Day 28B: Library diving

[Iron Dragoon]

Session Start: Wed Dec 03 12:40:42 2014
Session Ident: #evildunes
* Now talking in #evildunes
* Topic is 'Pepo(27)>Lucy(23)>Veren(16)>Moore(15)>Arrower(9) '
* Set by Kotono on Mon Nov 17 13:30:05
<Kotono> ----
<Kotono> Lucy, Moore and Jetina meet with Aria again. Her demeanor is slightly cooler as she leads you back to the teleportation circle. "When we have leisure," she remarks, "I would like to converse with that cat further. His branch of quasi-magic is of interest. Speaking of, what are your focuses?"
<Moore> "Um... a little of everything, but to be honest, with all the talk of divination, I was going to want to see what spells I might be able to learn within that school that might benefit us." Moore says with a smile. "I mostly just try and bolster everyone else with songs and spells, really."
<Lucy> "I like to research and create new spells," Lucy responds. Regrettably, she too is far more distant this time around, but she forces herself to smile until the expression seems more genuine. "Might I hope that this is a field of interest you share with me, Miss Aria?"
<Kotono> "Ah, a generalist song mage. A bard," Aria says, "A wise pursuit for someone of your size. Magic doesn't care about how big or little you are." After a beat she turns to Lucy, "Of course it is. To study and create magic is life."
<Lucy> "Not to mention the most interesting way to spend one's life!"
<Kotono> "It is our passion," she gestures wide as you reach the teleportation circle. She doesn't stop this time, stepping into it. She vanishes in a wink of blue light.
* Lucy follows swiftly.
<Moore> Moore will do the same!
<Kotono> Woosh. It's like riding the wind, flying about in a sightless void. It passes only a moment and you soon stand in a large circle. A disk of golden metal, everything in here ivory white and shiny gold. You are the bottom of a tall tower. Each level is full of bookshelves, a slowly ascending library. Aria slowly and deliberately looks about, "Welcome," she says, "It starts at the bottom and
<Kotono> rises as you gain greater authorization."
<Lucy> "How does the system work?" Lucy asks curiously, even as her eyes are on the books rather than her guide.
<Moore> "What's the, er... highest we're able to go for the time being?" Moore asks as well.
<Kotono> The ground floor stretches all around you, row after row of books. "Each level of permission allows you to go one level higher," she explains, gesturing up. You see nine levels - the top level is decorated with a bejeweled summoning circle on the roof, decorated with a sunburst of glowing gold. "Right now, only the floor level is available. It is a repository of basic knowledge, extremely
<Kotono> broad but not deep."
<Moore> Moore nods.
<Lucy> "Would you be able to help me understand how the knowledge presented differs, Miss Aria?" Lucy inquires. "A comparison between an average book here and on the next level, and between both and one on the ninth?"
<Kotono> "The most apt metaphor is that of the spell circles," she says, "With this being the level of novices as 1st."
<Lucy> "Everyone must start at the beginning, yes," Lucy muses. "Please tell me, Miss Aria. What is the policy on taking books out of this repository? I assume there must be a limit, on both quantity and time?"
<Moore> "Or copying the information in them?" Moore adds to the question.
<Kotono> "Copying information is fine, so long as the book isn't sensitive," Aria looks about, "You may borrow books of one level lower than you can access, with permission of the librarian."
<Moore> Moore nods. It sounds like copying things is pretty much all they can do right now...
<Lucy> "May I take a look?" Lucy asks, stepping towards the nearest bookshelf. "Oh, I don't suppose an index exists?"
<Kotono> "Books are organized into sections, roughly," Aria says, "It may take some hunting." OOC: Looking for anything in particular?
<Moore> OOC: I will help Lucy look for whatever it is she's focusing on, if that's possible.
<Lucy> "Perhaps you could help me with something, Miss Aria?" Lucy wonders out loud. "While I would like to learn what the various sections are, and whether they are kept the same across the floors, I would very much like to locate material about a shared spell repository."
<Kotono> That draws a blink, "Oh, you mean a spell pool?" she asks back.
<Lucy> Slowly starting to smile, Lucy says, "Yes, that's exactly what I'm looking for."
<Kotono> "That's on a higher level," she remarks, "I was studying them not long ago," Going on, "Making one is exceedingly difficult, but using one is simple."
<Lucy> "Making one is a long-term project. I'm more interested in where I could find one at present."
<Kotono> Aria clears her throat, "Well, let's put it this way. If you're right about this pirate thing and it defuses the situation, well...rewards will come closer to home than you imagine," she smiles, looking downward.
<Moore> "Maybe we can look around for other potential places to visit, Miss Lucy." Moore suggests. "We're still new to this place, so there may be other places that are of interest to us."
<Lucy> Lucy pauses in the midst of nodding, and gives Moore a funny look. "No," she drawls out. "I think not. I believe I've found a suitable reason to convince our teardrop friends to go elsewhere. Now, then! Would you mind making an exception just this once, under the circumstances, and show us to your material regarding Rossalund's feuds and enemies, Miss Aria? As they were the nearest mage-run
<Lucy> society, it would be quite relevant and you must have something in the more restricted files. I will see if I can find out the relevant bits." Turning towards Jetina, she asks, "Do you need to do anything to rehearse your spells and be prepared? It has been a while, I understand."
<Kotono> Jetina, having between quiet this whole time, "I'm ready," Jetina says, "Sorry, I was woolgathering."
<Lucy> Excellent, that's one part of her plan that's working perfectly.
<Moore> "Oh, I see." Moore nods. "I think I understand."
<Kotono> "Under the circumstances..." Aria considers and finally nods, "I think that can be permitted." OOC: Sorry, had combat in the other room. What's your plan now?
<Lucy> As the pirates, if that's who they truly are, had indicated a longstanding feud with Rossalund that culminated in a crusade against the medusas, Lucy decides it must have flared up before as it got to this stage. Therefore, looking into recorded past grievances of and with Rossalund might give them a clue for possible suspects and backers, and Hillmar being the nearest fellow mage-run entity
<Lucy> means she would expect to find something in the archives.
<Kotono> OOC: Going over that much info will take a fair bit of time. Want to dive into it now? It'll tie you up is all.
<Lucy> OOC: Sure. I'll hopefully also find out how they divide their knowledge by sections so if you could line about it or post it later I'd be grateful.
<Moore> OOC: I don't think I have much that can directly help besides just going over the books along with Lucy, but I'll do that.
<Kotono> OOC: Okay. Make a K:L check with a +5 circumstance bonus, Lucy and Moore.
<Moore> OOC: I'll give Lucy a +7 bonus to that if she wants it.
<Lucy> roll 1d20+5+5+7
* Hatbot --> "Lucy rolls 1d20+5+5+7 and gets 21." 12 [1d20=4]
<Moore> OOC: Am I able to cast Improvisation for this?
<Kotono> OOC: This takes hours and the duration of improvisation is measured in rounds, so no.
<Moore> OOC: Okay
<Moore> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Moore rolls 1d20+8 and gets 21." 12 [1d20=13]
<Kotono> Hours pass. You don't dig up anything terribly useful - certainly Rossalund had enemies, but nothing on that scale. Not on the scale of open warfare. Problems tended to be dealt with more directly. Personally, if you will. There's nothing about green teardrop pirates, either. As you mull over this and no true leads, a female merchant approaches. Jetina glances at her briefly and then back
<Kotono> to her book. OOC: Go ahead, Veren.
<Lucy> "This is ridiculous," Lucy insists. "Maybe-- maybe we're looking at this all wrong. So they were able to defeat the medusas quite handily, and turned a colossal one into stone." She frowns. "No, this wouldn't do either, it's too generic." It hits her then, however. "Wait! If they are coming here, then they might use the same method. So they would be encouraging domestic unrest. Miss Aria,
<Lucy> could we see if there has been a rise in incidents lately?"
<Moore> "I don't think there's that big of a... um... gap, I suppose between the classes here, though..." Moore says. "Although I suppose we haven't been here that long, I shouldn't make such a judgment call without knowing more."
* Veren simply walks past them, going to a place in-between sections where no one can see, and shifting back into his normal form and clothing before returning to Lucy and the others.
<Lucy> "The approach could be similar without imitating quite the same narrative," Lucy tells Moore. "Hard facts will tell us whether we are on the right track."
<Moore> Moore nods. "You're right. If they have people on the inside like they did with Rossalund, anything is possible."
<Veren > "Greetings. How goes your research?"
<Kotono> "Nothing that I've heard of," Aria says, "But I'll investigate that as well. Our diviners should be working on it and a potential block."
<Moore> "We're still... erm... figuring it out, I suppose." Moore says with a smile. "We haven't found anything concrete yet."
<Lucy> "I don't mind putting off sleep if I can help with sorting through the reports," Lucy offers, nodding at Veren as Moore fills him in. "It is silly to expect immediate results, after all."
> "I had... issues with finding information as well. Apparently certain types of information are looked down upon. I gave up and returned."
<Moore> Moore gives Veren a surprisingly skeptical look. "What information were you looking for, exactly...?"
<Veren > "As it was unproductive, it matters not at the moment."
<Moore> Moore looks like that doesn't really satisfy him but shakes his head. "Either way, we will probably find something if we keep looking."