Stealing Albus

GAME: Magpie used a Scroll of Arcane Lock.
GAME: Magpie used a Scroll of Nondetection.

The temple of Eluna is quiet today. Not just here deep in the temple where they keep dangerous magical artifacts, but all the way through the temple. The halls echo as one walks down them. One more turn and the small room that has been set aside comes into view. The room itself is a simple affair. A small table, a couple of chairs. Nothing else. Well, there is the book.

"I wonder why it's been so quiet," Magpie murmurs to Auranar. Something about an empty-seeming temple makes it easy to feel like one ought not raise their voice, for all that there's *literally* no one around to hear.

Hefting the books in her arms as she rounds the corner, her face splits into a wide grin upon seeing the tome in question. "Heyyyy, Albus!" she says, waving uselessly to the tome. "How're you doing?"

Auranar looks around, just as unsettled as is Magpie. "I don't know. But I don't like it." She murmurs back, and as they enter into the room, she tries to shake her feelings of trepidation off, but it's not as easy for her as it seems to be for the gnome. "I'm here too Albus. Auranar?" She reminds him of her name just in case he forgot it.

The book is silent and unimpressive really at least until the two approach. "Who's there?" Asks a semi-irritated voice. "If-Oh is that Magpie I hear?" The book seems to go from irritable to pleased in only a few seconds. "And Auranar! Lovely to hear from you both."

"Albus, there you are!" Magpie says, the unease shaken off as she approaches a friend. "You been doing all right? They keeping you dusted?" Tottering to the chairs, the gnome climbs up into one and leans over, resting a hand on the cover. "So we got some problems, buddy, and we wanted to come to you before we started bumbling into pits we can't climb back out of. Also, I brought bribes! There's romance, there's detective thriller, and history, since I don't know what stories you like."

Auranar smiles at Magpie's enthusiasm, her own concerns drifting away as she closes the door behind them and takes the chair that Magpie isn't using. "Do you need any help with those books Magpie?" She asks, watching them totter a bit as the gnome climbs up into her chair and leans over to touch Albus' book. "We thought we might read to you a bit! Keep you company for a while."

"These horrid keepers of yours keep testing me to see if I've gone evil!" There's a harumph from the book. "As if I would! I dedicated my life to figuring out the secrets of fiends so that they could be safely be dealt with. I had hoped that... Well that's all done now..." A morose sigh and the book falls silent for a moment.

"But it's lovely that you ladies are here. I'm happy to have the company and lend what aid I can." The book sits there simply, but one can almost imagine an old man nodding in self-assuredness.

There's a light cough then and the book continues. "As for books I loved to ready anything I could get my hands on really. Though histories _were_ a favorite since you never knew what you would learn from them. And... You can read the Crimson Pen to me if you like." Another light cough. "I know you ladies like them and it's a good way to keep up with the times."

"I get it!" Magpie says, patting the book's cover. "But, y'know... whenever soul magic gets involved, people start worrying, and then it's inquests and suspicion all day long..." Smiling faintly, the gnome takes in a breath. "So uh... We got ahold of 'Compilations of the Eternal.' And we found the real book. And I gotta say, *what the hells Albus.*"

Sitting back, Magpie chuckles. "Oh, we got another fan! Eeeeexcellent, did you know she's doing a new series? It's all about these two sorcerers, one empowered by the stars, one empowered by the fae, and they're just embarrassingly lovey and sweet and absolutely besotted with each other while having adventures."

Auranar admittedly looks a bit embarrassed by the talk of the Crimson Pen novel. She hadn't actually expected the wizard to be a fan of the work, but in retrospect it's perhaps more expected than she thought. Lonely wizard, book about romance. It was probably the closest he got to another person. The very thought made her sad. Especially considering that now he was stuck in a book. "Can you tell us about the book Albus? The one you wrote."

"Might be true, might be true, but it gets dull and tedious. But you found my book! That's fantastic. Use it in good health my girl. Don't make the mistakes I did in trusting those fiends more than one ought." He pauses a moment then more archly continues. "What do you mean? I put a lot of safety checks in place with that book! What the hells Albus she asks! Where else was I supposed to put all that information?"

"Information's one thing, but *direct lines of communication?!*" Magpie replies, waving her arms with enough force to lift her physically off her seat for a moment. "I did the folding, and we found the directory! And just... aaaaaaaaaaaa, that was the scariest half hour of my entire life!"

Pausing to catch her breath, the gnome rakes a hand through her hair. "So... like... I don't wanna be blundering when dealing with that, so I was gonna ask about some instruction for handling it properly."

"We don't mean to insult your work Albus. Not at all, it's just... a lot to take in." Auranar adds to the conversation gently. "I'm trying to understand _why_ you made it to be honest. What was the purpose of creating a way to summon demons like that?"

Albus harumphs. "One does need talk to fiends to get information on them." He says defensively, offering a light sigh at Magpie's words about being afraid. "I didn't mean to scare you Magpie. But I had to be very careful about how I set up the book."

He nimbly dances around her request for aid in handling the book by replying instead to Auranar. "I created it to destroy them of course! There are _ways_ to destroy fiends once and for all. Did you know for instance that finding some piece of a fiend that is from their original body weakens them on this plane? Enough to sometimes kill them! Not just send them back to the hells either!"

He sounds excited and then he coughs and relents. "Well... You can see why I wanted to entrust this information to future generations. People who could use it to destroy the foul things once and for all... if they were brave, cunning, and wise enough to do it."

"I mean, yeah, but like..." Letting out a deflated sigh, the gnome shakes her head. "Okay. That all make sense! And it's probably gonna be a big help. But I'm serious, Albus... I am *not* hardcore enough yet to bully devils, and if we're gonna make use of this thing at all, we have to be very, very careful. So I'm serious, Albus... please. Help me work that book like an actual smart person would."

Here Auranar doesn't speak up, feeling that Magpie has it well in hand. Being too intent in their efforts might scare the wizard off from being helpful.

"I... I don't know Magpie. There's a lot of risk in telling you how to use the book. If the wrong people found out... But more than that, it's set up to _test_ those that use it. To keep it out of the wrong hands. Demons don't have the patience for handling that book, and devils might but they'd never enter into a contract where they don't have the upper hand. Only mortals are rash and clever enough, and those with evil intent would soon fall apart trying to use the knowledge; they'd undo themselves. I can't risk that you might be trying to get my secrets and use them to ill ends."

There's no warning really before the door opens and a sort of scruffy-looking guy in the ill-fitting armor of an Elunan paladin opens the door. He seems surprised to see anyone in the room and he blinks at the women. "Ah, sorry. You're not supposed to be in here right now. The book is due to undergo some testing. Can you come back later?"

GAME: Magpie rolls sense motive: (1)+2: 3 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Auranar rolls Sense Motive: (1)+3: 4 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Magpie rolls sense motive: (20)+2: 22
GAME: Magpie casts Fly. Caster Level: 6 DC: 18

Hopping up to her feet on the chair after the 'paladin' walks in, Magpie does a double-take, then frowns deeply. With a hurried chant, the gnome summons some sort of glimmering, multicolored field to surround her, then lunges for Albus, grabbing up the tome and soaring to the ceiling.

"I have *never* seen a moon paladin as ill-kempt as you are! I'm gonna need to see some proof of identity, buddy!"

Auranar, who was surprised, but not _that_ surprised to see the paladin looks much more surprised when Magpie soars into the air and takes Albus with her. "Um..." She looks from one to the other and holds her hands somewhat up. "Look, can you prove you are who you say you are?"

The book lets out an interested sounding voice. "Oh my! This sounds exciting! A fake paladin you say? What's going on out there Magpie?"

The paladin meanwhile looks a bit harried, his expression going blank and irritated at the same time. "I'll heal one of you okay? Here. Lady elf, I'll heal you and your friend can come down right?" He makes his way to Auranar.

"Yes because *paladins* have a monopoly on healing," Meagpie says, rolling her eyes, then looking down at the book in her arms. "Take a look, Albus. If you need permission to use my senses, you got it. Auranar, back away slow, just in case. Get as far away from him as possible, being a hostage *sucks* and you don't need that headache."

Auranar backs slowly away from the paladin in question, but really there's not much room to go and it starts to feel a little bit more like he's stalking her than that he's coming over to heal her of wounds she doesn't have. "I'm fine Ser. I don't need any healing." Her voice is full of nerves. Backed into a corner and looking at the other mage in the room. "Ah Magpie... Is he a werewolf or a demon do you think?" She holds her hands out in front of her.

The 'paladin' grabs for Auranar's arm and pulls her in. "You're making this more difficult than it needs to be." He pulls a white cloth with an odd red sheen to it out of his pocket and shoves it into Auranar's face.

Meanwhile Albus is taking Magpie at her word, looking through her eyes and driving her blind as he looks at what's going on. "No you do not! That girl is my friend!" He says through Magpie's voice, and quickly tucks his book under Magpie's arm so that he can make a complex sweeping gesture with his hands and utter a foul-sounding word of power from her mouth.

GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+2: (1)+2: 3 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Auranar rolls Fortitude: (10)+3: 13

"...Good to know," Magpie says, blinking rapidly as her sight is restored. "Was that *my* energy or yours? Cos I think we're gonna be needing that again in the future."

Swooping down, Magpie indulges in a bit of pettiness, and pushes the stiffened 'paladin' over. "So uh... you don't happen to have anything that'd let a noodly little mage carry a grown adult too, would you?"

Auranar, affected by whatever was on that rag, has fallen unconscious to the floor. She doesn't offer any helpful commentary being that she's unconscious.

The 'paladin' falls over as he's tipped and lands neatly on the ground. Meanwhile Albus considers Magpies' request. "People haven't exactly been reading my spellbook to me so my options are limited. I could shrink her, or make you stronger, but I'm not sure that either of those would be sufficient. Also you pose an interesting question. I think that your intuitive use of magic allows my knowledge to create the magical connection necessary for advanced spell uses. I will have to ponder it more fully."

GAME: Magpie rolls craft/alchemy: (12)+11: 23
GAME: Aftershock rolls 2d12: (15): 15

"How 'bout both? Both is good! Shrink her, muscle me up, I'll fly her out..." Magpie mutters as she kneels next to Auranar's body, drawing a stylus out of her hip pouch, and poking the rag. "...Blood Leaf. That's *bad,* we need to get her to a proper healer. So hey uh, Albus? How d'you feel about a jailbreak? Cos you're *definitely* not safe here anymore."

"As you will Magpie. I will need control again if I am to cast the spells through you. I doubt very much that I can simply pass the magic through this book. Or perhaps I should try? It might destroy the tangential link that keeps me bound... Mmmm are you feeling lucky Magpie?" The book queries casually.

"Go ahead," Magpie says. "Auranar's life *doesn't* deserve being left to chance, take control and cast it on up." As she speaks, the gnome reaches up behind her neck, untying the cording used to keep her fashion choices in place. Once the cord is pulled free, her robe is shrugged up to sit the way a robe is *supposed* to.

"Quite right! Quite right! Another time." Albus shifts into her mind once again, driving the gnome blind but not without her other facilities. It's an odd thing to be the back-seat driver to ones own body. A few more arcane gestures and Auranar is shrunken down to gnome-size and Magpie is gifted with strength unlike that which she usually knows. Just in time too, because the 'paladin' is starting to twitch.

Unable to help herself, as the 'paladin' begins to twitch, Magpie darts over to write (FAKE) across his forehead with her grease-and-charcoal stylus. Then, she hefts miniAuranar over one shoulder, tucks Albus under the opposite arm, and flies down the hall, leaving a raindow-hued trail of sparks and sparkles. While this would *normally* be an occasion for laughter... there's too much that needs doing, quickly, to be really entertained by it.

It's a bit of a harrowing journey through the mostly silent temple (which is still creepy), and through the streets of Alexandria. It also draws some attention. More than one person points toward them with wonder and curiosity. A few even start to follow, but when the distance is more than they are willing to go out of their way they fall off and leave the two women to their journey.

They arrive at the Soldier's Defense after a brief interlude and when Magpie explains that her friend has been poisoned the healers hasten to see to Auranar. Still, it's a long wait until the elf is conscious once again. By which point she is back to her normal size. She looks exhaustedly up at Magpie, looking around a little bit. They've been granted a private room, but it's small and not very well appointed. "What happened?"

"Blood Leaf," Magpie answers, smiling faintly to see Auranar awake and alert. "He'd poisoned you, Albus knocked him out, and I brought you to the Soldier's Rest, that's where you are now. Also, d'you know what kind of legal trouble I could be in, since I took Albus with us?"

Auranar looks at Magpie in surprise. She knows plants, but only in a distant way. She's been trying to learn more, but blood leaf is not one that she's familiar with. Which likely means it's poisonous, and Magpie confirms this thought. "Well. No one checked us in... And the only one that saw us was the guy that poisoned me. I doubt he'll tell anyone. So..." She offers a faint smile to Magpie. "I think we'll be okay."

The book gruffly lets out a little cough then quietly whispers to Magpie and Auranar. "Can I talk now?"

"The guy who I marked up with grease-pencil," Magpie snickers. "He's gonna have a fun time explaining why he's got FAKE written across his forehead... Um! Yes. Albus, since you are the reason we're able to talk at *all,* please do."

Auranar reaches out a hand, touching Magpie on the arm. "I have to thank you for your quick thinking Magpie. You saved me... However you did it." She smiles at the other woman. "Thank you."

The book coughs again. "You two were both very brave. So I have an offer... If you take me to see my book... I'll tell you how to use it." He sighs. "I'll just have to trust that this isn't all some fiendish trap."

Magpie returns Auranar's smile, patting the elf's hand. "Hey... What're friends for, if not saving people from probably-werewolf fake paladin poisoners?" Chuckling, she turns to Albus, bobbing her head. "Deal! ...But I'll probably put you on an actual *shelf,* rather than under my bed. Just seems less rude, y'know?"

Looking down for a moment, Magpie sits back in her chair, taking in a deep breath. "Albus... I know when fiends get involved, it's hard to trust. But like... We have *serious* demon problems, and you and that other book are the only leads we have, and it's either you teach me how to use it or I give it to the Daeusites for disposal. Y'know?"

Again Auranar falls silent, not wanting to interrupt and make things more complicated.

"I know Magpie. But you understand my caution. We've made an agreement that works for both of us. If I'm with you Magpie, I trust that I'm in good hands." The book falls silent after that.

"...Okay." Magpie nods, determined, and looks up at Auranar. "Are you gonna be all right, Auranar? I'll come visit, and I'll bring snacks! Which the guards *probably* won't steal!"

Sounds like *someone* is carrying a lingering grudge against Daeusite security...

"I'll be fine. If you can... Let Verna know I'm here. So she doesn't worry." Auranar says with a smile. "I'd tell her by messenger, but I think that she'll take the news from someone she knows better." She blinks once. "Though if you can't... I mean with Albus and everything..."

"It's okay Auranar. We'll tell this Verna... Or rather Magpie will. I'll sit on a shelf like a good book and blend in." Albus promises gently. "She'll take me home and then tell this Verna everything she needs to know." Seems he's totally willing to speak for Magpie in this instance.

While normally Magpie would be vaguely irritated that someone's making promises on her behalf, in this case it's definitely something she'd agree to anyway, as evidence by the sharp nod that accompanies Albus' words.

-End