Moving spheres

[Anastasia]

You meet with Mystra deep in a forgotten library within her palace. All of the tomes here are ancient things, older than Prime Materials and surely with lore mortals would slay entire countries for. You can almost hear the siren song of all the spell knowledge held within, waiting to be learned. Mystra is here, reading a single book while standing, the pages turning as she reads of their own volition.

"Welcome, my avenger," Mystra greets you, "A copy of one of Medi's old libraries," she greets you, "Where he cut his teeth before changing the fate of his entire world." She puts the book up, "A testament to the hope the Incarnations have for mortals providing us the Answer."

[Ebiris]

"We were actually wondering that over in Sylica," Alicia admits as she walks over. "Why make mortals at all, why not have everyone be a god? It seems like the Incarnations understood hierarchies from the start, or else it was something they learned from an earlier iteration of Creation?" She shakes her head. "That aside, Marielle just came across something interesting. A man in the Desert Fiefdoms of my world escaped from a ruin with strange temporal effects - days passing in moments, men aging to infirmity in seconds, being killed and then reverted to repeat the death... Given what I know of the Temporal Compact, I wanted to find out if it was something known and accepted by the Gods like the Magus of Time's realm in Pallanth."

[Anastasia]

"I have not heard of it," Mystra holds up a hand, "...ah. It seems that the Keepers of the Compact wish to teach you hands on. It is an invitation for you, Alicia."

[Ebiris]

A look of irritation passes over her. "Marie's presence in that region is supposed to be a secret. What gave us away?"

Not to mention it's a rather violent invitation, but she knows that the Compact isn't a morally committed thing.

[Anastasia]

With a dry look, "Alicia, these are entities who deal with time." Mystra says, a hint of amusement showing, "They cheat with temporal powers. Fortunately, they are also bound only to use this information in certain ways, so your security is still intact."

[Ebiris]

"I dislike taking that on faith but I suppose I don't have a choice," she says. "Thank you, Mystra. I'll see to it."

But before she goes, she leans over to look at the book that Mystra put back on the shelf when she came in. "Anything topical in there?"

[Anastasia]

"A dissertation on charm person," Mystra offers you the book, "Fascinating insights for a mortal, or even most immortals."

[Ebiris]

Alicia accepts the invitation to have a look. "Not a spell I ever learned much about, though I won't talk down Enchantment as a school. Suggestion is a very useful spell," she mentions, flipping through the pages at a good clip.

[Anastasia]

It is an indepth analysis of the spell, down to the individual bits of magic and symbolism that channel the spell. It's a master's study, a lifetime of work for an elf perhaps, or an eternal spirit dedicated to the advancement of a single spell. From the forward, Medi wrote this when he was 22.

[Ebiris]

She laughs a little and then carefully puts the book back on the shelf. "Seira's rapid growth sometimes made me self-conscious. I feel like Medi would have been insufferable."

[Anastasia]

With a growing smile, "It was magical and maddening to watch," Mystra agrees. "Rather like Sylvie, though not even she could have kept up with Medi. Or your own rapid growth, do not discount your own improvements."

[Ebiris]

"We kept pace with each other well enough, I just had a spare decade on her," Alicia smiles, reminiscing over her time in the Crimson Guard. "Sylvie, though... I don't suppose her son's come to visit you as well? I have Dawnhope watching him but there's only so much even she can do."

[Anastasia]

"No," Mystra says, "He is at home, at least for now."

[Ebiris]

"Hopefully he'll stay there. I'd best be going now, thank you for your wisdom, Mystra," she nods her head to her patron before seeing herself out and back to Sylica.

I'll grab Marie's equipment before Avatarlicia and Syalavatar go to the prime and meet up with Marie in the desert to go check this place out.

[Anastasia]

Cool. Any prep of note?