Game time

[Corwin]

"I'm getting ideas for a magical library as we speak," Seira assures Amaryl, flying over towards the elemental. It seems large enough to hold a decent conversation, and the book-reading supports that.

"Hello!" she greets him, albeit not that loud since they are in a library. "I'd like a moment of your time."

[Anastasia]

The elemental looks up and waves. "Good ladies, of course you're welcome here," he calls," Come join me!"

[Corwin]

Success! "Do you get many visitors here?" Seira asks him, questioning her power in the meantime whether this is Thurmar.

Should be fairly easy with either knowledge or a divine power emulation of commune (with self).

[Anastasia]

Can't commune yourself and get info you yourself don't know. That's common sense. Knowledge would suggest this is him, though.

"A few," he calls back, Kascha taking out her book and writing. "Adventuresome types, knowledge seekers and treasure seekers. Which of those are you?"

[Corwin]

"All of the above!" Seira brightly responds. "I'm Seira, and these are Amaryl, Kascha and Oraga. Kossuth recommended that we stop by, so here we are-- and let me tell you, we like what you've done with the place! I especially like the way knowledge is provided safely to the Fire-natured. Insisting on using regular paper is very elegant."

[Anastasia]

"It is," Kascha agrees as she scribbled away.

Amaryl inspects a bookshelf, "Ah, fire warding," she says, "Well woven magic. Is it yours?"

Here the elemental chuckles deeply, like a rumbling volcano. "All of the above? That's new. Then just tell me what you want here?"

[Corwin]

"I want your help deciphering some code," Seira says, producing the marque 1394 4582 9238 2098 2398 5992 Fire/Earth/Fire/Fire/Water/Fire/Earth in golden letters floating in the air between them. "Kossuth said you cracked it, and that while he was bound by a vow to not teach anyone, you weren't."

[Anastasia]

"Oh ho ho ho," Chuckling at that, "That one was a volcano of a code to crack. The numbers mean different things depending on the alignment of elemental zones," he begins, "So there's something like...." a pause to think, "Trillions of quadrillions of possible combinations just to begin with, not even counting different planes and instances It took a lot of math and work to get anywhere on it, I lost a few good eons to that. It's impossible to brute force, you absolutely have to have the code and have it solved to use it. What's better is how the code resists magical means to divine its system. Are you familiar with the theory of Primus Numbers, where certain numbers in the right numerological context can refer to certain established important number strings instead of the number? Well, it uses that and some wonderful design work to tap into certain forbidden places with at least one location each time, each warded and that warding extends to the entire thing through the numerological context, which in turn means the entire thing may as well be blank to a typical divination. You can tell a superior being made this when you see things like that, since no mortal mind could hold the numerological contexts needed to properly attune the spell, let alone manage the folds and the work around of forbidden areas."

Kascha scribbles away furiously, "So it's using number combinations as a shorthand to signify and direct that other work? Fascinating. I've overseen portal creations before, and usually that's the role of something like a metal for a plane shift or certain construction materials for a permanent gate, like rubies in a gate to Baator."

"That's what makes it so brilliant," Thurmar goes on, "It applies the principle in another way and uses what they are to leverage it, it's really fascinating."

Still writing away fast as she can, as Amaryl looks lost, Kascha says, "I was having a talk with Surru about that - Surraruthru, a dragon friend - and he was talking about potential uses for similar things in dispel magic, though it doesn't look like it'll easy work out. Dispels come down to the strength of the casters rather than outside magic."

Oraga rumbles, arms crossed.

"Surraruthru, is it?" The elemental says, "A dragon of good taste if he's looking into that sort of magic. Really though, he should talk to a skilled numerologist about it, they can give more insight and a professional opinion."

[Corwin]

"Not in this instance, since Numerology is not among my skills, but I am aware of using numbers to represent series of numbers." Seira projects a fresh marque alongside the previous one, consisting of 1 1 2 3 5 8. "Also, I know that some numbers are more unique than others from a mathematical standpoint. How did you break the code, though? If it's impossible to brute force, even a skilled Numerologist like you would have been rebuffed through its protections. I've hit on them myself. So how did you do it?"

[Anastasia]

"Well..." Smiling at that, showing a craggy maw full of sizzling lava. "That's a sage's secret to keep. I'm rather proud of it myself, I have to say. Some of my better work."

[Corwin]

He probably brute-forced it, Seira decides. He did mention spending eons on it.

"I like you!" she declares. "Let's be friends!"

[Anastasia]

Kascha's still writing away as the elemental offers his hand out. "We can negotiate over the code after that," he says, "Since you want it?"

[Corwin]

"Yep," Seira agrees, shaking his hand.

[Anastasia]

He has a strong grip, the hand shake back and forth. "Now you want the solution to the code and I want something for it. Lady Aryn," he goes on, "You're not a normal quester seeking the answer to some trivial question. Do you really want to go on some quest when you have nothing to prove? I don't think you do, so let's talk a trade instead."

[Corwin]

"I'm listening," Seira says pleasantly, visibly calming down since they're entering negotiations.