058: And the world shall live as one

[Sierra]

<El-Cideon> Outside of the Union temple, Azure is calm again; the breezes of Air carry only a light caress now rather than wails of dismay. Aria waits calmly for you just outside the door, and Vigilia's lone remaining archon is engaged in an animated discussion with the flamehaired woman some ways away. Rosemund's humor is sullen and subdued. Every now and then her tail twitches uncomfortably.
<Steph> "Sounds like things have settled," says Stephanie, approaching Aria.
<Julia> Julia walks alongside Rosemund while Battersby shambles along behind her. Out of deference for her friend's bad mood she remains silent however.
<Franceska> "I want to go home," Franceska declares.
<Steph> "Seconded."
<El-Cideon> "For the moment," Aria agrees. "Though I believe I'll need to collect whatever remains of the town's notables and convince them not to massacre what remains of the Union. We've historically demonstrated a low tolerance for the sort of meddling that happened today."
<Franceska> "We can wait until that, then. At the inn."
<El-Cideon> "My house, if you'd rather?" Aria suggests. "We share an adversary. No doubt we've things to discuss in greater detail before you leave. I should offer you my hospitality, if you could give me some hours to settle affairs around town."
<Steph> Stephanie nods absently, before walking towards the Vigilia. "Yo. You've heard the story?"
<El-Cideon> "I'm told I've been exploited again," Vigilia says in a hollow tone. The archon gyrates and chides her: "It is not like that! The reverend did not know either! You should find her and talk things over! She probably needs a friend at this time as much as you do."
<Steph> "She really does," agrees Stephanie. "She aged herself healing Rosemund- and there's nobody else here."
<Julia> "You should," Julia speaks up, "Bernadette is asleep right now, but she's devastated by what she allowed to happen."
<El-Cideon> "Her intent is good," Vigilia resolves with conviction, agreeing: "She should have someone around to remind her it hasn't all gone awry."
<Steph> "Right!" Stephanie clasps her hands. "We're going to head home before picking up our original tasks. Not sure when that'll be, but we'll let you know our plans before leaving."
<El-Cideon> "I may be here some time," Vigilia says, looking around the open sky. "The atmosphere is pleasant when nothing horrible is happening. Though I might...require a trip back to Celestia some time in the future as well," she adds with a glance back at the temple. "Fare you all well in the meantime."
<Steph> Stephanie nods. "I'd like my sword back now," she adds.
<Franceska> "Did you leave anything back at the inn?" Franceska asks Rosemund. "Looks like we'll be staying with Aria for now."
<El-Cideon> She looks as though she'd forgotten holding it. "Of course," she says, handing it over.
<Steph> Stephanie takes it and shoves it back into her belt, where it belongs. "Much obliged."
<El-Cideon> Rosemund jolts into awareness. "Oh! Er...I think just the boxes of papers Julia brought back from the wizards?"
<Franceska> "Make Ron bring them."
<El-Cideon> Rosemund just nods.
<Julia> Hearing that Julia looks over at her minions, "Maeander, follow and defend Ron," she instructs so the rogue modron won't be so vulnerable on his own.
<El-Cideon> Aria turns to her companion: "Barnaby, lead our friends back home and relay to Winchester that they're to be given quarters and whatever refreshment they require." The lynx sags resentfully at being presented with mere messenger duty but saunters over to your side regardless.
<Steph> "Refreshments! Let's go get refreshed," Stephanie says, insisting on putting a cheerful tone into her voice.
<Franceska> "Let's go," Franceska echoes her.
<Julia> "Yes, that'll be nice," Julia mimics Stephanie's cheer.
<El-Cideon> Barnaby leads you across town, past occasional scenes of battle where participants demonstrate obvious acid burns from ooze extermination (Rosemund, even in her depressed state, insists on stopping to patch up whoever needs it along the way). Aria's house resembles an exploded mansion--there are obvious wings and spires, but cobbled together at strange angles rather than occupying an earthbound, two-dimensional layout. The lynx strolls up to a grand door and yowls at it. An answering snicker from the other side prompts further feline noises from Barnaby before the door cracks open. On the other side is an open sphere with corridors branching off every which way. There are two more of Aria's feline vassals here: one is a large black housecat, green eyes shining with supernatural intelligence; the other is gray and striped, with too-large eyes and a manic expression. Two constructs watch over the entryway at the back of the room: one is a statue of an angel, all gears and wheels and visible clockwork, the other is a cast iron devil that hisses sedately with the internal movement of steam. Occasionally, clouds vent from it quietly.
<Julia> "Aria really is a cat person, isn't she?" Julia muses.
<Steph> "She has an inspired architect."
* Franceska gives the constructs a brief look of interest, before she retrieves a parchment and quill. Then, nicking her finger with a knife, she starts writing after securing a desk for herself.
<El-Cideon> "Miss Granville looks very much like a person person to me," the black cat says with a calm, almost childlike air. "I have not known her to manifest a tail or pointed ears." The striped cat adds with a giggle: "Definitely claws, though."
<Steph> "Oh! It's a talking cat. Cats. Did she teach you to talk?" asks Stephanie.
<Julia> "It's in her company, not her appearance," Julia retorts, leaving Battersby outside with Leslie to look after him while she avails herself of the nearest comfy chair.
<El-Cideon> "I always knew," the black cat says. "But I have much more to say after spending time in her company." "Mostly questions," the striped cat adds. "Too many questions." The black cat gives it a put-upon look. "Please ignore Limeworth. He is only here to throw intruders into the walls. Barnaby tells me that you are guests of Miss Granville, so we shall not have Limeworth do this. Is there anything that you require in the way of food or drink?"
<Franceska> "No."
<Steph> "Wine," replies Stephanie. "And something to nibble. C'mon, have you guys even eaten since we went in the labyrinth? I'm starved!"
<El-Cideon> "I am not hungry," Rosemund adds quietly, for her part.
<Julia> Having not eaten or drunk all day, Julia is quite famished and thirsty! "Yes, I'd enjoy some wine as well, and something wholesome to eat. How about you Rosemund?"
<Steph> "Now, now. You need to eat properly," insists Stephanie, having none of that. "Just have a little."
<El-Cideon> She just nods and relents without a word.
<Julia> "You'll feel better with something lining your stomach," Julia agrees.
<El-Cideon> The Granville residence proves to have thoroughly well-stocked wine cellars; Winchester (the black cat, as it turns out) rattles off the inventory for everyone to select something savory while you wait for your host. In due time Ron arrives with the documents from the Brotherhood, and some while later Aria herself turns up. The group collects in an airy sitting room with a collection of comfy chairs and sofas and a panoramic window overlooking the town. "Casualties relatively light," Aria reports with approval. "I believe I've convinced the relevant entities not to engage in mass murder for retribution this time. Some odd news along the way, however."
<Steph> "They're building a statue of us to honor our contribution?"
<Julia> "Shame about the innkeep," Julia says. "I hope no one had to kill any friends or family in a similar situation though."
<El-Cideon> She merely raises a skeptical eyebrow at Stephanie's guess. "No doubt such happened," she says to Julia. "Some hard feelings will linger from this, but I think having documentation in the conspirator's hand has proved sufficient to quell tempers for the moment. No, actually I refer to an unexpected contribution during the violence. There was a gang of knights here, suspiciously close to my home, fighting those slime creatures during the trouble."
<Steph> "Knights? Any idea who they're sworn to?"
<Franceska> "More importantly, why is it so strange?"
<El-Cideon> "The insignia has been described to me as a starburst in shades of gray. I recognize this from when they assaulted me in my home on Peridot. We missed my would-be captors' visit by some narrow margin."
<Franceska> "Ah. How unfortunate," Franceska deadpans.
<Steph> "They must be pretty clueless if they think they'll find you at home during some chaos," remarks Stephanie. "Did anyone see where they went, though?"
<El-Cideon> "I'm told they magicked themselves away once things calmed down. I don't imagine they meant to be observed here in the first place, but the townsfolk insisted I relay gratitude for their intervention against the monsters should I encounter them again." Aria does not sound as though an act of local charity at all dilutes her resentment of the group in general.
<Julia> "Did any of the knights look sufficiently distinctive as to bear note or were they all faceless tin cans?" Julia asks.
<Steph> "If they had a sigil that people are remembering, we won't have much trouble knowing how to find them."
<Franceska> "Are you staying here?" Franceska asks Aria.
<El-Cideon> "They were principally described to me as demonstrating some mongrel heritage," Aria says. She uses the word without apparent value judgement; it sounds the most apt summary of the description she was given. "The blond lad leading them is reminiscent of one involved with the attack in Peridot, though from the description I was given neither his mistress nor that degenerate Brotherhood hack were with him at this time."
<El-Cideon> To Franceska: "I am considering counter schemes. Whatever you could tell me of theirs might inform my next move."
<Franceska> "Come to Solata, then," Franceska suggests. "If it draws them out, good. If not, you have time to plot."
<Steph> "I think we'll find them most everywhere except Solata," notes Stephanie. "All we really know for sure is that they're hunting down mages for use in some experiment, like we told you. But as to how they're selecting targets, out of all the mages across the planes?"
<El-Cideon> "How much *do* you know about them?" Aria presses. "I can only infer. A man and a woman I vaguely recall from some twenty years past apparate out of nowhere with a gang of mixed-breed warriors and assault me without explanation. I feel certain they meant to take me alive; had they wanted me dead, I probably would be."
<El-Cideon> "So it is no personal vendetta?" Aria concludes. "I could not imagine what offense I had ever given either of them."
<Julia> "Well, we only have pieces we've gathered from exploring one of their facilities on Arcadia, and from the notes we retrieved from the Sagacious Brotherhood here," Julia admits. "But based on the four captives or would-be-captives in your case I can't actually determine a pattern."
<El-Cideon> "Which notes would those be?" she asks Julia.
<Julia> "You can read Ron's notes but the gist is Wilfrid, one of the scholars there was examining where sorcerers and similar spellcasters derive their powers from, and Galina took that combined with the Duchess's experiments in the asylum to find a way of turning mages into batteries for... whatever. If it's not imprudent to ask, where do you derive your magic from, Miss Granville?"
<El-Cideon> "I recall his scholarly research," Aria says. "I was part of it. Wilfrid's conclusion was my particular strain of magic derived from some distant djinni relation, whose zeal for personal liberty I am proud to consider a tradition." She eyes the boxes of documents. "You suggest that he is in some way acting upon his research? Is this group about the business of kidnapping *all* participants in his old work?" She sounds appalled at the scale of this.
<Steph> "No, but... maybe a subset?" suggests Stephanie. "Like, if you need a bunch of mages that fill particular traits, you'd start seeing which ones out of the ones you already know fit."
<Julia> "Well, the other three participants we saw the ghosts of were a kobold of likely draconic origin, a human of probable celestial origin, and a mermaid of... something aquatic I presume?" Julia shrugs at that last.
<Steph> "Maybe you need one of every possibility?" suggests Stephanie. "Maybe one for every plane?"
<El-Cideon> Aria's response to this calculating plan is an expression of equally cold contempt. "To invade my home and assault me is simply rude; to perpetrate this on a grand scale and deprive men and women of their freewill for the sake of some *experiment* I'll not countenance at all. I should think the thing to do is find them first and make sure they're ready for such attacks. Ready and waiting in numbers. Unless you know of some way to strike back at this group right now, I should say we recruit an army to fight an army."
<Franceska> "Hire the Furies," Franceska suggests. "Better than relying on an army of conscripts."
<Julia> "Unfortunately we don't know where they're headquartered or what their list of targets is," Julia shrugs, at a loss. "That's why we've been continuing to locate Galina's former companions in the hopes that one will have some insight into where she might be hiding herself.
<Steph> Stephanie purses her lips. "I want to avoid fighting her at all," she says, bluntly. "Don't get me wrong," she adds. "What you're saying is smart, but I was thinking we should stick to what we're doing and find the rest of her friends. I've got a really bad feeling about this." She glances at Aria. "She left a message for them, right? Telling them to not go chase her and she'd fight them if
<Steph> they tried? But I don't really believe her."
<El-Cideon> "Sometimes the best way to avoid a fight is to be obviously prepared for one," she says to Stephanie. "By all means continue on your own path, but if they *are* drawing their...test subjects...from the participants in Wilfrid's old research, then I have it in mind to see that they're safe. And ready to assist if needed. Interplanar travel is a particular talent of mine, I should think myself better suited for a task of such scale than most. All due respect, but that has been my experience."
<Julia> "Hmm... oh wait, that's right, there is a list in the notes, it's just out of date," Julia says, frowning at her mistake. "Still, it's a starting point, and you're welcome to keep them to aid you in finding the mages involved."
<Steph> "Where would you concentrate these mages? We should know how to contact you."
<El-Cideon> She nods. And to Franceska: "As for 'Her Grace'--" Aria employs the title with ironic condescension, "--she'll cooperate given sufficient coin and opportunity for glory. Only if it is your absolute intention and expectation to come to blows with your quarry should you bring her," she says with a nod for Stephanie's preferences, "as Ismaela is always too eager for the opportunity. However, as it is perfectly my expectation that forceful deterrence should be required, I can vouch for their skills." To Stephanie: "I feel it necessary to stay mobile for reasons which should be all too obvious. Are any of you capable of transmitting a Sending should you need me for any reason?"
<Franceska> "Yes."
<El-Cideon> Rosemund quietly raises her hand.
<El-Cideon> Aria nods. "Then do so at any time," she concludes.
<Franceska> "There is someone on another plane I want brought here. You can spare the time for it, can't you?"
<Steph> "I'd rather not count on the Furies for our most important tasks," agrees Stephanie. "So we'll keep at it. For now, we need to pick up the rest of those girls from the Abyss, and pick up our cash from that delivery company. Then we're gonna go home for a bit before setting out again." She taps her knees. "Hopefully our fundraising will have paid off- oh?"
<El-Cideon> "I'll collect the remainder of Maeandar's prisoners," Aria says. "I've got to retrieve my golems in any event."
<Steph> "Don't forget to grab the stuff in the rest of those graves. Those guys sure aren't using it anymore." Stephanie flexes her palms. "We have anything else in Azure, guys?"
<Franceska> "Just to wait until Aria can take a short trip to Arborea and back, so we can see Ione."
<El-Cideon> "Is Arborea of some relation to this business?" Aria asks, sounding puzzled. "I would hardly think it the first headquarters from which to mastermind a mass kidnapping."
<Franceska> "One of Polaris's old allies is there, but the treatment she needs is here."
<El-Cideon> She nods. "I can assist with this, given proper directions. I should like to remove those women from the Abyss before taking leave for anything else, however. Rest up, and we might see to this tomorrow?" she adds in closing.
* Franceska nods curtly, and then asks Julia and Stephanie, "In the meantime, can you sign a legal document as witnesses?"
<Julia> "Hm? What is it?" Julia asks, getting up and floating over.
<Steph> Stephanie blinks. "What's that?" she asks, walking over to peer at it.
<El-Cideon> Her business with the group concluded, Aria blinks out after giving her feline staff a reminder to cater to whatever material needs the party might have during their stay.
<Franceska> "My last will and testament, to put my affairs in order," Franceska responds, presenting her parchment. "To spare you the details, it assures my hires are paid for a year and takes care of the transference of my property."
<El-Cideon> "Your will?" Rosemund blurts out in spite of her funk. "Franceska, you do not think you are going to die, do you? I would not let you just stay dead!"
<Franceska> "That sounds horrifying, but I will take it in the spirit you intended."
<Julia> "Anything in particular brought about the necessity all of a sudden?" Julia asks, leaning over to scribble out her name.
<Steph> "Going to the Abyss make you reflect on mortality a bit?" suggests Stephanie, going to get her ink rather than continue to write in blood.
<Franceska> "I just feel my survival chances have dropped far beyond my expectations, and I would hate it if I left things open. I must provide the people in my care with job security, if nothing else, and I would rather not have any long-lost relatives spring out of the woodwork after I'm gone," Franceska states. "Rosemund, you will get everything, of course, but you can feel free to give anyone a
<Franceska> souvenier if someone cares for one."
<Steph> "What's the point in leaving everything to Rosemund? You know that she'll bring you back unless she's dead, too." Stephanie shrugs, and returns with the quill. "Anyway, why so grim, suddenly? We've won every fight we've fought, and against some pretty tough shit, too! And suddenly you think we're gonna lose?"
<El-Cideon> "You should not think that way!" Rosemund insists. "Of course it is good to be prepared and all that, but I am sure that we will be alright just so long as we are all together!"
<Julia> "Well, should I suffer an untimely death all of my minions will promptly go berserk, so I'll just ask you all not to worry too much about retrieving my body or my belongings," Julia says, not seeing any need to commit it to paper.
<Steph> "That's horrifying."
<Franceska> "There are things I wouldn't want to return from, and I only truly understood that today," Franceska says, before peering at Julia for a while and nodding.
<El-Cideon> Rosemund gives Franceska an uncomfortable look.
<Steph> Stephanie shrugs, and peers the document over before signing it. "Yeah, I don't care what either of you say, though," she says, once she's done. "Five seconds as a ghost and I betcha change your tune real quick."
<Franceska> "Please don't let me become undead in any way, form or shape."
<Julia> "You all made that quite clear a while ago," Julia sighs. "Oh! That reminds me!" she suddenly brightens, "I've been working on a spell to raise undead who keep their minds! Albeit in a slightly diminished state," she mutters that last part, "I don't know if that changes things for anyone but it does mean more effective potential minions can be made out of our enemies."
<El-Cideon> "You only turn into a ghost if you have very important unfinished business, or are tormented by some awful trauma, is that not true?" Rosemund guesses. "Or at least that is what ghosts always sound like. And I do not think Franceska is either of those things."
<Steph> Stephanie blinks. "Uh, isn't that slavery?" she asks, frowning.
<Franceska> "No undead," Franceska states with finality. She glances at Rosemund, and then adds, "Also, kill me for good if I get turned into a demon."
<El-Cideon> Rosemund's expression reverts to its previous awkwardness.
<Julia> "I don't know, I mean I don't think they'll be able to conceptualise not obeying me so it's not a case of taking away their freedom - they're dead after all," Julia says before hearing Franceska's next request. "Even if it's something that can be reversed like with Rosemund?"
<Franceska> "I don't know how Rosemund does it. I would have lost it by now and killed everything in my way."
<Julia> "It's only cosmetic," Julia huffs. "I even think she looks rather cute with those little horns and that expressive little tail," she smiles at Rosemund.
<Steph> Stephanie scowls, hearing nothing she likes. "Please. As if you have a clue how Rosemund feels. It's just how she looks. It's what's inside that really counts."
<El-Cideon> "They are just appendages!" Rosemund insists to Franceska with a degree of dismay.
<Franceska> "That you have to hide everywhere you go! Just because we trusted other people!"
<El-Cideon> "If the lesson I should always remember is to never trust anyone, then I never want to go anywhere again!" Rosemund shouts back.
<Franceska> "People are evil and shallow! You'll need to hide yourself everywhere!"
<Julia> "I think planar towns are more accepting than you give them credit for," Julia says, given how easily she's been able to practice necromancy in Azure without any censure.
<Steph> "People are basically good! It took a fucking demon in human skin to harm us- and you're calling all people everywhere evil?" Stephanie arches an eyebrow. "You've got some trust issues!"
<El-Cideon> "We have met plenty of nice people who would not care much if I looked different," Rosemund insists stubbornly. "It is the people I do not know that worry me more..."
<Franceska> "So it's alright so long as Rosemund never goes home?! What are we going to do? You have family there! And we can't go to Hell like this! You'll be killed right away! And, and Beastlands, too!"
<Julia> "As if the rest of us aren't going to be killed straight away in hell," Julia says. "Well, they can try at least."
<El-Cideon> "I am going home! I just...do not know what to do when I get there." She slumps in her chair and looks at the floor. "I suppose I should go to the temple right away and explain everything. I--I am sure that they will understand and if there are problems with anyone else they would take my side...right?"
<Franceska> "What do I know, I have trust issues after all."
<Julia> "The fact is, succubi can disguise themselves. They're very good at it too," Julia concludes. "Most people seeing an apparent succubus in a place where they aren't permitted without even trying to hide it, might think things aren't as they seem."
<El-Cideon> "Maybe. I hope so," Rosemund says without much conviction. She shakes her head. "I am going to get some sleep," she decides, "and hope that I do not dream about anything."
<Steph> Stephanie scowls, and slumps into her chair. "It's not like disguising yourself is even hard or an impediment. I did for ages," she says. "Sure, first impressions can be hard to beat, but, you know, once people know you, they understand why you did it."
<Julia> "I was able to walk Friday around town without anyone batting an eye," Julia agrees. "Well, before she started rotting anyway..."
<Franceska> This will end so badly, Franceska can't help shuddering.
<El-Cideon> "There are more than first impressions, there are--" Rosemund sighs. "I wanted to get married someday! But now--what would the children even look like?" She flaps her wings and sullenly drifts off the seclusion of her sleeping quarters, pausing to collect a half-full bottle of wine on her way out.
<Steph> Stephanie waves goodnight, but then turns to glare at Franceska. "Where do you get off telling Rosemund she's better off dead?"
<Julia> "Goodnight Rosemund," Julia gives her a wave, intending to stay up a bit longer. "Really she has enough to deal with without us telling her it's even worse than she thinks," she agrees.
<Franceska> "So she should just get a dose of reality when she returns home all optimistic?" Franceska asks tiredly. "Maybe we can also show up as character witnesses and tell them that no, she's just fine, it's only a spell a demon placed on her in the Abyss?"
<Julia> "The spell was done here, not there," Julia corrects. "Though I will watch more carefully the next time we require the spellcasting services of another," she concedes.
<Franceska> "For all we know it needed us to go there to take hold." Franceska sighs. "What are we even doing? Why aren't we dropping everything and looking for a cure?"
<Steph> "I'm not saying it's not an obstacle, but you're hardly presenting the problems in a sensible way," retorts Stephanie. "She doesn't need to get all suspicious and depressed, too." She pauses. "You're the mages. Where do we even look?" she replies. "Do we even have time, right now?"
<Julia> "It's not a disease, it's a transmutation. All we really need is a powerful polymorph spell to fix her," Julia shrugs. "That or surgery, but I think magic is better in this case."
<Franceska> "She takes priority over everything else for me. Is that the same for you two?" Franceska asks, looking between Stephanie and Julia. "Surgery might be possible. The same with reshaping Rosemund's body with magic. But since we don't know what happened, exactly, using magic to restore her is best. Even though I hate to say it, maybe we should go to some heaven and tell a sob story to the first
<Franceska> angel that passes by to get a direction."
<Julia> "We can ask Aria if she knows any mages particularly skilled in transmutation," Julia says. "She's bound to have contacts."
<Steph> Stephanie grimaces. "I love Rosemund to death, but..." She sighs. "I just don't know how much time we have. We're not even spending much time on Solata these days, and Julia's right- in most places, they don't care. I say we get her a hat and solve it properly later instead of taking a detour. Who knows? She has wings, wings are fun!"
<Franceska> "She had her body stolen from her, how is that fun?!"
<Steph> "Okay. Bad choice of words, but silver lining on everything, right?" retorts Stephanie. "I think you're more broken up about this than she is, frankly. She's strong, she'll bounce back and get with the picture. Will you?"
<Franceska> "What if she doesn't?  What if she decides never to return after the way they'll treat her back in Solata?"
<Julia> "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. But constantly prophesying doom and gloom isn't actually productive," Julia says.
<Steph> "We'll get a hat, it'll be dealt with for the time being. Leah should understand, at least." Stephanie shakes her head. "I think going to heaven, at least, would be worse for her," she admits. "She'll see angels and, you know her, she really admires angels... and they're way more discriminatory than people."
* Franceska sighs. "Bad choices all around. I'll just go sleep myself."
<El-Cideon> Aria returns late in the evening with the remainder of Maeandar's harem in tow (though she reports that any objects of monetary value in his sanctum had been removed before her arrival) and the next morning, after the party collects their fee from Mercurius Deliveries, gathers the party together for interplanar travel. "Arborea, was it? I should know precisely where you mean to appear therein. Names and basic descriptions suffice." Rosemund, for her part, rises with reluctance and bloodshot eyes--given the new firey orange hue or her irises, it gives her a rather infernal glare this morning.
* Franceska describes Marina's home listlessly.
* Julia foists a waterskin into Rosemund's hands. "Drink up, you need plenty of fluids," she instructs.
<El-Cideon> Rosemund nods and takes a swig. "I am sorry, I was not feeling very responsible last night," she admits.
<Julia> "No one could blame you," Julia says, shaking her head. "I just want to ensure you don't suffer unduly from the after-effects."
<Steph> "Oh! Rosemund, I bought you something while I was at market this morning," says Stephanie, producing a smart-looking wizard's hat from her bag.
<El-Cideon> Rosemund nods dull thanks, taking it and looking at it uncomfortably, not donning it just yet. Aria gathers the group together and in an instant teleports the whole lot of you--precisely where you meant to go, rather in contrast to Rosemund's own roulette approach to crossworld teleportation. You are outside Marina's mansion of trees on a crisp Arborea morning. Some minor changes have taken place here: the small pool behind the house has been expanded into a picturesque lake, complete with scenic, shaded isle in the center. The half-elf troubadour you seek sits on a bench staring over the waters, minded by Marina's colorful familiar. There is no immediate sign of the sorceress herself.
<Julia> Julia's minions including Thing are all left behind outside Aria's for this. "Hello Canterbury, Brijid!" the necromancer calls over. "Is Marina home?"
<Franceska> "How are you feeling?" Franceska asks awkwardly, staying near Rosemund for her part.
<El-Cideon> Brijid does not react. Canterbury squawks and gestures pointedly with a wing towards a second-floor window.
<El-Cideon> "My head is turning inside out," Rosemund says miserably, "but this time I am sure it just the wine. That is all my fault."
<Steph> "Mar-ina~" calls Stephanie. "Go and tell her we're here!"
<Franceska> "Let's split the blame fifty-fifty," Franceska offers.
<El-Cideon> Canterbury requires little encouragement to pester his mistress. The bird disappears through the window, there is a perhaps customary surprised shriek, and shortly thereafter Marina emerges from the backdoor of the house. Rather flushed, hair disheveled and looking hastily dressed, her mixed expression of confusion and irritation quickly brightens up on recognizing her guests. "Oh, hello again! I wasn't expecting anyone this morning--you know, you could call ahead?"
<Steph> "Oh, sorry! We were in such a rush to see you that we forgot!"
<Franceska> "Can we do that?" Franceska asks Rosemund quietly. "Just call your aunt ahead?"
<El-Cideon> "You need more excitement in your lives if I'm the best you've got to look forward to," Marina says modestly with a smile.
<El-Cideon> Her eyes settle on Rosemund. "Oh, ah--perhaps you found some," she says worriedly. "Is everyone alright?"
<Steph> Stephanie winces. "We could, ah, do with a calm period," she admits. "I'm afraid we weren't planning to stop by long. We were hoping to pick up Brijid."
<Julia> "We're all healthy at least!" Julia smiles. "Though yes, our recent trip to the abyss wasn't entirely pleasant for anyone's mental health," she concedes.
<El-Cideon> Rosemund just nods to Franceska. "I am suffering the effects of rather too much drink last night...but otherwise I am still me," Rosemund says to Marina.
<El-Cideon> "I can't imagine how it possibly could be," Marina says to Julia.
<Steph> Stephanie shrugs. "Is Marcus about?"
<El-Cideon> "He's about on his morning walk, but if you all want to come in for some breakfast, he'll be back soon enough. There's fresh fruit on the table for any who wish it."
<Franceska> "We shouldn't impose."
<Julia> "Well we did- oh hold on!" she abruptly stops speaking. "Complications on our end, we will come to you as soon as possible." That done she smiles at everyone, "That was Halja. She has us a guide to Auranelle's castle."
* Franceska winces.
<El-Cideon> "It's no imposition, we're happy for the company," Marina says with a wry look for her familiar. "And you couldn't possibly disrupt my morning any more forcefully than Canterbury has."
<Steph> "Wonderful timing," mutters Stephanie, before shrugging and nodding to Marina. "I think I might wait outside," she admits. "It's a lovely day. Please, take your time freshening up?"
<Julia> "It's all happening now, isn't it?" Julia says brightly.
<Steph> "There's no good way to split our time," admits Stephanie. "But Vigilia seemed to need some time herself." She sounds dour. "There really should be someone else on Solata who would care about this! Dammit, Leah."
<El-Cideon> "As you like it," Marina says with a shrug. "So what--oh?" A familiar nymph--Ailara, past liberated from Blackbird's gallery, emerges from the house and shares a brief kiss with Marina before diving into the lake. "So what brings you to our quiet little corner of the world this morning?" Marina finishes.
<Steph> "Uh, Brigid," repeats Stephanie. "We want to take her to Azure for treatment."
<Franceska> "We found a specialist that works with those cases. It seemed prudent."
<El-Cideon> "Oh, yes!" Marina remembers. "I'd be more than happy to leave her with you if you think that you can do anything. We've had little success on our end. We'd thought music might help her remember something but, well, it mostly seems to make her feel more miserable."
<Steph> Stephanie nods. "We'll tell Marcus about it, but then we'll have to be off," she says. "Oh, but we ought to tell about Galina Merowyn? We discovered she's looking to capture mages," she adds. "It seems like some order of knights has formed to help her. Their sigil is a grey sunburst, so if anyone like that approaches you, do be careful."
<Julia> "Just run," Julia adds. "They've had a lot of practice it seems like."
<El-Cideon> She nods seriously. "I'll--I'll remember that. Is this something I should expect to happen?" she adds worriedly
<Franceska> "You never know, so better safe than sorry."
<Steph> "Yeah. Though it is pretty unlikely," admits Stephanie.
<Julia> "I'm not sure. The original list of targets was made about 20 years ago so you're likely not on it, but any sorcerer or similar spellcaster is in danger."
<El-Cideon> Marcus turns up after some extended small talk about the party's travels. He also evidences a surprised and worried reaction at Rosemund's condition, but makes no immediate comment on it. The aging warrior looks notably more fit and hale than he had during his time of imprisonment. "Been a while. You girls decided to take a vacation?"
<Franceska> "Maybe. It's either that or a plane of death."
<Steph> "I wish we had time," replies Stephanie, before repeating their explanation of how they can help out Brigid. "How about you? Got a lingering desire to get back into the thick of it?"
<El-Cideon> "Have a bit of trouble swinging a hammer these days," he says with some chagrin, but mostly good humor. He sits down next to Brijid. "If you've got some idea then luck of the gods be with you. She's not responded to much more than recognizing basic things since she's been here."
<Julia> "Well, you remember the Duchess in Azure?" Julia asks, "There's a person there that's been rehabilitating all of her victims, with good results. We hope she can help Brijid as well."
<El-Cideon> He nods, then stands and quietly urges the impaired half-elf to her feet. "Brijid, you need to go with these girls to see a doctor. They'll help you remember everything. Can you do that?" There's a distant look, and some flicker of recognition triggers a nod. Brijid walks over to stand in front of Julia.
<Steph> Stephanie purses her lips. "There still might be something you can help us with," she says. "Not right now, we don't know where she is. But if we find her, perhaps you can help us try and talk sense into Galina?"
<El-Cideon> He laughs. "Well, I don't know if I feel qualified to do that, but you can count on me to try," he says.
<Steph> Stephanie smiles at him. "Oh, I think you're one of the few who is!"
<El-Cideon> "I'll be sure to chide her properly for her thieving ways if and whenever you find her," he says. "Can't guarantee she'll listen. Always had a head for giving orders, not so naturally inclined to take them. Well, not from me, that's for sure."
<Franceska> "How about for doing what that Duchess was, except on a grander scale?"
<El-Cideon> He looks at Franceska. "That sounds like a tale I'd not be so ready to believe."
<Julia> "Remember a man called Wilfrid?" Julia asks. "At the sagacious brotherhood?"
<Steph> "She's not doing it for giggles," replies Stephanie.
<El-Cideon> "Didn't mingle much with the wizards myself," he says to Julia. To Stephanie, he replies with palpable skepticism: "Can't say I see why she'd be doing it at all. Doesn't figure with the woman I knew."
<Julia> "Well he was researching sorcerers and from what we've gathered Galina has teamed up with him and the Duchess's research to kidnap a lot of them to power some sort of giant mystical... thing. We're not sure what her end-game is yet. That's why we just warned Marina to beware any knights with a grey sunburst sigil."
<Steph> "Even we're not exactly sure what she intends to accomplish, but the general gist of it is about performing some great magical ritual to protect Solata from evil," replies Stephanie.
<Franceska> "If you find it that hard to believe, we found out he was at the same place she was doing her experiments and left a very explicit message," Franceska says, gesturing at Ron. "Go ahead and ask, you know he doesn't lie."
<El-Cideon> "Investigation of the experimental outpost uncovered a message left by Galina Merowyn explicitly meant for her former traveling companions," Ron confirms. "Further investigation of Duchess Victoria's asylum confirmed a repeat visit by Galina Merowyn to replicate the asylum's arcane functions. These factors accordingly suggest a resumption of such schemes. Ends presently unknown."
<El-Cideon> Marcus frowns. "I'll believe it when I see it," is the conclusion he has to reach. "Not that I'd ever call any of you liars, you understand. It's just a big story."
<Steph> "I don't really blame you." Stephanie shrugs. "If we get a lead on her, we'll come get you."
<Franceska> "Maybe she went crazy. The planes can do that to a person," Franceska says, shrugging at Marcus's suspicion. "Marina, do you have a spare moment?" she asks after.
<El-Cideon> The sorceress blinks at the sudden change in subject. "Oh, of course," she says.
<Franceska> "Excellent." Leading her away, Franceska says, "I regret we came without any notice and got in the way, but now that we are here I have to ask if you know anyone exceptionally talented with transmutation."
<El-Cideon> Marcus nods to Stephanie. "Do that," he says. "I owe her a lot. Enough to stop her doing something awful? Guess we'll find out."
<El-Cideon> "You're never in the way," Marina says with a smile. "It isn't my particular talent," she says in response to the question. "I don't know, maybe one of the fairies? They do all sorts of strange things. I could ask around. Why? What kind of services do you need?"
<Franceska> "If divine magic wasn't enough to undo the curse on Rosemund, perhaps I need to look elsewhere. If we template a different spell that restores her to her original human form, it gets the same result and she wouldn't be depressed. I'll compensate the caster, of course."
<Steph> "My biggest worry is that we find her, and it'll be too late," mutters Stephanie. Or that what she's doing will actually seem like a good idea...
<El-Cideon> "Oh!" Marina realizes with wide eyes. "But divine magic would be the first place to turn in event of a curse, wouldn't it?" She spares a glance back towards Rosemund. "Ah, what else is wrong with her? Is it just her body undergoing a transformation?"
<Julia> "In such an event just imagine yourself as one of the batteries and all will be clear," Julia suggests sagely.
<Steph> "I've never been happier to not be a wizard, you understand."
<Julia> "I've seen you summon fire and things. You might be close enough."
<Franceska> "She killed some sort of lower planes tree that cursed her with terrible nightmares, but the temple we came to was run by a de-- lilitu in disguise. So she used magic to transform Rosemund. Body and soul, apparently, and divine magic could only reverse the latter."
<Steph> "Yeah, about that, I'm annoyed I can't actually set people on fire with it," mutters Stephanie. "Always misses. Every time!"
<El-Cideon> Marina nods solemnly. "At least the most important part was sorted, then," she says. "Is this what she wants? I notice it isn't her asking me...You know, the wings really are quite graceful. It's a shame about their dire implications."
<Franceska> "Of course I want her to go back! But if she really wanted this, I wouldn't force her to! You should know that!"
<El-Cideon> "I'm just trying to understand everyone's feelings on the matter," Marina says calmly. "I'll ask around. My neighbors have some strange talents, so I couldn't rule it out."
<Franceska> "It's all I ask," Franceska says, solemn once more. "I was hoping to visit, really, but with this going on I'll be around Rosemund, just in case. And if you want, you can ask her just to be sure."
<El-Cideon> She nods. "Of course. I'd ask you all to stay a while and hash it all out in person, but one suspects you have business elsewhere. I imagine you always do. You know, I've never left Arborea? Some things I hear make me grateful for that, and then I start feeling guilty for being spoiled. Keep safe out there?"
<Franceska> "If you really want to, you could come and visit Azure? It's not as bad as most places out there."
<El-Cideon> She hesitates. "I could, I suppose. I don't know when else I'd have such an opportunity. Are you sure you all have time to show me around? I wouldn't want to put whatever other business you have on hold."
<Franceska> "It's alright."
<El-Cideon> "Give me a moment to tell Ailara?" she says, stepping away to prowl the lakeside in search of the swimming nymph.
<El-Cideon> ~