A monk's tale

[Merc]

[08:09] <InvokerDude> <-->
[08:10] <InvokerDude> The temple of Savras can barely be called that. It seems to consist of a bedroom (unoccupied), a shrine (dusty), and a bookshelf, which at least remains well-tended. The cleric of Azuth who led you here was remarkably haughty.. still, it's true that your god is subordinate to his.
[08:11] * Kethean heads for the bookshelf, and takes a look at the selection of reading material available.
[08:12] <InvokerDude> Savras doesn't have many holy books.. it mostly seems to be a collection of various mathematical treatsies, as well as a book of proverbs and some histories- told in empirical style, you'd expect. It's just like the monastery...
[08:14] <InvokerDude> What's this? One of these books isn't a book at all; it's made of metal!
[08:15] <Kethean> "A metal book?" Kethean mutters outloud as he picks up the metallic item, curious as to what it's about.
[08:15] <InvokerDude> It seems to be some typical mathematical book, but the spine is detachable! Inside is a piece of yellowed parchment.
[08:19] * Kethean checks the parchment, wondering why someone went to the trouble of hiding it like so.
[08:30] <InvokerDude> The parchment is old and crackly; it feels like it might fall apart any second. On it, though, a smooth hand writes... "My time is short, my life nearly spend. As it should be, but things remain undone. If you are reading this, and you are true, then know this: All turn in cycles, and what was, but is not now, will be again. The staff that was a cage lies buried beneath the waves. Remember the prophecy of Alaundo... 'As the asce
[08:33] <Kethean> ooc: 'As the asce
[08:33] <InvokerDude> 'As the ascendant midnight is overburdened, fate will shackle his usurper...'"
[08:37] <Kethean> 'Hmmm...the staff that was a cage? Strange...' Kethean thinks as he ponders the parchment's message. 'And what's this prophecy of Alaundo?' he asks himself as he tries to recall anything regarding that from his training.
[08:38] <InvokerDude> OOC: prostuff that you totally know: 1) Azuth, the current god of WIZARDS and SPELLCASTERS (not magic), beat up Savras (the god of wizards/spellcasters/fate/logic at the time) during the time of troubles and imprisioned him in a staff.
[08:38] <InvokerDude> OOC: He eventually got Savras to swear to be his subordinate and released him.
[08:38] <InvokerDude> 2) Alaundo is a famous prohpet. Everything he says comes true.
[08:39] <InvokerDude> Now make that knowledge: religion check.
[08:41] <Kethean> 'Interesting. So there's some prophecy that Savras will take his place back from Azuth?' he wonders as some knowledge comes back to him. 'And it has something to do with the staff...except it's buried under the ocean somewhere?'
[08:43] <InvokerDude> The altar, with symbols of fate and logic carved into it, remains still, cold metal and Savras' dogma carved upon it.
[08:44] * Kethean ignores the altar for now, and puts the metal 'book' back, before looking at some of the other readings.
[08:45] <InvokerDude> Ho-hum, not too much special here. What you'd expect, really; mostly treatsies and the like. There's a few books of Savras' general religion, as well, and a few histories of the church and the god.
[08:47] <InvokerDude> There's a rap on the small door that leads into this section of the church, the knocker not waiting for a response as he peers in, giving you a haughtly look over his moustaches- "There's someone here to see you," he says, arrogantly.
[08:48] <Kethean> "Oh? Thank you," Kethean says as he puts the books back and walks towards the exit, ignoring the attitude problem.
[08:49] <InvokerDude> A blue-robed woman stands there. A cleric of Mystra, it seems, judging by the colouration and the insignia. "It is Kethean, correct?" she asks, before glancing at the Azuthite. "Thank you, you may go."
[08:52] * Kethean nods as he looks over the woman. "How may I be of service?"
[08:52] <InvokerDude> The woman pauses, glancing about the area. "Are you alone?" she asks, warily, closing the door behind her. "I have a.. matter, for you, but it cannot be public. To anyone."
[08:54] * Kethean nods. "We can talk here, I believe. Unless you'd rather talk somewhere else...?"
[08:55] <InvokerDude> "I dare not raise more suspicion," she whispers. "This.. this whole church has been compromised."
[08:57] * Kethean blinks. "...Compromised? What do you mean compromised?" he asks with a hint of worry.
[08:59] <InvokerDude> "Certain members have been.. I'm not sure," she says, worriedly. "Bribed, perhaps. Dominated? Charmed? It's impossible to say..."
[09:01] <Kethean> "To do what?"
[09:03] <InvokerDude> "Items have gone missing," she replies. "Mages I know- good and just ones, have exiled themselves. Magic, intended to be free to all, in this town, is sanctioned and under suspicion. There are no new mages training in Darromar..."
[09:08] <Kethean> "Really?" he replies in surprise. "Why has no one tried to stand up and point this corruption out? ...Or did someone try and fail?"
[09:10] <InvokerDude> "I only know one other person who knows for sure.. and there's a bounty on his head, and he's charged with theft!" she replies, a slight tear in her eye. "I don't know who to tell. I don't know who's been enchanted, or bribed.."
[09:13] <Kethean> "Is it just in this town that this problem has gotten so bad?"
[09:14] <InvokerDude> "I don't know," she replies, carefully. "I just don't know. But all the scrolls we kept in this temple have been.. sealed away, and nobody has been making new potions to replace the ones sold. Now, the temple is virtually closed to the public.. the only outsider who came in did so yesterday, a blue-haired mage, talking about tears in the weave."
[09:16] * Kethean blinks and looks at the woman carefully. "...Tears in the weave you say? Do you know where she went?"
[09:17] <InvokerDude> "I know that the other clerics sent her to kill Ardandanus!" she replies, a few tears in her eyes.
[09:28] <Kethean> "Ardandanus?"
[09:30] <InvokerDude> "A mage, a student of someone at the mage guild.. Calen, or something," she replies. "His master is part of this.. scheme, using his spells to control others. But he took his spellbook and fled.. and now there is a bounty on his head."
[09:35] <Kethean> "Ah, so he's the mage you mentioned earlier," he muses outloud. "I think I know the people who went after him."
[09:36] <InvokerDude> "It will be too late to stop them now," she says, morosely. "They've too much on a lead to his tower, already. I can only hope that they convince them.."
[09:38] <Kethean> "Depends on how much they fight. Like I said, I know the people after him. If he gives them too much trouble on the way, they'll be too angry to listen to his pleas," Kethean says with a shake of his head. It's what he'd be like too after passing through obstacle after obstacle, really.
[09:41] <InvokerDude> "I fear they are more likely to perish than survive, if that is what they do," replies the woman. "But.. even so! We need to do something here.. see, I came to you because you are an outsider," she adds. "A passer-by, and a monk of Savras, to boot. Who could beguile one such as you?"
[09:44] <Kethean> "Not many could, I'd imagine, but even so, you should never just assume. Luckily, you were right, and I'm not under enchantments," he replies. Sighing he looks at the woman's face for a moment in pause before asking, "So if you don't wish me to try and stop my companions, what do you think I could do to help?"
[09:45] <InvokerDude> "I have heard monks are quite capable in many fields," she replies, staring at you carefully. "I would want.. someone to extract proof of Calenstat's treachery."
[09:48] * Kethean nods. "I see. And would you be aiding me in the act?"
[09:50] <InvokerDude> "There's barely anything I can do," she replies, troubled. "I'm barely above an initiate, only the earliest secrets of the clergy have been revealed to me... but I want to help, I really do!"
[09:52] * Kethean sighs. "I suppose I should have expected this. Alright, can you tell me anything regarding Calenstat that would be helpful?"
[09:57] <InvokerDude> "He lacks a spellbook at the moment. But he is a potent enchanter," she replies. "Surely he lacks a full complement of spells, but.. I could ward you against charms and domination."
[09:58] <Kethean> "He lacks a spellbook?" Kethean asks, quite surprised. "How on earth did that happen?"
[10:01] <InvokerDude> "Didn't I tell you? Ardandanus took it," she replies, sighing. "No doubt he can prepare some without it.. but his repotaire will be limited."
[10:05] <Kethean> "Ah, yes, that's right. I don't know where my mind went," he says with a shake of his head.
[10:06] <InvokerDude> "You'd better keep it about you!" she says, fretfully. "If he pierces your defences..."
[10:07] <Kethean> "Well, if I don't bring my mind with me, he certainly wouldn't be able to control it, now would he?" he jokes, trying to calm down the girl a bit.
[10:09] <InvokerDude> "We can only hope," she replies. "But.. either way, it'd be better to get to his rooms in the mage guild while he's not there," she says.
[10:10] * Kethean nods again. "How many people does he surround himself with usually?"
[10:12] <InvokerDude> "Nowadays, he walks around with bodyguards," she replies, trying to think. "In his chambers, he may be alone.."
[10:14] <Kethean> "I can see why you think waiting for him in his chambers would be for the best then," he replies.
[10:17] <InvokerDude> "We'll need to watch the guild," she says, slowly. "But I can't make it obvious that I'm helping you.. by Mystra, I may have spent more time here than I should already."
[10:20] <Kethean> "Alright, let's get going then, before we give people reason to suspect anything," he comments, and motions for her to lead the way.
[10:21] <InvokerDude> She starts, and nods, leading you out a side-entrance to the temple of.. Azuth, as you recollect that your temple is indeed just a subset of his. She walks you through the busy city to what seems to be an old, crumbling tower.. the mage guild, no doubt.
[10:25] <Kethean> "Not in the best of conditions, is it?" he notes as he looks at the structure, uncertain as to its structural safeness.
[10:26] <InvokerDude> "MAgic makes it stable," replies the acolyte. It's getting late; indeed, the city is winding down quite rapidly as the sun dips lower.
[10:29] <Kethean> "I'm not surprised it'd take magic to keep it stable," he says with a shake of his head. "Where does Calenstat reside in there then?"
[10:29] <InvokerDude> "I don't know," replies the girl, troubled. "I could ask, but I would give myself away, no doubt."
[10:32] * Kethean blinks. "That would make waiting for him in his room a difficult subject then," he says with a doubtful look, wondering how he's supposed to pull this off.
[10:32] <InvokerDude> "I didn't mean to wait *for* him," replies the girl, blinking. "I meant to go to his room and find.. something. Evidence."
[10:34] <Kethean> "I doubt he'd just leave evidence lying around, though I did plan to look. I just imagine it'll come to a confrontation to get anything out of him," he admits.
[10:37] <InvokerDude> "The problem is winning," replies the cleric, shrugging.
[10:38] <Kethean> "You did say he'd have limited spells," he points out. "And I am very good at what I do, I'd like to think."
[10:39] <InvokerDude> "If you think you're strong enough," replies the cleric, staring at the tower. "The hard part will be getting in."
[10:54] <Kethean> "You could make some sort of distraction maybe? I think it should be doable without revealing your knowledge."
[10:55] <InvokerDude> "Do you have something in mind?"
[10:55] <Kethean> "What spells do you know?" he asks first.
[10:57] <InvokerDude> "I'm a cleric," she replies, matter-of-factly. "Healing.. protection.. that sort of thing."
[10:58] <InvokerDude> "But you have friends," she adds. "Do you think they'd help?"
[10:59] <Kethean> "They might, especially if they felt they had been fooled into doing the work of someone they didn't wish to work for. We'll have to wait for their return though," he replies.
[11:01] <InvokerDude> "Then it might be better to avoid that confrontation now anyhow," she nods. "Let's see... I could put an enchantment of silence on you, perhaps."
[11:02] <Kethean> ooc: I thought silence only meant I couldn't cast magic?
[11:02] <InvokerDude> OOC: it does but she doesn't realise you're a cleric.
[11:02] <InvokerDude> OOC: It's a 15-ft radius spell too
[11:02] <InvokerDude> OOC: you don't make any noise at all
[11:03] <Kethean> "I would be unable to cast spells then however," he points out. "I was planning on keeping that spell if it came to a confrontation as I'm sure I'd have a better time in melee combat than Calinstat, but I'd still prefer not to be without options."
[11:05] <InvokerDude> "If the area around you is silent, though, what's he going to do?"
[11:07] <Kethean> "He could always get lucky with a dagger. Who knows? Still, as I said, if it came to waiting for him, I'd like the options of casting some spells on myself before casting silence."
[11:08] <InvokerDude> "Well, let's hope you don't need to wait for him," replies the cleric. "Ugh.. this is so confusing. It's still hard to just get in."
[11:10] <Kethean> "Hmm...well, I imagine he'd venture from the guild for more than minutes, so having you cast the spell actually would be to my benefit, since it means I'll still have the spell available for when I need to leave," he says as he puts some thought into it. "Still, sneaking is not what I'd call my forte. One of my companions is much better at it."
[11:11] <InvokerDude> "We've been staying here too long," she mumbles, glancing around warily. "Anyone could be watching us." Furtively, she grabs your hand and leads you somewhere else in Darromar, a backalley somewhere. "Even though I've told you so early, if your companions return, maybe this can work.."
[11:16] * Kethean nods. "If I know them, they'll come back with many injuries, so if you can help me heal them if they are indeed in a sorry state, that should help warm them up to you as well. We'd also be able to go in sooner."
[11:16] <InvokerDude> "Alright. Contact me when they return," she replies.
[11:18] <Kethean> "I will," he says with a nod as he leaves the girl.