15: The Trick is to Keep Breathing

[Sierra]

<El-Cideon> OOC: should've mentioned this when you entered the room, but feel free to roll K:R on her, E (would be K:P by the book, but no one took that and demons are within the purview of a priest, I'd say)
<El-Cideon> "You didn't think to ask him? He'd know better than I would. Took an instant dislike to me before we'd even met, and we've spoken personally all of twice, once when he made his initial tour of the grounds and again when he and his apprentice swept through here and stripped the library of any arcane texts they could find. If he needs anything from the library now, he sends one of his bodyguards to retrieve it." She heaves a sigh, a gesture which is accompanied by a considerable amount of jostling in outlying regions. "It's as though there's something inherently untrustworthy about me. The other caretakers have never greeted me with anything but suspicion and disdain." She pouts, pride and dignity wounded by the fundamental unfairness of the world.
<El-Cideon> "As for Maxwell, it's been plain to me for a long time that he wants this place for his own, and that necessitates disposing of the other caretakers. I suppose he thought I was the easiest for you to handle." A mischievous smile creeps in. "Which is true enough, if not in the way he'd had in mind. I'm all alone here, no one to rise in my defense."
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+22 religion
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+22 religion and gets 39."12 [1d20=17]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+27 also sense motive on her 'no defenders' bit
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+27 also sense motive on her 'no defenders' bit and gets 32."12 [1d20=5]
<Madeline> "Why stay?" challenges Madeline. "Surely you've had the chance to leave in the past, yet you remain in a vulnerable position."
<Eliaphas> "Hmph. Novice wizards usually love your kind far too much. Presumably Maxwell's gone past that stage in his life," Eliaphas notes, waiting on her response to Madeline.
<El-Cideon> "Oh, not too much. I assure you, I have enough love for everyone," she says sweetly. She's less flippant when she responds to Madeline, with a certain amount of chagrin: "If I could have, I would have done so ages ago. The Duke bound me here when I was summoned. I can't leave here unless he releases me. Or unless someone kills him. And I've not much hope of the former happening--you haven't met him, so let me assure you, once someone's out of his immediate sight, they basically stop existing. But where are my manners? If we're going to chat, surely you could use some refreshment. Flitter? Enough tea for our guests, please?" The green-haired pixie takes flight and heads for the door.
<Corben> "Where do you get your food?" Corben asks at that, suddenly finding it relevant.
<El-Cideon> "Food? Oh, well, there are herds of cattle out on the eastern moors, and the harpies bring up fish sometimes. It's all plain fare, really." She sips at her tea. "Anything special, like this, well, sometimes the grimjaws knock over a merchant caravan and you just have to trust to luck they'll bring back something nice for the kitchens."
<Corben> "And where are the kitchens?" he follows up with. If they secure them, they could feed the freed prisoners easily enough.
<El-Cideon> "Oh, not far. Northeast corner of this building. I wouldn't recommend causing trouble there, as the kitchen abuts the servants' wing and you'll have an army of maids coming down on you if there's any undue noise."
<El-Cideon> The pixie shortly returns with a tray full of fine porcelain teacups and a teapot. It pours three cups, then flutters into the air again to bring one of them to Madeline first.
<Madeline> "I will not have any," states Madeline, flatly. "On the topic of the duke. His death is of use to you. Your death is of use to Maxwell. I presume the reverse holds true, but I really could not care less about the fate of either of you. Your relations with us will be solely determined by the assistance you can provide. Amulets, useful tactical information, martial or magical aid- you have
<Madeline> the advantage of being able to offer something of substance now."
* Corben takes his cup and pours himself the tea before taking a sip. It's better than standing there quietly and glaring, after all.
* Eliaphas takes a cup but doesn't drink, silently agreeing with Madeline's sentiments.
<El-Cideon> The pixie sits on the desk next to Kisantha and sips from Madeline's unwanted drink. Corben finds it's a tasty blend of flavors, but very, very hot. Another put-upon sigh from Kisantha. "Oh very well, if you're bent on depriving me of the pleasantries...I know the grounds, so you'll have a guide. Anyone whose death proves necessary, I can help you find. I can also help facilitate this if it's a requirement. And if material bribery is an absolute necessity, well, occasionally guests do drop in and possibly some of them neglect to leave with all of their possessions. I've a few magical items lying idle."
[<El-Cideon> As Kisantha speaks, you hear her also in your head, albeit different words and the voice is dry and serious, none of the playful tone she uses aloud: "Before we make solid plans, I'd like to ensure we've no eavesdroppers listening in, if you'll permit me a spell to scan for such. A nod or a wink will do. Yes, I am informing your companions as well."]
* Eliaphas inclines his head slightly, keeping a close eye on the succubus.
<Corben> After a glance at Eliaphas, Corben shrugs, drinking the rest of his tea. Heat is something he can deal with.
<Madeline> Madeline closes one eye. "Do tell."
[<El-Cideon> "Excellent. Carry on as though I were saying something fascinating. Maxwell likely has someone watching through that blasted telescope."]
<El-Cideon> Kisantha stands up, walks a few steps and stands so that her back is turned to the library's southern windows. She continues speaking, with the occasional seemingly casual and conversational gesture, though she mutters a few arcane syllables before picking up the thread of the conversation. "I know a fair bit about the castle's regular minions as well, should we run across any of them en route to our destinations."
<Eliaphas> "Really? I had no idea..." Eliaphas exclaims dryly.
<Madeline> "We deal with them as they come. They are little threat in small groups."
<El-Cideon> "Best stay out of the menagerie, then," Kisantha says. "It's due south of here. Maxwell's goonsquad sits in stasis there while not in use. Group attention is one thing but, well, an army, that would tax even me!"
[<El-Cideon> With evident irritation now: "Your elf friend has a secret admirer. Best assume anything said in her presence is also overheard by meddling wizards."]
<Corben> "Is Maxwell a wizard?" Corben asks with a frown, caring little for Kisantha's escapades.
<Eliaphas> "Though it might be a large group if we try to secure a food source at the kitchen," Eliapahs muses aloud.
<El-Cideon> "Do you need a large amount? Is Corben a man of considerable appetites? He does look so, certainly. I can requisition a small amount without raising suspicion. My assistants do need regular meals after all. You'd be surprised at how much such a little thing can eat," she says with a smile toward the pixies. "Maxwell is indeed a wizard, yes. Him and his apprentice took up the Duke's old laboratory when they moved in."
[<El-Cideon> "Ask what you like now--within reason, of course--as much of what I have to say about the other inhabitants doesn't benefit Maxwell much. But if we're to make genuine plans, it will have to be on the sly. Think a simple response and I can detect it, if you'll let me. I am familiar with a spell to enable mass communication in this manner, but regrettably did not foresee I would need it today."]
<Madeline> "We must at the least defeat Larchmont and Mary," states Madeline. "They hold amulets. We know this. How would you suggest we attack the thespian?"
<Eliaphas> "The food is for the other captives here, now that their jailers are dead," Eliaphas explains.
<El-Cideon> "Well, I don't think I could get away with sneaking that much food without someone noticing. Butterball has quite an appetite, but not to *that* level," Kisantha says. "Zombies don't understand much, but they do comprehend quotas." She shrugs, with attendant jostling. "Larchmont? Walk right in. He's in the theater most hours, drilling his troupe. They might still be active at this hour. A bit longer and possibly you could just stab him in his sleep. That would be easier."
<Madeline> "He sleeps?"
<El-Cideon> A throaty chuckle. "I wouldn't know from sharing a bed with him personally, but he *is* mortal. Albeit very long-lived, even for an elf. Neither him nor his troupe ever partook of the Duke's curse, however."
<Madeline> "Are his minions particularly dangerous? Is he particularly dangerous?"
<El-Cideon> "He's an experienced sorcerer. Likes to play with illusions mostly--he uses them for scenery, atmospheric noise, that sort of thing--but *has* lived here for three hundred years, and anyone who can do that is more than prepared to defend himself through brute force if necessary. As for his troupe, well, he always visits the prison each raid year to pick out a few promising young people with his own talents. I'm not intimately familiar with the current crop--" She smiles in obvious self-satisfaction. "--I'm not welcome in the theater after absconding with his wardrobe girls. But you can expect most of them to have some notable arcane talent of their own."
<Eliaphas> "And what happened to those wardrobe girls?" Eliaphas asks grimly, recalling also the wager that the Muse spoke of between librarian and artist.
<El-Cideon> "They served you tea."
<Eliaphas> Admittedly that was unexpected, so Eliaphas merely shrugs. "You ran the library alone before that?"
<Madeline> "I know enough to decide on Larchmont. What of Mary? We know she is a hungry ghost of sorts. Do you hold weapons that could reliably strike her down?"
<El-Cideon> "Well, there isn't that much call for it, really. I took the job because no one else wanted it. Most of the castle's inhabitants are not, shall we say, the scholarly sort? Maxwell took everything he wanted for his own already. The jailer girl, Anna, she'd drop by once in a while, but I suppose that won't be happening anymore. Lady Stanja might visit from time to time, but by now she's read most of interest to her and kept what she liked." She shrugs. "Honestly, some days I just take books off the shelves to give these little dears something to do!"
<El-Cideon> "Mary? Well, a caller of mine once came in with a sword meant for slaying ghosts and neglected to take it with him once he left. I daresay he didn't fare too well after that."
<Corben> "What now?" Corben decides to ask. "We assault the kitchens, stay out of Maxwell's way as long as he stays out of ours, go after Larchmont to get that key and then kill the Duke?"
<Eliaphas> "Better to save Larchmont at least until after Mary," Eliaphas amends. "I've no reason to see Brilliant Crystal Blue Sky Canopy expire."
<Madeline> "We might as well forget the kitchens. We shouldn't even be here long enough for it to matter," notes Madeline, dourly. "Given the numbers involved, it will surely sap our strength too much. If you have this sword, bring it and the other equipment you mentioned earlier; we'll see about Mary first." She raises an eyebrow. "You'll accompany us, I hope? We have a common cause."
<El-Cideon> "Well, how long do you plan to take accomplishing all this, I think is the relevant question?" Kisantha says. "If you move fast enough, you needn't worry about feeding anyone."
<El-Cideon> "I haven't much choice now, have I?" Kisantha says. "And you are the best chance I've seen in a long time. You had best be as capable as you sound to be from all the trouble you've caused out there, of course," she adds seriously. "It'll go very badly for me if we fail. You they might just kill." She sighs and heads for the east door. "One moment, then."
<Eliaphas> "No longer than two more days, but the prisoners are already weak. Even if we can just purloin a small amount of food rather than assaulting the kitchen, that might make a difference."
<El-Cideon> The second fairy--pinkish-blonde hair, somewhat less pale and morose than her companion--settles onto the table as Kisantha disappears into the next room. "You might be able to sneak in," the little fey says quietly. "The chefs aren't very bright."
<Madeline> "I could try. It wouldn't be trouble for me to fill this with food," admits Madeline, indicating her bag.
<El-Cideon> "Stay out of the freezer!" she adds. "There's an ice monster in there."
<Madeline> "Are there potatoes?"
<El-Cideon> "There are some vegetables...mostly it's dried meat and fish," she says, wrinkling her nose. The green-haired pixie--Flitter--speaks up in a low, flat voice. "You're going to kill Mister Larchmont?"
<El-Cideon> Kisantha shortly emerges from the next room, carrying a sack that rattles as she walks.
<Madeline> "Is that a problem for you?"
<El-Cideon> They exchange a glance. "We were supposed to take care of him," the more robust one says morosely. "But--" "Mister Larchmont went crazy," Flitter cuts in.
<Corben> "Crazy how?"
<El-Cideon> Kisantha empties the sack out on the table, sorts through the various debris as the pixies talk. "It was okay when he was just making plays for fun...," Butterball says. "But now nothing's ever real enough for him, like people have to *live* in their roles to perform them. And, er, die in them sometimes."
<El-Cideon> Flitter nods. "He wasn't always like that! But everyone goes crazy here after a while. It'll happen to us too!" Her companion pats her on the shoulder. "Not it won't, these people'll fix everything." Flitter is not significantly mollified. "Yes it will!" Flitter moans. "Just wait, in a few more years we'll be writing on the walls, and eating bugs, and knitting sweaters that are too big for people, and--" She breaks off in a wail.
* Eliaphas coughs awkwardly. "Kisantha... doesn't appear obviously impaired in the mind," he offers in support of the fairies.
<El-Cideon> Kisantha ignores all of this, setting aside a sword and a set of chainmail. "Both of these were specifically crafted to deal with phantoms. The rest of it, well...it's a grab-bag. It's not as though I have the luxury of going shopping."
<El-Cideon> Butterball hugs her counterpart to comfort her. She casts a silent glance at her employer and merely shrugs.
<Madeline> "I am not a great swordswoman. It will have to fall to you, Corben," notes Madeline.
<Madeline> "As for your sanity, you could always choose to die first?" she adds, uncertainly. "If we fail. Which we will not. But, well, I- I mean, you could try and go out in a blaze of glory, if nothing else?"
<Corben> "I can do that," he agrees. "Use the sword and mail. Not die first."
<El-Cideon> "Not dying is a plan I wholeheartedly approve of," Kisantha says.
<Eliaphas> "Is there a crossbow of any sort there?" Eliaphas asks, leaning over where Kisantha has emptied her stash. "I have bolts that can harm ghosts and can share them out."
<El-Cideon> "I haven't one with me," Kisantha admits. "But if you've cleared Cain's ilk from the west wing, it's just a matter of retrieving one from the armory."