Walking to Rosewater

[Anastasia]

Another cough with blood, Violet looking to you after. "Malcanthet won't stop until I'm free," is her answer. "Let me go and I'll make sure she doesn't take revenge on you. You can walk away from the blunder you've made."

[Ebiris]

"Violet, please. I'm fully aware of how important you are to Malcanthet," Alicia says mildly, taking a cup off the shelf and filling it with plain water which she places in front of the last surviving radiant sister.

"But I didn't go to all this trouble just to let you go straight back under her skirts."

[Anastasia]

The cup of water is eyed but drank from, a grimace. "You should try it there." she retorts, "With Malcanthet, it can be a fun position to be in."

Syala cracks a smile at that, "So is Alicia's." she challenges right back. "Stop quibbling and reaching for anything you can. Listen to Alicia instead."

[Ebiris]

"I don't doubt it," Alicia says, though her tone sounds doubtful, moving to sit opposite Violet. "Regardless lets start with something simple to assuage my curiosity. The being with the memories and talents of Robeaux who came here to lead us into Rosewater through that secret passage. Who or what were they to start with?"

[Anastasia]

Violet smiles - it's a beautiful thing, admittedly. "Should I tell you," she says, "What do I get for cooperation?"

[Ebiris]

Alicia smiles back. "A pleasant chat instead of a magical interrogation is a good start, isn't it? Especially after the day we've all had."

[Anastasia]

"Pleasant chats are fun," Violet banters back, rubbing her throat, "But I worry about the longer term, past that pleasant chat."

[Ebiris]

"It improves the odds of things remaining pleasant," Alicia says more bluntly. "You're not going to be annihilated or tortured, there are no guarantees past that. It's better than the deal offered by the Adversary, isn't it?"

[Anastasia]

"How many would cry for justice as a result of your sins," Antenora speaks, coming over to lay a hand on Violet's shoulder. "They are restrained only by my mercy. Do not test our patience with power plays."

A cold look to Antenora before Violet turns back to Alicia. "You'll have to be more specific than that."

[Ebiris]

"I wonder if I should put you next to Dragodan or G'renna?" Alicia asks aloud, standing up now. "Because yes Violet, you've successfully tested my patience and so we'll recourse ourselves to magical interrogation."

Are any of her buffs still active while magic is suppressed here?

[Anastasia]

No.

"Goodbye, Violet," Antenora agrees, letting go of her shoulder and walking away. Latha simply turns and walks out, while Syala follows.

"You think you can walk away? I know things! Things not even you can find out from me," Violet retorts, "You need me and my powers. Why, I could even aid all of you with them - a few little bits of stolen power and knowledge go far." She starts to rise, both in body and in voice. "You need me with Malcanthet coming!"

[Ebiris]

"And yet you won't even answer a simple, inconsequential question," Alicia points out in response to that tirade.

[Anastasia]

"A poor idiot who fell in the Styx, servants fished him from the shoes," Violet answers at last, "I don't even know his name, he was too easy and convenient to pass up."

[Ebiris]

'Antenora please don't go anywhere because I need you to vet her for lies,' Alicia sends, even if that choreographed exit seemed to have done a good job of puncturing Violet's bravado.

"There. An unsatisfying answer but one I can be content with for the moment," she sits back down. "To break it down for you Violet, your fate lies on a continuum. Barring some spectacular play from Malcanthet, returning to the Abyss is not anywhere on that spectrum. But eternal imprisonment, long term sealing, confinement under various restrictions and routines are all possible. If you make this difficult, I'll extract what I can from your mind and then put you somewhere that I needn't have to think about you again. If you make it easy, you'll have a more pleasant stay... but make no mistake, you will stay."

[Anastasia]

Just as you say that Antenora reappears by the wall, invisible. She sits, a chair of wood silently appearing beneath her. She smiles at your message and nods. 'My thoughts exactly, Alicia. I do, however, understand that she needs our attention and she knows that she does. Let her think herself deprived.'

Violet drinks her water and sits back, "You are confident for someone we played like a fiddle," she retorts, a coy little smile on her face. "You're so predictable, Alicia. Malcanthet and I figured you out as surely as we can figure out a devilish battle rally. So ready to see to your own biases and miss what was right in front of your face. Of course you say I'll stay. The world works that way for you. You capture a fiend, they don't get away. You go home, your Syala's waiting for you. The sun rises each morning and sets each dusk."

A soft clank as she puts her glass down, "Spare yourself the embarrassment of being out maneuvered and used again...unless you're one of those women who likes to be used," A rather nasty smile, "But I can help you with that, too."

Antenora will use sense motive first of all, then her SDA for lying. Why not use both?

> roll 1d20+74 (+15 AR'ed divine insight, +9 other)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 94 > [d20=20]

> roll 1d20+24 decent save even in antimagic
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 26 > [d20=2]

'She thinks herself an equal to you, if not a superior. Malcanthet's fed her ego,' Antenora says, 'She's telling the truth in regards to you being predictable, at least as she believes it. She honestly believe she can out maneuver you, too.'