan. She glances around the room and finally stares for a moment uncomfortably at the oozes in their jar. The empty glass of water contained. Dangerous experiments. She looks away from them all to the familiar that is tentitively skittering closer to her and her shoulders slump slightly as the arachnid purrs at her. "You should return to Faran little one. She has need of you." Her dark eyes meet Faran's, as if asking if the little lucht sent her familiar over to her.
"Oh, Faran's first. She had the longest and best look at one of the oozes coming into existence from the water, and she was actively watching with detect magic the whole time." Cryo says, looking over at the lucht. She rubs at Faran's back in a supportive way, "We know the exact moment for Faran's. My memories, I'd have to try and find a couple I think might be relevant. And in most of them I didn't have any spells going, at best you'd be interpreting what I've seen. We do have some extra scrolls too."
Cryo watches Auranar as well, reading her mood, her tail switching slowly. The sith seems well rested, focused, but a little on the cool side and pleasantries seem to be in short supply. She looks over at Faran again, "Whenever you're ready, and comfortable Faran. Should she lie down?"
Faranmidahn, despite this being the plan, is somewhat taken aback by the offer than she goes first. She gets a little rosy at the cheeks and takes a squaring breath, setting aside her weaving, "I can. Do I need to do anything, Madame?" She catches the conversation with Zephyr, her eyes turning that way in time to lock with Auranar's. The question within them is answered with a weak smile and a little nod.
"Understood," Verna nods to Cryosanthia, returning her focus to the lucht. "You only need to relax and focus upon that memory as best you are able, to aid in my locating it." The only other consideration may be distance, which Verna addresses by stepping to Faranmidahn and extending one hand in offering. "I will do the rest, so that I may witness what you did."
Auranar silently bends over to pick up Faran's familiar. Offering the little spider a safe perch in her palms while the spellwork is done. Her dark eyes reveal her discomfort, but she says nothing further on the matter. Instead she holds the spider close to herself and watches.
Cryosanthia moves so she isn't in the way, clearly looking for some way to contribute, "Do you need a chair, anything?"
A worried glance is sent Faran's way. The sith smiles, exhales, "It'll be Ok Faran. Relax, we've finally got wiser eyes, we'll get some answers."
That's the hope, at least.
Faranmidahn nods, taking another breath and reaches out to set her hand within the larger one. She's a little nervous, and a certain color still stains her cheeks as she closes her eyes, "I'll do my best." trying to reach out for that one, particular minute and begins murmuring the lucht siuil words to her poison detection spell first, trying to call back her memories from just before the full 'experiment' began.... "I think I'm ready." Meanwhile, Zephyr's purr continues, and a little foreleg gently strokes along the elf's palm a couple of times before she settles into her little coconut bun posture.
Faranmidahn nods, taking another breath and reaches out to set her hand within the larger one. She's a little nervous, and a certain color still stains her cheeks as she closes her eyes with Cryo's reassurances, "I'll do my best." trying to reach out for that one, particular minute and begins murmuring the lucht siuil words to her poison detection spell first, trying to call back her memories from just before the full 'experiment' began.... "I think I'm ready." Meanwhile, Zephyr's purr continues, and a little foreleg gently strokes along the elf's palm a couple of times before she settles into her little coconut bun posture.
Verna gives Faranmidahn a slight nod, and further makes the attempt to display a slim smile to offer comfort and reassurance. Results may vary, given the apparent lack of practice. In Verna's defense, the deceased do not gain from such expressions, and they make up the vast majority of her interactions in any given timespan.
Her unoccupied hand gestures, and she incants a phase in Mynsandraal so that she might see what was seen.
GAME: Verna casts Share Memory. Caster Level: 15 DC: 17
Auranar finds herself petting the little arachnid quite without meaning to. Both to comfort herself and to comfort the familiar. Such is the nature of animals really, to be so unassuming and instantly comforting that they reach parts of people that people would never share with one another however undemanding that other person might be. The elf watches silently as the spell is worked, her tension rising as Verna speaks the words that she does not understand and works the magic that will allow her to see into Faran's memory.
For this part of it, all Cryosanthia can do is watch. She sits with her hands clasped on her lap, her tail curled around, leaning towards the two. She's not a part of the spell but still wishes and wills she could be. Her turn will come. The sith stares intently, holding her breath, waiting and listening.
Zephyr seems to enjoy the gentle petting, though she does pivot in Auranar's hand as Faran goes into the place she was, the pain, embraced by horror, as she relives the first water test going wrong. Faran, for her part, is quivering slightly, her features outwardly troubled, though under more control in hindsight than in that moment.
Verna may well understand that, logically, the memory is not hers. That said, experiencing it from a first-person view can make the immersion, however, brief, cause a more reflexive reaction. Especially when such memories are unpleasant. In hindsight, perhaps it would have been better, in some sense, to conduct experiments upon the ooze before seeming to be nearly overrun, encased, and consumed by it.
A reflexive recoil and step back are taken and arms flail briefly before Verna's forebrain overrides the hind. Faran has the benefit of prior experience with the event, while she does not... or did not.
Once steadied, Verna now takes the time to analyze what she has witnessed. Some traits are rather conscpicuous and/or rather well-known in the present, such as the most efficient means to combat it and its manaphillic nature. Her primary interests are details beyond that, and perhaps the fortune of the lucht's magically-aided sight at the time will be of some assistance.
GAME: Verna takes ten on knowledge/arcana+4: (10)+28+4: 42
Cryosanthia rises when Verna reflexively recoils. Warning her was an oversight. The sith is there to prevent her toppling over backwards, but that appears unnecessary as the half-elf catches herself, "This one should have said something. Apologies."
She re-takes her seat, leaning forward and eagerly listening.
Auranar is clearly startled by Verna's reaction, but the woman seems not to need her aid so she stays where she is to protect the familiar she holds so carefully in her hands. She seems like she might be curious about what memory they're sharing, but she doesn't ask.
Faranmidahn is startled as the connection breaks with the woman stumbling back, "Oh! I'm sorry! I... I didn't know you'd get.... everything, it was thoughtless of me, Madame." She climbs off her bed and takes a knee, bowing her head, "Please, forgive me."
"That was..." Verna finally speaks after moments taken to study while the memory was still fresh, "... decidedly unpleasant." She looks to the lucht, eyes widening at the reaction before she lifts a hand to halt and placate her. "There is no need for apology." She extends this by glancing to Cryosanthia. "It could not harm me, despite what my startled senses presumed."
She pauses briefly to scrap the sole of her boot on the stone and inspect it, regardless of her words and the illogical nature of the act. "It was also informative, to a degree. I believe that the ooze is a true entity, not unlike more common oozes, puddings or other instinct-driven, non-sentient amorphous creatures. This," a gesture to the sample in the jar, over there," however, is coalesced from raw mana. It will feed upon and be empowered by it, whatever the form. Much of this was already suspected, or so I understand."
"Then it worked?" Asks Auranar quietly, eyes curious. "I mean..." She looks a trace embarassed. "I don't know what memory you two shared." She soothes her feelings of uselessness by petting Faran's familiar. "But it sounds like you at least confirmed what we suspected about the oozes."
Cryosanthia waits patiently while Verna gets settled, nodding, briefly distracted by her scraping her boot. "So, they're fundamentally different sorts of oozes? That the first kind, as an entity is different from the second kind that came from Raw Mana?"
The sith thinks about it for a moment, "both seem attracted to magic, can the second kind convert back into the first kind. Does it do something with the mana when it's empowered? Some versions of these oozes have been used in constructs, and as a kind of mind control. Is there a way to make them do things to other things? Or... any insights in curing someone with the plague?"
Cryo chuffs a small laugh, "If you put a victim beside a big enough magic item, will it crawl out?"
Faranmidahn looks up, uncertain at first, then nods, rising, "I managed to see a little further into the ooze during the second test, the next day. I realized it was... translating the other magics into universal, but how, and what else it might have been doing was beyond me. It was.... messier, then, but there was another development of that event." Several, really, but, brevity. She steps closer to Auranar and gently alights a hand on her shoulder, "She saw my memories of the first test of the tainted waters. It became a slime that was trying to infect me with the plague." her voice is gentle, and there's a specter of something still lingering in her eyes from the memory, summed up as, "A dreadful thing to share, but... I could not understand all that I had seen, then." She looks to Cryo at her questions, back to the senior mage.
Auranar glances over at Faran, nodding appreciatively at the other woman for sharing the information. "All good questions, but... I'm beginning to suspect that we won't learn all these answers without years of study on the subject." She looks thoughtful. "After all, if we're but test subjects for this fae woman even /she/ might not know all that they do. For all we know this is some grand-scale experiment to find out what they're capable of."
Verna glances about, though at the room rather than the occupants. "Now, a seat may be appropriate..." She comments, more than able and willing to locate a place to sit and makes use of it. "I mention other oozes as comparative examples: this particular creature is unlike anything that I have witnessed nor read mention of. Such a manipulation of mana at the base level is nearly unheard of for the Archmagi of Rune or the extinct Kulthians, much less innately by such a creature. Spells and similar manipulations cannot harm it as it unravels the underlying mana that powers it as sustenance..."
Her chin is tapped with a finger. "However, if the analogy is true, we may well be able to lure or herd it based on its instincts." She nods to Cyrosanthia, tapping finger pointing to her. "We could possible do just that, by offering a more enticing target, or making its current one distasteful."
Cryosanthia sits there, listening to the answers and thinking quietly. Her head is down, she's staring at a spot on the floor. She had years being a test subject. She watched Salina study the oozes for years. Some memories are obviously irrelevant, cleaning, or discipline. Being punished by Salina or subjected to her anatomical curiosity. Some might apply, especially when she was putting things back together. They are difficult memories to look at, and the sith forces herself to examine them.
Then, further observations draw her out of the wool-gathering. "Well a strong enough Dispell Magic gets rid of them, maybe with an artifact nearby it would move on it's own. So, the way it was unravelling spells made sense to you? And it applies to both kinds?"
Cryo pauses, looking over at the lucht, "Well, let's note that down Auranar, and maybe some thoughts will come. Farans's second set of memories the next day had something interesting with the Fae Queen. She glowed, and I've seen two of her. We weren't sure if that was related."
Faranmidahn frowns a little and nods, "This was after we'd created a third... wait..ffffifff.. no....seventh, slime?" she looks with some puzzlement to Cryo, at first for corroboration, but then with concern at seeing her posture. She moves from Auranar to Cryo, then reaches out to cup the sith's cheek, though she asides, "I can when I got a glance at her under my detection magics. I'm afraid that's all I was able to do, it blinded me and I.... dropped the spell be reflex. If I skipp the test itself it should be much less... troubling(?)"
Faranmidahn frowns a little and nods, "This was after we'd created a third... wait..ffffifff.. no....seventh, slime?" she looks with some puzzlement to Cryo, at first for corroboration, but then with concern at seeing her posture. She moves from Auranar to Cryo, then reaches out to cup the sith's cheek, though she asides, "I can focus on when I got a glance at her under my detection magics. I'm afraid that's all I was able to do, it blinded me and I.... dropped the spell by reflex. If I skip the test itself it should be much less... troubling(?)"
Verna exhales a sigh of concession as she nods to Auranar's comment on the vast amount of time potentialy required. "We may never fully understand them. I only hope to aid in gleaning enough to use against them in the present and immediate future. As fascinating as they are from a purely intellectual standpoint, they are far too dangerous to exist as they are."
As Faranmidahn brings up other possible memories, Verna looks between her and Cryosanthia. "I can view many more memories, if needed. You both obviously know your own experiences far better than anyone, to determine relevant events to share." She glances to the jars, "That, or we can study it more directly. How powerful of an enchantment do you believe is require to make the water enticing?"
Auranar turns her attention on the water and frowns. "I think /that/ experiment one too dangerous to perform. If we exite it too much it will break free of it's prison and then where will we be?" She shivers at the thought of a large ooze breaking free in this small room with them. "It's all to easy to go from experimenting to... experiment with that."
"I'm... not sure." Cryo allows her head to be lifted by Faran's touch. She smiles at her, exhales, wobbling her head a little, "I'm ok. Thanks. Just remembering."
A breath, a change in posture, she looks at Verna then back at Faran, "Well, let's check one more memory of Faran's first. So she doesn't have to anticipate. It should not be as troubling as the first one. Faran was only watching Her as She entered the Fernwood. Merek compared her eloquently to the light of Eluna, Faran was blinded, like she said. Something was going on, and with there being two of her we thought perhaps it was some enhanced Mirror Image, or she was composed of oozes. The test was... chaotic and it sounds like we aren't going to get any more information from watching memories of that. So, right after we trapped the ooze, She came in."
The sith looks over and nods at Auranar, her grin becoming a grimace, "The experiments get chaotic. I'd like to see what we can determine with memories before we try them again."
Faranmidahn frowns some and nods, "They never seem to go right, and... the treatments are unpleasant if they aren't done perfectly." she ammends to Cryo as a sort of endorsement, then looks to the senior mage once more, "I'd thought maybe a golem of some kind." She drifts back to her original seating spot and settles on the edge of the bed, giving a shrug, "I'll defer to whatever you believe best."
"As will I," Verna dips her head to Cryosanthia, concuring with Faranmidahn. The concerns of all concerning the testing are also acknowledged, "and I was no more anxious to be so close to the contained samples than anyone else." She did receive a sampling of that experience, and that was disconcerting enough.
Thus, she rises again and, after a though, brings the seat with her to relocate immediately ahead of of the lucht. "If you are able and willing. Are there any details I should be aware of, firs-" She pauses abruptly. "You were blinded? That would limit your perception of the event, of course."
Auranar frowns at Cryosanthia, but nods obligingly. "Best to see what we might learn by other means indeed." She seems little enough comfortable with the idea of Verna rooting around in Faran's mind, but it's not her memories being shared, so she keeps her own council on the subject.
Cryosanthia leans over towards Faran, "Whenever you're ready." She smiles hopefully.
"Well, not blinded completely but her aura was brilliant, like the sun, it was a shock to look into so much power though... I've since seen more that..." Ahem, "We won't need to dwell on that, however." the lucht squirms a little in her seat, then sighs, "It may only be a glimpse, I'm afraid, I was looking at the little slime we'd captured when she walked in and I looked up in surprise. I... flinched and lost the spell. I'm hoping it's enough to be of some use." Deep breath.... no... not there... back a bit..... more..... "I think I'm ready." She takes another deep breath and closes her eyes to focus on what's past...
"I respect that this is uncomfortable for you. Try to keep in mind that the memory cannot harm you," Verna reminds... possibly as much to herself as Faranmidahn. She then reaches out to place a hand lightly upon her as she casts with the other.
The elf finds herself petting Zypher once more, soft gentle strokes to burn off her nervousness and lack of ability to do anything useful. "Good luck." Her words are a mere whisper, a murmur of sound hardly worth noticing.
Cryosanthia watches her friend carefully, leaning in. "Good luck Faran, relax, it will be ok." She hopes it will, that the effort is worthwhile. Her head keeps turning between Verna and Faran as the process is repeated.
Verna has a bit more information on what to expect in this instance, and it does not include any horried near-fates upon the memory-holding lucht. There is little reaction from her upon receipt and the review is also rather swift. She opens her eyes after little more than a minute total. "I cannot add much insight to her own. The woman who entered radiated immensely powerful magic, but the glimps was not long enough to offer more detailed discernment."
Cryosanthia sits back. She nods slowly, "Oh. Well, it was a long shot."
The sith frowns and looks down at her hands, "I'm struggling to come up with something relevant for you to look at. Most of my memories are unpleasant and I'd rather not subject you to a needlesss one. They are quite visceral."
Her voice trails off, she continues to gaze at her hands, then at the floor. Her tailtip ticks back and forth, almost counting seconds.
Faranmidahn sighs and nods, hanging her head, "Thank you for trying. I'm sorry I couldn't give you more." Her hand lifts to her face for a moment, then push up further to brush her hair back as she raises her head again and makes her way over to join Cryo at her side, "Take your time, Cryo... there's a lot to go through."
Auranar shifts uncomfortably in her seat and finally leans forward to offer the lucht her familiar back. "Here, you probably need her more than I do; now that there aren't any spells being cast on you." She smiles gently, a silent thanks for the company that Faran had offered her while the other woman had been delving into memories perhaps best left to themselves.
The white-scale sith nods, exhales slowly making a small cold cloud. "Please be ready for this one Verna, it's when I saw two of her. I was cleaning things up, there are body parts. I don't remember this happening more than once. I'm thinking about it now, when you want to cast, cast."
Cryo's Memory You are plunged into the memory. Blood. The scent sears in your nose, burns into your body and brain. The examination table is in front of you, rivulets of blood across it. Tiny chunks of meat and yellow fat at the edges. There are body parts, unrecognizeable body parts, stripped of skin, muscles detached, peeled back. Might be an arm, might be a leg, from a gnome, from an orc. Several of these, someone or someones were taken apart, examined. The second shock that follows the first one, this is normal. This is something you've cleaned a thousand times before. It doesn't bother you. Across the table is a doorway. Salina enters. She turns and looks back at the door, she is again. She is looking at herself in the doorway. The second one made a motion, teleport. The first one notices you looking. Not cleaning. You are supposed to be cleaning. You are ordered on the table. She gets the knife, starts cutting. You feel the skin on your chest peeling apart as the blade goes in. The memory ends. --
GAME: Verna rolls will: (10)+17: 27 GAME: Verna rolls knowledge/arcana: (13)+28+4: 45 GAME: Verna rolls heal: (20)+15: 35
"Thank you for concern and fortitude enough to share, on the possibility that it would aid this battle," Verna responds to Faran. "Again, apologies are unnecessary." She turns her chair towards Cryosanthia, but cannot offer any specific encouragement or advice. "I am a Mourner. Bodies do not disturb me."
(Perhaps Salina heard this? Cryosanthia's glove would mute any whispered reply of "Challenge accepted.")
In truth, those in the memory do not leave her disturbed. She has witnessed many bodies in many states following many various means of demise. She studies the remains rather clinically, in fact... though the more she does, the more the intent behind their state becomes clear and a deep scowl grows on her features.
This is subsequently softened some by concentration as she studies the true, intended subjects. The scowl does not leave completely, however...
Instead, it slowly changes into a mask of growing dread and realization. One that ends with eyes suddenly widening to saucers and mouth opening to scream... though no sound emerges as her arms fling up to clutch at her chest defensively. This shift in her center of gravity sends Verna and chair toppling rearwards to the floor.
The lucht accepts her familiar in passing with a bow of her head and settles in, setting a hand on Cryo as the spell begins with a soft, "I'm here. I'm here, Cryo...." Zephyr scurries up Faran's arm to her shoulder and settles in under her mistress' wild tresses. As Cryo's memories have an even more.... robust effect than her own, she jumps to her feet to check on her, though her spider has more than enough or Faran's hair to keep herself more or less in place, "Are you alright?!"
Auranar is on her feet as well, shocked by Verna's sudden reaction to the memories that she recieves from Cryosanthia. The elf kneels, hesitantly touching the other woman on the shoulder and looking at her in concern. "You're here. With us. Remember?"
Cryosanthia's pupils are wide, her posture slowly became a more defeated one as she sought her memory and offered it up. Faran's hand is taken and held tightly. She's present throughout it all, although slow to react. When Verna startles and pitches backwards, Cryo is several seconds of inert lizard moving only after Faran and Auranar do. "Verna! You're here! You're safe." She moves to help her back to her seat.
Verna takes several long, deep breaths from her semi-supine position. One hand rubs at the center of her chest. "Yes. I am here," she assures ... others? herself? all? a moment later.
After rising, with welcomed assistance, she pauses to consider what she witnessed and may or may not have gleaned. "I cannot confirm whether her dual presence is herself from different times, but that would fit from what is known of the tower's, or perhaps her, capabilities. It was not an illusaory duplicate, as it moved in ways she did not, and it would serve no purpose to do so. The one that vanished did so without incant or gesture of a spell, suggesting an innate ability. This is, I believe, also relevant to powers that she or the tower are believed to possess..."
She pauses again, considering further. In the end, she only notes to Cryosanthia, "Were I able to remove, rather than view, your memories... that is one I would offer to excise for you."
Faranmidahn eases some as the Mourner seems returned to center, and exhales a little sigh. She squashes the question; what light could Salina brought to the world if she weren't driven down this path, if her casual endeavors can horrify, so? She looks to Auranar a moment, glad she can help, though she quickly turns worried eyes to Cryosanthia, lifting a hand to her arm at the Mourner's offer.
As Verna is returned to her upright position, Auranar offers one last lingering pat to the woman, her eyes dark with worry. "So much power... What does she use it all for?" The elf shakes her head at her own question and backs away to her seat which she left behind, but doesn't actually sit down. Instead she hovers in the room anxiously, rubbing her hands together out of nervousness. She starts to say something, then seems to rethink it and instead grasps the chair she'd been sitting in, in her hands.
The sith thumps heavily down on her stool, listening as Verna explains what she saw. She lowers her nose, looking contrite, "I'm sorry. There are... a lot."
A drop from gallons, a lake of horror. So big it's easy to ignore, like the curvature of the horizon. Cryo exhales, another small cloud of visible, cool air, and shakes her head, smiles at Faran then back at Verna, "I went through a lot to get them back. Seldan did. I will survive having them, they happened."
The sith does seem less shaken than the half-elf. After a moment she asks, "I have no idea Auranar, what she's gathering it for, what she uses it for. So, Verna, her teleporting is innate, a power she gets from the tower?"
Verna nods solemnly to Cryosanthia at her response. "I understand." A pair of smaller nods are made to Auranar and Faranmidahn. "Thank you. I regret that I was unable to determine anything more useful aside from that and a portion of her medical investigative methodology. The latter is ... not relevant to our investigation."
She smooths the front of her robes. They are wrinkled afterall, and it could not be a reflex to one more ensure that her chest is properly closed as it should be. Verna then looks to the white Sith-makar again. "Where there other memories that you believe may be pertinent or useful?" While she does not sound exuberant, there remains an aim to potentially accomplish.
Verna's one solid analysis of that is something she's glad Cryo may not have deduced. This was not only a live vivisection, but that the intent appeared to be: remove all of their limbs carefully to see how their system handled the loss and/or how long they would survive. Then again, she may have witnessed it all, so perhaps it is moot.
Faranmidahn gently pats Cryo's arm and nods again, smiling just a bit as her sister decides to bear her burdens. The Mourner warrants a sad, ghost of a smile and a gracious, "Thank you for trying, anyway." Her attention quickly turns to Auranar as she pensively bites back on something, and steps toward her once more, "What is it, Aura...?"
Auranar looks at Faran and then shakes her head slowly. "It's foolish thoughts just..." She bites her lip and really thinks about what lies inside her mind. "If only we had that strength to point at Eclavdran you know? We might be able to destroy him once and for all." She says it in a near whisper, her fingers tightening on the chair she holds. "Instead we're just ignoring him... and as much as I know that's necessary... it hurts." The elf isn't looking at anyone.
Cryosanthia sighs, rubbing at her arms. A simiar gesture to how Verna was adjusting her clothes. She keeps shaking her head, "There's... a lot. That seem cruel and pointless. I don't understand what she was doing. They're very stressful to concentrate on. I don't know... I don't know... what would be useful."
Her breathing is getting faster, and her tail has wrapped tightly around her stool. Her toe claws scrape on the ground. "Is that what she's trying to do? Destroy Eclavdran before he's sent back? I... remember her putting oozes in a construct... and... people. Do you think looking at that would help?"
Cryo's spirit sinks, trying to think of some atrocity Salina hasn't done, that's almost harder than focusing on one she has. "Some way to find the tower, or control the tower, or what she's trying to do."
"If an incident does not come easily to mind," Verna notes to Cryo, "there may be none of use to us. There is no fault in that." Her focus turns to Auranar at the thoughts. "Suggestions or concers are not foolish. Ignore in what way? If there is action planned, it may be more a matter of priority." She pauses to consider.
"That said, there is something to be said for the evil that is better known than one utterly alien. While individuals vary, far more is known of demons than this fae."
Faranmidahn sighs and tries to take Aura's hand in hers, "I know... Aura... I'm sorry. I don't like it, either." She doesn't like waiting to move on the tower, either, but.... as much as it harries her.... Acting recklessly undoes everything. Cryo's question prompts an aside of, "Sally wouldn't have to kill Ecky in that case, just whoever intended to sic him on her. I wish there was a way to know what started the chain in the first place. If Ecky's mission to stop her is what started the avalanche in the first place, but it only came to pass because of what she did in power after that, maybe there's a way we can alter the flow of things and break the cycle."
Auranar squeezes Faran's hand, offering a small hurt smile. "I know." It's really all she can say. She doesn't have any answers. No memories to probe or anything useful to do here really. She looks down. "I don't even know what I'm doing here really. I should be doing research or..." She licks her lips and shakes her head.
"I'd like to stop remembering right now." Cryo stands up suddenly, sounding unusually upset. She wants to run, there's no where to go. She ends up making three steps in a triangle in her corner of the room. Pacing, around and around. She's shaking her arms, her tail is lashing. "Remembered... something she was doing to wolves."
"Seldan talked about going to her village. Someone sent him back. There would be a record in the Explorer's Guild. I don't know if talking to him would help. Malik saying abandon hope of saving anyone. A room full of people we can't make a plan." Triangle step, step, step.
The sith stops in her tracks and stares at Verna, "Can you scry instead? If these memories aren't useful. Find Zeke, or the Tower, or her? Scrying back through my mark. Merek is in Hell, with Eclavdran. He made my AnyGarment sleeves, could you use them to find him?"
Verna looks between the three others, considering a great many things. There are numerous potential avenues for action available; perhaps too many, in some regards. She finally turns to Cryosanthia at the direct question, or series thereof. "Yes, I can Scry. Yes, a possession or other connection makes the process far easier and more likely to succeed." Given the powerful nature of either creature, there are, of course, risks. She takes the liberty of assuming that the others are aware of such, and keeps her response to the positive.
Faranmidahn returns the squeeze and nods again, "It's never quite so simple as..." she starts to say, when Cryo's sudden urgent pacing breaks her off. Blink. The direction Cryo goes in make's her slightly anxious and she reluctantly disengages, "If she can reach out, Sally or Ecky could well reach back in, Cryo..." She glances to the array of lucht scale weapons near her bed, the damnable temptation there presented hard to ignore, but she must. The warning stated, but not sure she's going to be heeded, she crosses back to her equipment and starts to slip into her armor as Zephyr hops down onto the bed, just in case. The blood drains from Auranar's face at the suggestion of scrying these beings. She blinks her dark eyes and nervously licks her lips.
"Are you sure about this Cryosanthia?" Her eyes flicker to Verna. "Are you /sure/ that you want to scry a Duke of Hell and... whatever she is? What Faran says is true... Either or both of them could take it ill that we're peeking in on their... doings." Verna nods once. "There are certainly great risks involved." Noting Faran seeking weapons and gathering her armor, she clarifies. "I would not choose to do so here. Rather, somewhere far outside the city and away from any population. Should the attempt draw their notice and reaction, casualties and damage would be kept to a minimum."
"Zeke, or the Tower. Those should be safe, right? I have a connection, to my cihuaa, to that place. It was my home, for decades. For the rest of my life I'll never be free of the Tower. There has to be a connection." Cryosanthia sounds very anxious, too energetic and a little panicked. She's half pacing in a triangle, half standing and waving her hands. "I said we'd see if we could scry for something, just to see if it's possible. If we can find where it is, now, we don't need his map, we have that option. The others... you're right, too risky, but if we can test scrying on something safe we can suggest the other two with a group. Outside the wherever, yes."
Faranmidahn buckles her kilted leather cuirass into place, grabbing the one emblazoned with the Purple Rose in her haste as she starts to secure it by muscle memory rather than actually looking. "What if he's bait?" She straps the, perhaps pointless Luckt knife to her thigh, then turns to grab another, newer blade rather than her usual companion and affixes it in place on her swordbelt, "Let's not do this in the city, I agree." At last, her cloak and a rather long sword for her stature is slung across her back.
Auranar looks around and then shakes her head. "I guess we're doing this. If we're going to look into her buisness we might as well look into his." She straightens up and tucks her chair back where she got it from. "I'm in."
"Your cihuaa could be the most reliable option," Verna adds to Cryosanthia after further consideration. "Do you possess any belongings or portion of his? Even a shed scale or clipped claw would aid. "It is very possible that we would gain little notion of his location, and it is also probable that he may not be in the immediate presence of another. This could act both for and against us..."
After a bit further musing, she looks to all firmly. "Before I choose to do this, I must ask this: Were we to do nothing of the sort, learned nothing further, and had all willing forces available... Could action be taken? Or would all be waiting for a vital revelation?"
"He will be in the Tower or..." Cryosanthia decides not to follow through on the rest of that thought. "I have his things from the Temple, a claw, scales, clothes. I planned on scrying for him, I have them."
She blinks at Verna's question, "They're going to do something else, yes, without this knowledge. I can sit and wait for other people to handle things without telling me what's going on, yes."
Cryo immediately casts, flicking her hand, cascading light down her arm. She pulls off her glove and stares at it.
GAME: Cryosanthia casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 3 DC: 14 GAME: Faranmidahn casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 5 DC: 14
The lucht regards everyone in turn as they speak, then, she gives a wan little smile to Zephyr, 'Alright.' She doesn't say she's ready, because there probably isn't a -ready- for this level of nightmare, should things go sideways. As Cryo exposes her brand, her hand flexes and gestures as she makes her intonation, "bleh bleep sandy blrgl bleh bleep bleh sandy beagle blah bleep sandy blrgl" on baited breath and her eyes take on a pink glow. <unknown>
Auranar is as ready to go as she will ever be, she has nothing to gather, nothing to do but be here for her friends as they prepare themselves for the next step. "I don't know. Maybe we'll learn something that'll affect what we decide to do. It's not like there was any sort of concrete plan." Her voice is a touch dry and maybe even a little bit irritated.
Verna is somewhat surprised at the sudden castings, though Cryosanthia removing her glove offers some explanation. Verna has seen this mark before, more than once. "I sought only to ensure that the potential reward reasonably balanced the expected risk. It seems that you are all confident of that." She states nothing further as she looks between those who enhanced their sight to await their explanation and/or evaluation.
The Snowflake mark remains currently inert.
"She's not scrying me now." Cryo says, holding her hand out towards Faran so she can keep watching it. She folds her glove into a pocket. "The plan is get her out of the tower, somehow. Focus on her. Forget the Duke, forget Merek, forget Kira, forget Zeke they're already dead and a distraction. That's all I seem to be able to remember from it. I said I'd see if I could find where the Tower is now, where Zeke. So..."
The sith moves around her room, opening a few things, seeking a box which she takes and puts in her bag. "I guess that's everything. Do we need to bring a bowl, water?"
"If she responds, she'll only get us." Faran muses quietly, "The more accomplished force to stop them would still be at play, and as we don't have a plan, we can't give it away." She frowns a little and shrugs, "I'm not..... getting anything at all off the mark." Surprising, but she holds to the spell just in case that changes. She turns and takes up a small cloth bundle , tucking it into a pouch on her sword belt, "I'll protect who I can if things go wrong.
"Any pool of water will do," Verna notes, "or a silvered mirror. I can retrieve the latter on our way out of the city." She considers options beyond the walls, yet not so far as to exhaust them all before the undertaking. "The northern wilderness? Beyong Wilderness Pointe but not nearly so far as Mictlan? Or perhaps the Redridge beyond the Aerie?" A warfarer she is not, but either seems both remote yet accessible.
Auranar moves to open the door as everyone gathers their things. The door opens soundlessly and she holds it their briefly before looking over the rest of the women assembled. "I know a nice spot we can go to. A calm reflecting pool a little ways into the woods." There's a flicker of embarrassment that flashes quick then gone across her face and she heads out. "It'll be far enough away from the city that we shouldn't have to worry about risking anyone but ourselves." She mutters something under her breath, but she's already heading out and it's lost to the sound of her footsteps on the floors.
Cryosanthia seems a calmer now that there's motion and a plan. The sith still has a lot of energy bubbling up, looking hard at her memories and knowing Zeke was still imprisonned is the likely upset. "I'd be wary of being too close to Mictlan, or the Aerie. The pool sounds very good."
Cryo's claws clic-clic as she walks across the stone floor, out of the mountain mansion, through the store-front. A carriage is easy enough to hire, and it takes the group most of the way out of the city. It will be a walk back, and it's still a walk through the woods with the wild elf leading the way.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=<* W02: The Wilderness *>-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
The path from the village eventually narrows somewhat, with the trees on either side becoming more populous. Moss hangs from large stones that sit surrounded by beds of leaves that has accumulated over the years.
A few trails wander in varied directions though eventually even these woods will thicken. One particular trail carries with it the scent of natural brimstone...this trail wanders north and westward, where the trees grow thick once more. To the east, it's rumored that the druids have built a sacred site.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
Interestingly, Faran doesn't bring Torrent to this particular party, though she does grab her bow and quiver just in case. The trip out has a certain tension to it, a hand settled against Cryo whose pains and drive eclipse her own, though the Lucht's eyes aren't long from any of her companions, really. The Mourner is risking a great deal for this, and so too is Aura, and she resolves to see everyone home as she is able. Gilead, please let us track out quarry without the wind shifting, she prays.
Verna does not mind this carriage ride, nor even the walk through the wilderness. Like Cryosanthia, she has her own contentment that some action is taken, whether or not it would be generally advised. There will be the return journey, of course... but should that come to pass, she may well have every reason to enjoy it rather than complain of it. The journey also allows her to formulate further details and coarses of action as she follows the sylvanori to their final destination.
Auranar leads the other women through the forest to a rather secluded glade. It's a very nice little spot with a deep clear pond that is obviously spring fed. Not deep enough that it'll be terribly cold this time of the year, but deep enough to swim in if one felt the occassion for it. She is carrying her bow now, which is the only sign she's given that she thinks something might go wrong. As she draws abrest the pool of water she looks around as though to make sure that they're quite alone and then offers them a smile. "We shouldn't be disturbed here. As far as I know, not many people seem to even know this little spot is here."
Motion, helps. As much as the white sith has become accustomed to being inside, it will always be mixed. Familiar, and trapped. Watching the scenery change, the landscape move by soothes her. Something different is happening. Cryo holds onto Faran's hand, keeping her left bare for easy checking, although it seems inert whenever examined. She has the box, nothing else. The walk through the woods is even better. Her claws dig into the earth, her breathing finally seems normal and while it is still a little cool nearby, her cold aura is a lot weaker than it has been in a while. She smiles, "This is beautiful, it smells great. Thank you Auranar. Everyone, for helping."
The sorceress, about as she looks down to climb out of the carriage seems to finally realize what armour she's clad herself in. She looks slightly abashed for some reason, but it is short lived before the group is on the move again, her hand not leaving Cryo's, while the other rests on the hilt of that new sword, "Always." she assures her sister about help, but, "Thank you both, so much!" Verna examines the pool and seems more than satisfied, then dips her head to Auranar. "This will do well, thank you. May we remain undisturbed for the duration."
She turns to the others. "The scrying spell will require some time to enact. Once began, it cannot be interrupted without squandering the attempt. Before I begin it, I will enact a circle of protection about myself to afford us some protections. "However, should we draw potent visitors, I believe that our best options are avoidance, not engagement. In that case, I will hasten all of us so that we may withdraw at speed." She attempts to get a bearing on the sun, or from what she recalls of the path here. "We can scatter to the four winds and regroup in the city. If any wish to reconsider or offer further advice..."
Auranar takes several deep breaths to steady her too-rapidly beating heart and moves slightly away from the pool. "Sounds like a plan to me." She looks at her friends and nods to them. "I really hope that nothing terrible comes of this, but if it does... I wish the best for all of you. You're some of the nicest people I've ever met. It's been a honor to know you."
Cryosanthia listens solemnly, then nods, "These spells will help, are appreciated, thank you. I hope everyone runs very fast, if we have to, because I won't be able to outrun you. I couldn't. You've helped and done so much for me, the advice, the research." Her head turns towards Faran, "The protection, the support," finally Verna, "and this risk, when you we've barely met. I appreciate it all."
She holds the box out towards Verna, opening it. Revealed are a blue scale, a claw, a sash of a healer of Daeus.
Her attention moves back to the lucht, where she examines the armour she's wearing, and nods slowly, "I can still carry you in all that. If you need me to. I couldn't..." She stares at the pool, still holding out the box.
"The honor is mine." Faran returns, "Truly, that you would help us, to go this far..." She looks to the others, wondering, "Is it perhaps possible to shrink some of you down so that Cryo could carry one of you, and another could hop on Torrent's back if we need to leave in a hurry?" The Torrent that isn't here. She takes out the little cloth bundle and slowly begins to unwrap a broach... finely crafted, a rose of purple petals. She looks to Cryo, approaching her, "I'll slow you down, sister. If it goes wrong, you -run-. See them safe."
Verna accepts the box, respectful of its contents and their value; not to the effort, but to the one surrendering them to her trust. She looks to each in turn. "I believe that we can best protect the others by splitting any unwanted attention as many directions as possible. While I understand it would be difficult, I urge all to look ahead, and not back." It may seem harsh, or counterintuitive, but she stands by the logic of it.
"I am honored to contribute, as this extends far beyond us all, and that The Lady deemed I do so with you all." Verna then looks to each in turn, beginning with Faran. "May The Queen of the Dead" <in lucht>, "The Death-Singing Dragon" <Draconic>, "The Grey Harpist" <sildanyari> "deem it not your time.... but if She should, I believe you all shall be judged worthy." This last is in Tradespeak. She turns to the pool with the box, announcing, "I shall begin."
She kneels and sets the box before her on the ground, retrieving a rod from her satchel. He free hand gestures with a brief beseechment to The Dread Lady and Her Watchful Gaze. Verna then gingerly retrieves the single scale from the box and begins the much more arduous casting.
GAME: Verna casts Magic Circle Against Evil. Caster Level: 15 DC: 18
Auranar unlimbers her bow in spite of the precautions and the ultimate plan to run. She has no doubts that it'll do her as little good as a snowball in hell, but she works with what she has. Trouble clouds her brow and she shifts from foot to foot uncomfortably as Verna begins her spellwork.
Cryosanthia crouches down to wait, her tail straight out behind her, arms folded across her knees. She tries to take the advice to heart, to be ready to run and not look back. It's hard. Her thoughts turn to the Dragonfather and the Death Singing Dragon, and finds mostly emptiness. Zeke's faith survived somehow, but she's only experienced indifference from the one she follows and that didn't weather well in the Tower. The sith watches, as the ritual is performed, waiting.
Faranmidahn listens to the Mourner's words, lowering her eyes a moment to the rose in her hand. A deep, centering breath and she turns, drifting several strides from the women before she holds the broach aloft and calls commandingly for, "beagle beagle" before the second spell begins. Suddenly beside her, in full tack and barding, is the glossy jet arachnid the Lucht considers her first friend, and perhaps still the dearest, though that classification is becoming a murky thing of late. Again, in the back of her mind are prayers to Gilead to aid their hunt, to turn away their hunters, entwined with the mantralike precepts of the order who's pin she finally.... reluctantly... affixes to her cloak for the first time since the dreadful night in the Fernwood. <unknown>
Would it be irony or frustration, that, after the motion and sense of progress it brings, there is now a great deal of... sitting. Verna did not exagerrate when noting that it would take some time, as the incantation, alone, requires nearly an hour to utter. Her progress is difficult to track without an acute measure of time elapsed, as her position and expression change not.
It is not until the final minute or three that she leans forward slightly in anticipation, expectation, or to get a better view of the pool. Then, just as abruptly as her words began, then end. Her head and eyes lower fully to the pool, gazing and seeking, as the magic reveals...
a half-mul'niessan face, somewhat scrunched in concentration and framed by the sky, borded by treetops. Wait... it then changes to...
...Now the expression is most definitely a scowl.
Auranar lapsed into gentle pacing as time moves along. It seems to take forever, and with the thoughts boiling in her mind... she's not exactly in a patient mood. "Well?" Finally she breaks the silence with her voice, noticing the change on Verna's features and hoping that it means /something/.
The sith sits in a crouch on her tail while the ritual is performed. When Verna moves to look into the pool, she does so as well, moving forward onto her hands to approach the edge of the water, gazing into the surface. She looks sideways at the Mourner, then back at the water. Cryo isn't expecting it to see anything, but still has hope for that. Her voice is a low whisper, "What are you seeing?"
Faranmidahn has occupied herself over the hour with looking about as she idly stroked the leg of her mount, and/or the fuzzy shell of her little leggy coconut bun, though as it seems the spell is about to either reveal something, or doom them, she grabs the reins in preparation for their contingency.
Verna exhales a sigh. "Exactly what you can see, I believe... naught by my own reflection. No connection was made. He is location is likely warded against scrying... which is not terribly surprising."
Auranar half-relaxes at Verna's words, leaning against her longbow for support. "Well, that may not be what we hoped for, but at least..." She waves a hand at the air. "We're not dead." She looks at Verna, then to Cryosanthia. "Are we going to try for the other... target, or thank our lucky stars that this didn't end in misery?"
"Mikilos said he didn't have much luck scrying on someone in the tower in the past. So I guess it's not much of a surprise." Cryosanthia says, sitting back on her tail. That water looks very inviting. She really wants to swim. Has, since all her memories returned. Lie under the water and stare up at the stars through the rippling surface. She shakes her head again, attempting to rein in her focus.
"The other target would be the Tower, am I a good enough focus for that? Or does it's scrying protection mean it can't be found?" She flickers her hand through some arcane gestures, and light that seems like a cold wind blows from her chest out along her arm, and then the scales around her eyes and on her eyes glow and she gives a cursory glance at her hand, expecting nothing and about to drop the spell.
THE SNOWFLAKE GLOWS NOW
"It is possible that the Tower, itself, is protected from scrying, but it is more likely that its contents are warded," Verna offers her opinion. "One does not imply the other, but they are not mutually exclusive." Looking to Cryosanthia and her hand, she adds, "You, by virtue of your familiarity or mark, itself, may be enough of a link. The Mark, however, may also serve as a conduit that could make her aware of the efforts. In either case, I will require some time to prepare for another attempt."
Faranmidahn hmmm's softly at the prognosis and, despite imminent doom not appearing amongst them, she looks more crestfallen than relieved, a furtive glance over her shoulder at the rose pommeled hilt slanting up behind it. Cryo's suggestion of another scry makes her remember, likewise that they aren't alone in seeking inconvienient facts, and begins to repeat her earlier invocation as well, though her focus, seeing Cryo intent on her hand, is to look around and above.
"Lovely spot." A man's voice slips through the forest warmly, a deep voice. One well-used to command. A man slowly strides into the clearing from the shadows of the trees. He has hair that falls around his shoulders and black eyes. He's a handsome man, but not one that you'd remember unless... Unless you'd met him before. He smiles as warmly as the amusement in his tone as he spies the group of you in the clearing. "Nymphs love it here. Dryad's too. There's one that lives not so far away."
Auranar straigtens at the sight of the man, blinking her dark eyes at him. "I'm sorry... who are you?" She's startled and clearly suspicious of their new guest, and her eyes quickly take him in as he moves toward everyone.
"Ahh Ssshhsss! Scales! She noticed! She's watching." Cryo shoots to her feet, looking around at the woods, expecting something to emerge. "You should run away from me. I don't think it matters where I go, I can't get away from my hand."
The inviting water gets a sudden look, "Some of the ponds in the forest had oozes in them too. Could that one, and a little more magic change it?" The sith takes a step back. Then, that voice.
"Oh... run! Run now!"
Verna takes the box as she rises and turns, so that she may make a quick step to the others. She is not familiar with the man, though is immediately suspicious. Whether this one qualifies as a threat to enact the contigency, she is uncertain... until Cryosanthia's sudden emphatic directive. That is enough for Verna, and thus she does exactly what she stated she would: she incants and gestures to hasten them.
GAME: Verna casts Haste. Caster Level: 15 DC: 18
The sudden MAGIC MAN is upon them and Faran flinches slightly catching sight of him under her spell. Then more spells happen and she swings up into the saddle, "GO, NOW!" She moves Torrent to try and at least get between the terrifying man and Cryosanthia to give her and the others a second to bolt.
Victim is alphabetical GAME: Eclavdran rolls 1d4: (1): 1 GAME: Eclavdran rolls 1d20+30: (4)+30: 34
"Going already? But I've only just arrived." The man's smile widens and a long whip snakes out from his hand. Suddenly there where it hadn't been before. "This is going to be /so/ much fun." His whip snakes out and grabs Auranar by the foot and yanks her off her feet.
"What's wrong? Do we take him with us?" Auranar looks around in confusion... at least until the man's whip appears and the blood drains from her face. She doesn't have a chance to react before she's taken off her feet by his whip, landing with a harsh grunt. "Run!" Her heart is in her throat, but she yells to her friends anyways. "Get out of here!" Without thinking she pulls an arrow from her quiver and holds it in her shaking hand. She can't fire from the ground, but she suspects that he'll be close enough for more soon.
GAME: Cryosanthia casts Protection From Evil. Caster Level: 3 DC: 15 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+3: (18)+3: 21
The horror keeps dawning. "I said you had to run faster than me. I can't run and leave everyone, not after Zeke." Who had to threaten to kill himself to make her leave him. Cryosanthia is as held to the spot as if the whip was around her ankle.
She traces Seldan's protection spell in the air, with her symbols, the light of the spell flickering across her back and arm, then settling on Auranar. She looks at him, the man with dark eyes, defeat in her voice. "Would pleasantries make a difference? Hail, well met Dark Stranger, have a seat by the pool and share a story. Why?"
"By The Grey Harpist's Mithril-warmed Bed..." Verna is annoyed, yes. Not that she can fault any for remaining when one was so rapidly entangled, however... dashing away now would only scatter the quartet in the -least- beneficial manner. If they cannot flee together, then it seems they shall be forced to stand together.
On the other hand, perhaps, with Her Grace, she can offer them one more opportunity... "Ensare our foe in Your Judgement, Dread Lady, so that we may, ourselves, may not be ensnared..."
GAME: Verna casts Chains of Light. Caster Level: 15 DC: 21 GAME: Eclavdran rolls 1d20+17: (19)+17: 36
Glowing chains lit by Vardama's silver light rise up from the ground in attempt to enwrap the firewhip-wielder. Alas, he slips between them. Perhaps were he larger, with pointed horns for the links to catch upon, fate would have smiled more widely.
Faranmidahn reaches across her waist to draw the new sword at her hip, an oddly dull sheen to the blade, intended for Salina's ilk, though with the man's aura it may do for him as well, her intent is to go for the tether securing Auranar's ankle. "We can't if you're not running." Faran asides to the start of Cryo's words, though the rest forces her to venture, "Would you release her, please?" Especially when such big magic as was just invoked doesn't quite cut it.
GAME: Eclavdran rolls 1d20+30: (9)+30: 39
The man laughs, his whip not at all affected by Faran's weapon as the woman is dragged forcibly over the grass and to his feet. He yanks her up as easily as one might have handled a child, holding her by an ankle. "Sweet words will not disway me, and I won't release my prize so easily. No I like this one. Very pretty." His eyes flash across the way to Verna. "Though if you don't stop /annoying/ me... I'll add you to my list as well."
Auranar can't stop him. Can't dig her nails into the grass hard enough to keep herself from being dragged in. There's terror on her features, but it's her friends she looks at. "RUN GODS DAMN IT!" She screams at them, fear making the words catch half in her throat as the man yanks her up by her foot. Ruthlessly she tries to stab him with her arrow, but it's an utterly useless effort. "That was the plan. That was the plan! Please. Please run!" Her eyes are wide with unshed tears.
GAME: Cryosanthia casts Snapdragon Fireworks. Caster Level: 3 DC: 15
Cryosanthia can't run. She tries to find it in herself, force herself to, and can't. It hits her with all the inevitability of Salina calling Zeke's name. Eclavdran is going to keep showing up until he gets what he wants, she is convinced of that. Five times is more than coincidence. She thumps down on the ground, sitting where she can look at the water. She stares at her reflection in it.
"Please, put her down. We can't stop you, so obviously you're going to do what you want. Merek seems right, the gods could stop things at any time and they don't, and the tools they give us break or are too weak. How is he? Has he bored you with his talk of potatoes yet? How is Kira? I guess you could say anything, we wouldn't know.
The sith looks up, stares at Eclavdran, shrugging. "What do want? Why? Why me? Did I serve you badly at the Fernwood? Do you want me to go back to working there to improve the service? I sign and dance a little, I write stories, I want my mate. I want my friends safe. What do any of us have that you need or care about?"
Cryo twists her hands through a quick arcane gesture. The light that flashes along her arm is warmer than usual, and a tiny, fiery dragon appears on her fingertip. She points it upwards with a silent prayer. Dragonfather, get us out of this. "See if you can find Tanithariairisixchel, Sparky. Tell her I'll buy her all the fish."
The tiny dragon shoots up into the sky, with a whoosh and a trail of sparks and explodes high above the trees spreading a small umbrella of sparkles.
"Cryosanthia, Faranmidahn..." Verna notes, flatly, while her attention remains on the man she may have 'annoyed,' "We should do as she asks. We cannot keep her from him, now, but we -can- free her. It does her, nor anyone else, any good should he choose us all. Come." Verna then begins to step back; briskly, but not a full run as she is not keen to turn her back on the man, nor her allies.
Auranar's defiance does her credit, and the albino mudges Torrent forward toward the man, "No." is all she says at first, but her blade stays still, otherwise. The lucht looks back to the Mourner at her words, then back to Cryo as she flumps down in the grass, "Oh...." That's who this is. "So... " Now that she's got her rhymes in, she asks, "What does Sally pay you?"
GAME: Eclavdran rolls 1d20+30: (5)+30: 35
Smooth as silk the man shifts his gasp, bending over to pick Auranar by her throat and hold her in his hand. He holds her close to his body watching her feet dangle off the ground with clear amusement. "No. As you say, I'll do what I please, and I don't feel like putting her down." He has eyes only for the woman he holds up, his dark eyes full of the demon that's hidden away by the illusion of human flesh. "Do you know how long it takes for someone to suffocate to death? It takes a /long/ time. Long enough to tell you a story if you're not going to flee like you should."
Eclavdran, for that's who this is tears his eyes away from the sight of the woman he's slowly killing to trace his eyes over Cryosanthia and then Faranmidahn. He seems to have dismissed Verna; perahps because she's retreating. "What do I get? Not enough. Not nearly enough, but it's not really your conern is it? Your concern should be your own miserable little lives, but here you are throwing them away. If you all want to die so badly..." He squeezes his hand a little more tightly and smiles a good warm smile that doesn't fit the situation at all. "All's the more joy for me. You get beyond yourselves. Think somehow that this is about /you/."
GAME: Auranar rolls Escape Artist: (6)+3: 9
She can't breathe. Auranar scratches uselessly at his hand around her throat, can't reach anything else. Nothing comes out of her. No more warnings to her friends, just plain despiration clawing its way up inside of her. She can't give up, can't just let him kill her, but she can't free herself either.
"I don't know what to think!" Cryosanthia springs to her feet, "I'm not that clever. I know Silvermoon summoned you to stop Salina and you screwed it up somehow and caused her, and I know you show up when she's watching me like you're on her leash. Is it the silver marilith I know? Are you wanting a date?"
The sith looks over at the lucht knight, her gaze imploring. Why so insistent of her code now, when she had dishonered it. Oh. "Faran! Salina made you stay. You offered to come with me and She made you forget it. Like now, you're trying to protect me but I need you to run."
"I'm sorry Auranar that I dragged you into this. I am so, so sorry. I will come for you."
Cryo's eyes flash back to meet Eclavdran's, daring him, "I think there's a reason I keep seeing you, and I think I can get away from you, and I think I'll be a lot more entertaining to chase. So why don't you drop her and try to catch me."
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls bluff: (3)+8: 11 GAME: Eclavdran rolls 1d20+30: (18)+30: 48
Verna continues to move back. Cryosanthia standing and darting off is a relief, even if her intent was to act as bait. She is moving away, as is Verna, though still at a reverse or sidestepping jog. She does not want to move so far as to leave Faranmidahn behind, for one. She is reluctant enough to see Aurana left, especially as it appears he wishes to throttle the life out of her? Or will he? All others were taken, and what little she glimped of that...
For another... would she just get moving?! Verna attempts to aid with a shouted, "bleep" <unknown>
Faranmidahn grits her teeth as Eclavdran starts to squeeze harder, glancing at her useless blade, about to speak when Cryo, after Verna speaks anew. There's a little shake of her head, a little sparkle brewing in the corner of her eye and she looks to Auaranar, and.... She nudges Torrent to withdraw, the spider opening distance, though she, similarly isn't keen on showing him her back.
As everyone withdraws the demon in human disguise leans in to whisper something in Auranar's ear. Still holding her up by her throat. Clearly not giving chase. He has chosen his prize it seems, and has no further interest in those who are making good their getaway.
Auranar for her part shakes her head no as best as she can in his grasp, tears finally flowing free of her dark eyes and spilling down her cheeks. She still can't speak, he won't let her. There's nothing she can do... nothing at all.
Verna has one final parting gift to bestow. One last spell that will, she believes, accomplish a number of things in their favor. Foremost, it will provide cover for their retreat, and perhaps ensure that all who are making the effort will, in fact, escape.
Second, she knows very little of his plans for Aurana. Does he wish to watch the life drain from her eyes by his hand? Shall he take her for himself, as he may have suggested? Will he take her to his presumed Mistress? None of these options are tenable to her. Not when she can offer Aurana one last bit of freedom.
Lastly, and perhaps not least, it is not small consolation to be able to counter his theories. That he can do anything he wishes. That mortal think only about themselves. That he is undeniable.
He is wrong, and she aims to make it so with one last incantation and gesture on the run.
GAME: Verna casts Cloudkill. Caster Level: 15 DC: 20
