Maz's logs

[Corwin]

The spiraling towers of the grand palace loom up before you. A golden jewel in a sea of nobility, the massive building has stylistic depictions of efreeti scrawled across the walls, homage to the architecture. The palace was built by efreeti, many years ago, and the used the same construction here as they did for the City of Brass.

A vasttly wide staircase, with a great blue carpet leaing towards a vast, arching doorway into the palace takes up the front of the building, with a dozen guards spaced out across it. Military presence is very high, here, and you think there's at least one column of soldiers who have nothing better to do than march around the perimetre.

Easily a hundred metres square in area, the palace is no-doubt an unforgiving march, especially in the all pervasive heat...

Maz explores the areas open to the general public, looking for a guard fitting the description given to her by Saul, a red hankerchief prepared in her pocket. Describing the man to Lucia, she leans over to the cleric and asks her, "Do you see him, yet?"

"There he is," she replies. "See, in the corner, at the edge of the stairs."

Impressive, he's far away at the other side of the stairwell. Now that he's pointed out to you, though, you see his features match.

"Good call!" Maz congratulates her, and moves towards him, opting not to take the most direct course as she does so.

The soldier is standing at attention, albeit somewhat loosely. A pair of great scimitar are tucked into his belt, and he surveys the street with a lazy eye- following you and Lucia for a short time before passing on.

"Hello," Maz greets him amiably, once she's near the soldier. She retrieves the handkerchief, and offers it to the man, cocking her head. "Excuse me, this is yours, isn't it?"

"Oh, no, you're mistaken," he replies. "But recognize the embroidery- I've an eye for such things, you know. Where'd you find it?"

"A business acquaintance in Tethyr recommended it," she says, pausing, before pressing on, "Recommended it quite highly, might I add."

"Ah, I see, I see. I thought it was from Tethyr- you should look into Yellan's Silks if you're interested in this sort of thing," he replies.

"Indeed I should, then," she agrees with a nod. "Would you know if they are capable of delivering on... special requests? My tastes may not run strictly down the conventional routes."

"They can help you there, though there's a bit of a waiting list. Very popular store," he replies.

"It is my lucky day, I see!" Maz exclaims, and sketches a bow to the guard. "My thanks to you."

The guard returns the bow. "And to you," he responds, his eyes roaming back towards the street.

Indicating to Lucia her desire that she follow after her, Maz begins the walk towards the aforementioned store. Once they're relatively on their own, a certain distance from others, she asks the other woman, "Is there anything in particular you might be interested in?"

"I don't think this place will sell wands of curing," replies Lucia, smiling a little. "Perhaps, though, devices that grant protection?"

"Oh?" Maz asks, perking up at the subject raised. "What kind of protection?" she asks her with a raised eyebrow.

"Of any kind, really. I don't want to be a burden on you all if I'm caught in the middle of a fight," she replies. "I'd like to help as best I can.. that's why a wand of healing would appeal to me, you know. Perhaps one of the temples will be able to craft one for me?"

"That does sound likely," Maz agrees. "Perhaps we should look into Illmater's temple sooner than I expected. Though where it comes to fighting, I do not wish you to be directly involved. A bit selfish of me, perhaps, but that's how it is."

"It's stupid to think it can't happen," replies Lucia, shrugging. "Even if I weren't with you, I'm sure I could attract unwanted attention around this place without even trying. I don't think the mages that frequent this city would be too thrilled about a cleric of Mystra.. there isn't even a temple, here."

"Then clearly the solution is to stick to me while I stay out of trouble!" Maz proclaims matter-of-factly, nodding to herself as she crosses her arms in front of her chest. "Yes, a most excellent solution."

"I await your startling display of discretion," replies Lucia, nodding.

"You are witnessing it now, in fact," Maz informs her. "Secret techinque: hiding in plain sight!"

"It works brilliantly, especially if nobody is looking," reflects Lucia. "Then again, we'll hardly get attacked in the street."

"Yes, back alleys are the stage for that."

The silk shop isn't very pretentious- a modest little store that blends in with a dozen other minor little establishments. Some places sell inks, some sell foreign spices, some sell maps, there's an apothecary- many, many shops.

Inside are racks of clothes, mostly the loose shirts so favoured by the calishite people. Baggy trousers also abound, and a middle-aged human is at the counter, filing her nails.

Maz heads towards the counter, smiling at the saleswoman. "Hello there!" she announces her presence. "A helpful soul said you offer products of exceedingly high quality and would be able to cater to my special needs," she goes on to say, dropping the guard's name.

"Ah, I see he's at it again," she replies. "You've certainly come to the right place- we can design fabrics and coats in all the usual styles."

A couple of commoners are walking through the store, glancing at the different (cheaply priced!) clothes.

"That pleases me greatly," Maz agrees. "May we hear your prices and get a measure for your work times?"

"It's necessary that you submit a written request," she replies. "We'll be able to deliver a quote to you."

Maz looks around for any submittal forms conveniently placed around.

There's some parchment behind the woman's desk, which she shortly produces and hands over to you.

Resisitng the urge to bite down on the quill as she tries to remember the requests of her companions, she puts down Thrall and Seraphin's desired armor upgrades, and gives the sheet a look over, before pushing it towards the saleswoman.

"Ah, I see," replies the woman, giving the sheet a once-over. "Popular styles around here, you know. Well, it'll be a couple of days before we finish our current project, and then a week to make these outfits."

"Excellent," Maz says with a nod, glancing at the woman with curiousity. "Do you provide accessories as well? I am interested in a few for myself, and it is far easier to fit them to the outfits, don't you think?"

"We only have a limited stock of supplies for such things, unfortunately," she replies. "We've only got so many seamstresses, after all. But, feel free to list your requests."

Maz reaches for the parchment, and once it is in her grasp, adds a pearl of power, bag of holding, bead of force and cloak of elvenkind. "Any of these would be a pleasant surprise," she mentions, passing the list back to the other woman. "I believe they would compliment my eyes, especially the jewelry."

Maz reaches for the parchment, and once it is in her grasp, adds a pearl of power, bag of holding, bead of force and cloak of elvenkind. "Any of these would be a pleasant surprise," she mentions, passing the list back to the other woman. "I believe they would compliment my eyes, especially the jewelry."

"Ah..." says the woman, pausing a moment. "Well, the bead and the purse are feasible," she says. "But with the pearls, and the cloak.. they require specialist craftsmen, don't you know? Exceptional talents. Luckily, we do have a used cloak... would that be a problem?

"But, as for the pearl, well... it really depends. How openly do you want to wear it?" Her eyes narrow a small amount, peering at you with concealed intent.

"It depends on the location, of course, and on the outfit to go with it," Maz muses, seemingly lost in thought, before her eyes refocus on the saleslady. "Well, and on the company, I would presume." She then shakes her head, saying, "No, a used cloak wouldn't be a problem. After all, the authencity of the brand is what matters most in such clothing, isn't it?"

"Yes, I can assure you that it's quite authentic," she replies, winking. "It's very popular in this city, too. It stands the discerning woman out from the rest, so to speak."

"Exceptional!" Maz exclaims, clasping her hands together. "This day has been profitable beyond my wildest dreams!" Smiling, she asks the other woman, "Your mention of acquiring items of clothing from those who wish for a change mean you are open to such propositions in general, or was that a special case?"

"Ah, we inherited the new cloak," replies the woman, looking sad. "The owner took a bit of a fall, and, well...

"But, we are indeed open to these sort of proprositions."

"I'll chart down a quick list of my old collection, which I am in a process of replacing, as you can see," she says, her smile taking on a slightly crooked tilt. "Should you spot anything that tickles your fancy, please do let me know."

[22:55] <Carthrat> <->
[22:56] <Carthrat> The Temple of Illmater takes you far away from the luxurious merchant and noble distrcts of Calimport, right back into the seedy slums. You pass through a particularly awful street on the way here... "Heaven's Heap", the haven for the lower-class harlots and drug dealers. Ironically, the Temple of Illmater is positioned at the other end. Perhaps the crying god knows who truly needs his services the most...
[22:59] <Carthrat> When you arrive at the temple, you see a sorry sight; a queue of petitioners, armed with empty bowls and cups. Lucia looks on piteously, as a large, well-msucled man, naked from the waist up hands out soup and water to the unwashed masses. His skin is crisscrossed with scars- you recognize him as a member of the Broken Ones, a branch of Illmater's faith that is responsible for training some of Faerun's most potent- and kindest- monks.
[23:01] * Maz looks around for any of the clerics, preferring to talk to them instead of the monk.
[23:03] <Carthrat> The monk stands out the front of the temple proper, but the doors inside stand behind him. It is a church laid out more like a large rest home, with many ailing people resting on beds or being tended to by craggy-faced men and women in white robes. More than a few demihumans are amongst those here; several dwarven clerics, and you note one elf amongst them with a little surprise.
[23:05] * Maz decides to take her chances with the elf, not actually having interacted all that much with their kind during her short life so far.
[23:07] <Carthrat> Despite the noise and distractions about, the elf seems to notice you before you've halfway approached him. "A moment," he says, laying his hands upon a sickly, coughing old man; there's a dim white glow, and the aged human immedaitely ceases his coughing.
[23:08] <Carthrat> The elf turns around, and smiles at you. With a perfect, angular face, and light blonde hair, his eyes glance towards yours, open and honest. "How may I help thee, madame?"
[23:09] <Maz> "It's actually the other way around," Maz responds, studying him. "We wanted to be of service to Illmater for the short time we're staying in Calimport."
[23:11] <Carthrat> "Ah, I see," he replies, bowing. "I thank you in advance for your decision to help. There are many suffering in Calimport, and every moment of pain that we can alleviate or prevent is a step towards a brighter city." His words seem somewhat rehersed, but still genuine to your ears. His voice is certainly a cultured one, and his Common is technically perfect.
[23:13] <Maz> "We can see the suffering with our own two eyes, despite having just arrived," Maz affirms. "From what we heard, times seem especially turbulent now."
[23:15] <Carthrat> Lucia nods, returning the bow to the priest. "There is much that we, and Mystra, could do to help in this city," she replies, and the elf raises an eyebrow. "Indeed, but she rarely shows her face here, I fear. Your presence makes the city a lighter place, misses..."
[23:21] <Carthrat> "I am Sister Lucia Crios, and this is Maz," she replies. The elf nods, slowly, and continues to speak. "I am Brother Salena. Sister Lucia, Ms. Maz, how can I help you help us?"
[23:23] <Maz> "Uncoordinated efforts often do more harm than good," Maz responds, shrugging. "Even the mere knowledge of your ongoing projects would be a great help in and of itself, and if you would like to go one step further, our skills could be integrated into one of them for the time being."
[23:26] <Carthrat> "We are always in need of more priests to aid us here," he replies, levelly. "It is a sad fact, however, that curing the ills of people here is only a temproary solution, at best. People who suffer have a habit of wishing to share in their pain." His voice takes a sad tone. Lucia listens attentively... but she seems a little skeptical, in your eyes.
[23:28] <Maz> "Forgive us," Maz says, "but as I mentioned, we are new here. Is the cause of the misery here an unjust system of government, or something more? Gangs, guilds, a drug cartel?"
[23:33] <Carthrat> The elf gestures towards the street outside. "The pitfalls of human civilisation, enlarged," he replies. "And yet, it does not seem avoidable. Certainly, there are guilds and gangs and drugs aplenty. Merely ask a harlot who she pays, or follow the hashish merchant home one night to find some sources. I fear that misery gained from human institutions, covert or open, will never cease..."
[23:34] <Carthrat> "In any case, we do what we can to stem the tide of pain, here. It is the bringers of pain that lurk beyond this plane who we are truly concerned about... outsiders, who have no excuse. But on that topic, perhaps you know more than I." His voice and gaze is not judgemental, merely honest in scope.
[23:36] <Maz> "Perhaps, perhaps not," she responds, pursing her lips. "Is this a roundabout way of saying a group of outsiders are responsible for much of what happens here?" Maz asks, gesturing lightly with her head at the throng of petitioners.
[23:41] <Carthrat> "They are as much victims of their own race as of such creatures," he replies, distantly. "But those who exist only to ferment disease and misery lurk in Calimshan, as well. Their pawns, of all races, suffer as much as their true victims... but I digress. If you wish to aid Illmater and his work, then the best way you could do it would be to deal with the creatures that exist here." Shaking his head, he starts walking along the stony floor of the temple.
[23:44] <Carthrat> "They conceal themselves in the shadows that make up the backallies of Calimport," he continues, gazing away from you, now. "I know naught of what faces exist on the rogues gallery, but some who have left the world of knives speak of changes, brought about by fell entities."
[23:49] <Maz> "I would need a tad more to go on, before I could help with this situation," Maz informs him.
[23:57] <Carthrat> "Creatures of the depths are subtle to the extreme," he responds. "Would that we already knew enough information to act decisively! Here, though, the knowledge that passes through is that of the lowest rungs on the criminal ladder. To target those who bring suffering without joy to any, one would need to know what the higher rungs know."
[23:59] <Carthrat> "To be precise, the demons deal in the underworld, and hide themselves from the world of light. But their actions have as many ramifications here as there. Are you savvy, and able to enter that world, and be eyes for the light when there?"
[00:02] * Maz lowers her voice, dropping it to the bare necessity for the elf and Lucia to hear. "It is possible, yes. But I'll need to know more about the local guilds. Which exist, who are their allies, who amongst them quarrel with one another... this information should suffice to get a general picture."
[00:06] <Carthrat> The elf cracks a smile, bowing his head slightly at your lowered voices. "There is a man who may be able to help you with the specifics," he says. "But.. three guilds, of common knowledge; the Skasany Guild, the Michaeltar Guild, and the Stiltain Guild. Viewed in terms of state politics.. let us say no outright war has been declared, even in the shadows, but there are more border skirmishes than there used to be."
[00:07] <Maz> "Which is the outsider guild?" she asks in an attempt to clear up matters.
[00:13] <Carthrat> "How can I know?" he replies, sighing. "If I could point to one, and say, 'yes, they are the demons', then, perhaps, we would be somewhat more active in ensuring their end. All I can hear here are a few words and rumours from the street. I can tell you that no less than three newer groups have appeared in Calimport, alongside the three that existed prior, and it was with their apperance that violence began escalating. I can tell you that the fire last night, down at the Gleaming Shield... there was work done by some outsider force."
[00:15] <Maz> "Indeed?" she says, raising her voice slightly. "Then, perchance, I could talk with any of the witnesses to that?"
[00:18] <Carthrat> "Many of the poor souls who live on the street near the establishment are still living there today," he replies, sadly. "I spoke to them myself, and... the Gleaming Shield was owned by a foreigner, with a spotless record. The flames appeared as if from dream... for a moment, they were there, then not, then they were there in greater force, and so on."
[00:20] <Maz> "Strange," Maz muses. "I have not heard of this effect before...."
[00:22] <Carthrat> Maz can dimly recall something about this phenomenon... it's akin to one of the traits that sorcerous children manifest when young. However, it's rarely on the scale of a building...
[00:25] <Maz> "Did anyone perish in the flames?" she asks then, suitably sympathetic to the inhabitants' plight.
[00:26] <Carthrat> "The owner did," he replies. "But the other inhabitants were able to flee. I've no idea where they are now, however- I do not think they stayed in Calimport."
[00:29] <Maz> "I see," she says at length, rubbing her lips with the tip of her index finger. "If you would provide me with directions to this establishment, I would like to go and examine it for myself afterwards." She glances at Lucia, then, and her eyes light up. "Ah, yes. Is anyone in the temple capable of crafting wands charged with healing spells?"
[00:31] <Carthrat> "It is possible. But I must also tell you that it will be costly."
[00:33] <Maz> "It is for a good cause. I shall pay."
[00:35] <Carthrat> "My thanks," he replies. "I pray for you to let us know of anything you discover, yet without compromising whatever arrangements you make. Should you find plain facts on outsiders within the city, it will be our sworn duty to deal with them. Our martial resources are, perhaps, limited, but it is indeed a good cause."
[00:36] * Maz inclines her head.
[00:38] <Carthrat> Lucia bows as well. "My thanks. I have a question... why do you believe that this place, Calimport, could never truly erase the... bleakness we see on the streets? The city of Silvermoon, for instance, is a place which is in far better shape than here."
[00:40] <Carthrat> The elf sighs, and bows his head. "Perhaps it is the concerns of the leaders of these lands, as well," he responds, grimly. "The humans who rule today in Calimport, though, are the descendants of a line that overthrew djinn and efreet far crueler than the Syl-Pasha who leads today. I.. I do not truly believe it is impossible. But, even in my lifetime, I do not expect to see a great reversal."
[00:46] <Carthrat> "It's moronic," fumes Lucia, as you leave the temple of Illmater. "Mystra teaches us that all things are possible. In this world, a woman can be raised to be a deity, a man can live forever, a drow or tiefling can renounce their heritage, and even the God of Death can die. But making Calimport a better place is so unlikely?"
[00:48] <Maz> "When I gain enough power I'll do my best to make all the bad people go away," Maz says vaguely, smiling to herself.
[00:49] <Carthrat> "It's not enough to get rid of bad people," she continues to rant, seemingly not paying attention to you. "You've got to replace them with the good... honestly, it's best if you can turn them around, from bad to good. But I guess that.. argh! You know, there's an order in the Church of Illmater that believes there's a finite amount of suffering in the world? That if one person suffers, it means another won't?"
[00:51] <Maz> "That's not a finite amount, but statistics," Maz snorts, brushing a stray hair behind her ear. "That, and a disturbing lack of information amongst much of the clergy."
[00:52] <Carthrat> "I don't know what the rest of the church thinks," she grumbles. "But it's.. it's so depressing. I can't fahtom the idea that the only way to alleviate pain is to cause.. karma, or fate, or whatever, to introduce some somewhere else."
[00:54] <Maz> "You could always ask Mystra if this is true," Maz muses, smiling at her. "It's a simple enough augury, isn't it? And until she tells you otherwise, feel free to think that what sounds stupid probably is. Nothing wrong with being optimistic about the state of the world and the humanoids at large."
[00:56] <Carthrat> "I didn't start worshipping Mystra because she gave me answers, but because we already agreed," replies Lucia, sighing. "I don't know... some people speak of balance, you know? Of good and evil, of chaos and law, and they're not entirely wrong."
[00:59] <Maz> "No, but they're also giving up in a sense, aren't they?" Maz challenges. "It is entirely too easy to give into one's 'nature' or to accept the 'nature' or 'balance' of the world. It is far more difficult to rebel against it, and to try and shift the balance." She smirks, then. "That the balance can be shifted on a local scale, if one tries enough, gives me encouragement that this principle can be extrapolated towards far greater areas."
[01:01] <Carthrat> "Either way, one needs to at least prevent the balance from going the other way," replies Lucia, thoughtfully. "Oh..." she points towards a burnt-out building, standing on a street corner ahead.
[01:03] * Maz nods, her expression turning grim, and seeks out a beggar who is positioned with an excellent view of where the front entrance used to be, yet far enough from the building so that he or she would not have had to flee from the flames.
[01:04] <Carthrat> There's a gaunt old man lying under the shade of a nearby building, smoking a hazy pipe.
[01:10] * Maz crouches down next to the beggar, and drops four silver pieces into the old man's outstretched hand, settling next to him to watch the burnt down building. "Good day to you," she tells him conversationally, looking at him out of the corner of her eye.
[01:11] <Carthrat> The old man takes the coins, leering at Maz as she kneels down to face him. "Heelllllllllo!" he says, slowly and long.
[01:13] <Maz> "We all need to get our excitement from somewhere, don't we?" she asks him, cocking her head. "Mine is fire. I like hearing about it." A gold coin makes a brief appearance in between her fingers, rolling over them before disappearing, and she winks at the old man.
[01:14] <Carthrat> "Lots of fire last night," he replies, dreamily. "And then, there was the fight!"
[01:16] <Maz> "A fight, following a fire," she repeats after him, leaning ever so slightly, the neck of her robe sliding down negligibly.
[01:17] <Carthrat> "Oh, yes, a fight," he replies, cackling. "Everyone else fled, but *I* stayed. Even though I was so high, I saw it!"
[01:18] <Maz> "I wish I could have," she says, pouting, biting on her lower lip slightly.
[01:19] <Carthrat> "I wish I could remember," he replies, gazing at your sleeves with eagerness.
[01:20] <Maz> "That makes me very sad," Maz says, pulling away as she gives him a look that tries to emphasize just how sad that makes her, pulling the robe closer to her.
[01:21] <Carthrat> "I almost can! There was a paladin, you know, all holy and glorious! Almost made me stand up and repent my sins, he did!"
[01:23] <Maz> "A paladin!" she exclaims, letting go of her robe. "Did he look like the rest of them, long blond hair cascading down his shoulders, standing at six feet tall, in unblemished golden armor and wielding an enormous sword with both arms?" Maz gushes with excitement, getting a slight flush on her cheeks.
[01:23] <Carthrat> "He was a little short, actually," he replies, coughing suddenly. "He had a helmet on, you know, and his armour was kind of battered. Only had a longsword, and it looked like it was an effort to wield it..."
[01:25] <Maz> "Maybe he wasn't well," she says, deflating visibly. "Or haven't had enough time to sleep. It all happened during the night, after all...."
[01:25] <Carthrat> "Well, it was still exciting!"
[01:26] * Maz nods at that, perking up as she smiles at him. "And what great evil was the paladin battling bravely?"
[01:26] <Carthrat> "I really don't remember that," he replies, frowning. "I saw it, it was there, but I can't remember it."
[01:29] <Maz> "So, who won?"
[01:29] <Carthrat> "Do YOU see a Paladin telling people how he slew a great evil?" chortles the beggar.
[01:30] * Maz blanches. "B-But..." she mumbles, before shaking her head and giving the old man a pleading glance. "They're selfless beings! Surely, they would not stay for a reward, bravely riding off into the sunrise!"
[01:31] <Carthrat> "I dunno. That armour's gotta cost something," he replies.
[01:32] <Maz> "So what happened after the fight?" she asks him curiously.
[01:32] <Carthrat> "I dunno. Some kid ran out the inn just before it started, down that way," he says, jerking a finger down the alley.
[01:34] <Maz> "And the fire just died down, by magic, as he ran out?" she asks eagerly, her lips parted, the tip of her tongue peeking from beyond them.
[01:34] <Carthrat> "Oh, the fire stayed until the fight stopped," he replies, considering. "I think. It lasted long enough to make a big mess, though."
[01:35] <Maz> "Ah," she says, nodding to herself. "So this kid, he was the last one who left the inn alive?"
[01:36] <Carthrat> "Yeah, that's right. Had creepy EYES. All black, with red pupils!"
[01:37] <Maz> "Wow!" she exclaims in astonishment. "All black, with red pupils!"
[01:40] <Maz> "Did anyone come to investigate the fire?" she asks him next. "For private reasons, like myself, or someone from the administration, maybe?"
[01:40] <Carthrat> The beggar turns over on his side and starts to snore.
[01:41] <Maz> "I'll take it as a no," she says to herself, and moves away. Glancing both ways, she discreetly casts Detect Magic on herself, and examines the beggar for any traces of magic.
[01:43] <Carthrat> The beggar lacks magical alteration.
[01:44] * Maz examines the area thoroughly, moving throughout it. First, she glances at the people there, and then examines the building itself from all angles.
[01:44] <Carthrat> There's a lack of magic from the entire area. It's just another section of street...
[01:45] * Maz checks the building for any safe areas that won't collapse under her feet or have something drop on her from above, and examines the building's inside as well.
[01:46] <Carthrat> The entire place is scorched black, and several parts have collapsed. There's no trace of a magical aura....

[Corwin]

Clericness: lvl0: Detect Poison, Light, Resistance , lvl1: Bane, Conjure Ice Beast I, CLW
Witchiness: lvl0: Acid Splash, Flare, Ray of Frost, Mage Hand, lvl1: Mage Armor, Shield, Cause Fear, Magic Missile, Magic Missile, lvl2: Protection from Arrows, Invisibility, Fox's Cunning,  lvl3: Deep Slumber, Protection from Energy

-----

As Maz walks through the streets of Calimport, she sees the tent that Thrall described- minus a throng of onlookers, it's a large blue pavilion, the front folds of which lead into apparent darkness.

"Dare you face a challenge, the likes of which you have never faced before- nor will again?" booms an imposing voice, to the street at large. Hardly anyone looks up... perhaps this has been around for a while.

"A challenge sounds exciting!" Maz comments brightly, stepping into the tent.

"Then gird yourself, mage!" calls back the voice, and Maz feels an all-too-familiar twisting sensation, one she's sure she felt when she teleported from Damara to Tethyr.

In an instant, she's standing in a square room, with crystalline walls and floors. A great black rift in the centre of the room breaks it in two; at ten feet wide, it makes crossing difficult without a great leap or the aid of magic.

On the opposite side of the wall is a mirror, one in which Maz can see a perfect reflection of herself... until it grins, suddenly, breaking the similarity, and steps out of the glass, facing her with malevolent intent!

Maz frowns, and takes a step back, drawing a pentagram in the air in front of her, before dipping her head in it, gaining intelligence beyond her normal limits!

Across the gorge, your double pauses a moment, before she snaps her fingers and turns totally invisible!

Unfazed, Maz conjures up a shield around herself, a bright hexagon shining with a distinct bluish tint.

Maz is startled by the appearance of a frozen wolf, that materializes right next to her! With a high-pitched whine, it flings itself at her, biting at her feet! She feels a chill rush over her, but it misses her ankle, and her natural resistance deflects the cold!

Maz retreats to put some distance between herself and the wolf. She then takes out her wand, and casually flings her arm in the direction of the frozen construct.

OOC: 9 damage

The construct rocks back, mystical blasts carving it apart! It's still intact, but badly depleted- when it suddenly vanishes!

Regretting her omission to scribe Glitterdust, Maz casts Protection from Arrows on herself, content to let the fight come to her for the time being.

Suddenly, Maz feels a wave of nausea wash over her, as her mind is assaulted by fatigue and tiredness!

OOC: Will save: 25

With a shimmer on the other side of the room, Maz can see her double appear, the woman looking somewhat put out!

Maz raises her arms, looking not unlike a conductor with the wand in her right hand, and directs them through a series of motions that draw an eleven-sided geometric figure trapped in a cube within a wide ellipse! Arcane words spill from her lips, as she tries to do unto her double what she had just tried to do to her!

With a sudden sigh, your double flops over in the corner, sound asleep!

OOC: Will save: 15. OWNED.

Relaxing slightly, Maz roots through her things for her scroll of Unseen Servant, yet another spell people keep on saying no one really uses in combat, and reads patiently from it, summoning her servant on the other side, near her double.

Nodding at herself, Maz calls upon her patron deity, asking her for a frozen wolf, a veritable mirror of the one her double sent for her! As soon as it materializes, she commands her two servants to gently drag her double towards the bottomless pit in the center of the room, having her unseen servant push the double over the edge while commanding the wolf to go down with her, its jaws clamped against the evil Maz's cloak!

The wolf, and Maz's double both plummet down the hole! In a flash, the room is gone, and Maz stands in front of a bookshelf! Six heavy tomes sit in front of her, arranged from right to left.

"Well done!" exclaims a voice. "The choice of one of these texts is yours! Such is the reward of those who best the Mirror!"

"How very cool," she says happily, smiling widely. "I've always wanted to be smarter, to be honest. You know how this goes, can never have too much of a good thing." Maz nods firmly at her words. "And I hear you are the type to go for intelligence, anyhow," she adds, thinking of Thrall's plight.

The fourth book from the left slips out the shelf, and floats into Maz's hands! "A wise choice," intones the mysterious voice.

In another flash, Maz finds herself out the front of the tent.

[Corwin]

As Maz takes the crystal in-hand, she feels a pulse of energy rush through her forearm, like a half-remembered dream.

"You... saved my soul?" it says, reverberating through Maz's mind.

"I tried," she sends back. "Your shadow body was destroyed. Did that free your soul?"

"It flees into the nether even now. My last vestiges of consciousness... you speak to one in the fugue of life and death.

"There is no time, then. The plane of shadow- the basis for all things in the material lies there. The original material. My training.. I know. The first bricks of reality came from shadow.

"That is how Elric forges us copies... doing what no mortal could do since the age of Netheril. The Weave... through the rips in it, he reaches towards what should not be touched. I do not know if he himself is even of this world anymore."

"I don't believe he is, if the texts I've read of this shadow magic are to be believed," Maz muses. "For every advance into it, the caster must pay a certain price, and one's humanity is likely to be one of them." She pauses, before asking, "Can your body be reforged out of shadow by Elric's magics?"

"Not without a soul. And to reclaim mine, you will need to raise me.. no, my life wasn't meant to be lived, anyway. It's an aberration. The real me... whoever she was in life, she's the one who should be raised.

"This shadow magic, though..." Her voice begins to sound faint, and small.

"If you go on, you'll find more from the top floor. But.. I can use what's left of me to forge a.. a.. link between you, and this shadow plane. It's where we all came from in the first place... it's only how it's used here that's wrong.

"The weave is used for good and evil, and though this isn't what Mystra intended..."

"I can't ask you to make that sacrifice, but I would greatfully accept it if you choose to go through with it," Maz responds, after a bit of thought. "Elric must be stopped, and I won't balk at any power offered to me for that end, short of dealing with demons."

"I only hope..." is the last thing you hear, before the gem crackles and shudders in your hand for a moment, and then goes limp.

Knowledge flies through your brain at an insane pace, fortifying it with secrets that Maz Was Not Meant To Know...

[Corwin]

Keeping things simple is best, and Maz has wanted to know something for quite a while. "Do you have your full memories, including those of your earlier childhood?"

"Yeah," replies Re'Laizary, cradling Angel Scour like a child as you ask the question. "Oh, yes, yes I do."

"Have you known that mine start from the time we moved to the branch house?"

"NOW I do," replies Re'Laizary, nuzzling the tip of the bow a little. "I guess that explains why you were such a hateful bitch. No offence."

"None taken, it's probably in our blood. Besides, the feeling was more than returned until recently." Maz shrugs, suddenly looking uncomfortable. "So, umm," she asks, stumbling over the words, "you died for real? Got raised and stuff, the whole deal?"

"Yes," she replies, her hands stopping a little. "It hurt. A lot."

"The dying part wasn't so bad. Coming back is much worse."

"You almost returned the favor, a couple of months ago. I'll take your word for it and count myself lucky," she says quietly. "So, new bow...."

"Ah, yes, Angel Scour," she says, the words rolling off her lips with the sort of tone reserved for pure love. The bow itself purrs a little, a sickly-sweet sound, the sort a dying cat makes. "I heard of it while I was in Mulhorand. They have... many, many tieflings, there," she continues, frowning a little. "It was in the tomb of a famous archer, himself a half-fiend. I had to kill quite a few others of our kind to get it before them, but he was worth every arrow."

"What were you doing there, anyway?" Maz asks with curiousity.

"Hunting you," she replies, flatly. "You have no idea how hard it was. If you think I had any help from home... hah! I wouldn't hire idiot humans for nothing," she snorts. "I knew you came to Tethyr. I even know you were in Saradush. But I couldn't get there. I found a portal to Mulhorand, knowing that our kind was relatively accepted there... "I had to work to get enough money to afford a blasted teleportation spell... hmph. At least I got some practice."

"You could have just traveled the normal way," Maz ponders out loud. "But I suppose as long as you had fun and found a friend...." She blinks. "Umm, I'm sorry about stealing the other one. Want it back? I haven't actually set it on fire like I said I would."

"What? No, that's a child's bow," she replies, dismissively. "Crossbows are worthless to one who truly follows the Way."

"I had to apologize nonetheless," Maz tells her with a shrug. "So, do you think we have a fighting chance against whatever the folks send after us? Hell, are they sending anything beyond a single Retriever?"

"We have absolutely no chance whatsoever," replies Re'Laizary. "I don't care if you're staying up here. If I don't change my mind and bring you in, I'm heading to the underdark. "I guess it's the same either way whether I run and hide or hand you over, I guess... that is, if you don't come."

"The time for me to return home would come when I'm confident enough of my chances to kill all those bitches and loot the place of all the awesome artifacts just rotting away in the vaults," Maz deadpans, muttering, "Only good thing left about the entire place." She purses her lips. "I want to go to the underdark with you, if it means buying us enough time to do just that, but there are certain obligations here I cannot simply abandon. As you said, we have a month. Give me most of it to settle them, and I'll take us to an entrance not too far off."

Re'Laizary gives a slight nod. "Your companions?" she asks, glancing at them with.. a little derision. "We cannot go wrong with more hands below in the depths, I suppose...

"What an odd bunch you've acquired, however. The humans and the Aasimar in particular."

"The Aasimar amuses me," Maz admits with a smile. "He's very emotional, and very, very righteous. And we also have a genasi in the mix!" Shaking her head then, she adds, "But the others have been around for quite a while, and they're very competent. You'll come around to think that as well, I'm sure."

"Competent. It will be difficult to be 'competent' within the underdark if you cannot see," she remarks, eyes flickering over Lucia, 'Relly', and Sylvaria.

Maz nods slightly in the direction of the indicated Relly and Sylvaria. "They're not coming. But Lucia has magic on her side, and if it comes to that, I'll design something for her. It's not that advanced a spell which imitates our vision."

"Magic solves everything, it seems," mutters Re'Laizary, sounding a little bitter. "Very well." She lowers her voice a little. "Why did you not slay Naintya? She will betray us if you release her."

"My pesky recently-acquired morals, I suppose," Maz responds, lowering her own voice to match her sister's. "You have Lucia to thank for that, as well as yourself."

Re'Laizary glances at Lucia for a moment, an expression of something between contempt and puzzlement creeping across her features.

"Truth is the only moral guide worth following," she mutters. "That woman abhors the concept."