The Next Step Forward

[Iron Dragoon]

"I'd be a fool not to. As you said, I'm new on this stage and you're not. You have far more experience in dealing with the tricks, traps, and abilities of God's than I do. When Emily arrived, I told her I was hoping that a relationship with her would lead to diplomacy and a relationship with her mother. Though that's not the only reason I accepted her. She's very much like many of our youngest Masters. Eager to find their own niches and adventure. At heart I'm an explorer and teacher. I have experience doing all the things she desires and she has experience and knowledge about things in this new stage we find ourselves on."

[Anastasia]

"We'll come back to this," Elle finally says, "This is it? Show me this cursed man."

[Iron Dragoon]

"Yes, High Diviner Delaize. Please, through here. We've done our best to keep him comfortable."

Alyssa takes them inside the room.

[Anastasia]

Delaize lies in a bed here, several clerics overseeing him. Elle claps her hands together, "Alright, thank you, but we'll be handling this from here," she announces. "Emily, check him over and tell me what you find."

"Yes, Aunt Elle," Emily hurries to the cursed man and begins to chant, working away.

[Iron Dragoon]

Alyssa makes sure to pay attention to what's happening, to the point of casting Detect Magic on herself to ensure she sees everything. A chance to learn about Shar's curses, after all.

[Anastasia]

Spellcraft.

[Iron Dragoon]

> roll 1d20+42 Spellcraft
<Serith> Iddy roll for Serith < 48 > [d20=6]

[Anastasia]

> roll 1d20+53 Emily (+15 divine insight)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 72 > [d20=19]
> roll 1d20+66 Elle
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 81 > [d20=15]

The curse writhes. Like a living thing, like a nightmare left in the dark to twist into a horror. The magic is foul to look at, your eyes burning as if bone dry. Yet you look on, studying it. The curse to blight, a curse to render comatose, a curse to destroy from the inside out. To leave behind an empty husk, worthless and meaningless. You recognize a few bits - it reminds you of a vile spell only mentioned in studies, Soul's Treasure Lost. It takes the most valuable item or thing a person has and utterly destroys it, purely to hurt the target. A little of it feels familiar - there's a vindictiveness to the magic.

For a time Emily studies it intently, "Aunt, Shar's curses are always so terrible to look at," she murmurs.

"I know," Elle concurs, "Be strong like the adult you're trying to act like."

[Iron Dragoon]

"She's right. As ugly of a use of magic as this is, there's much to be learned from it, and from things like it. Recognizing it makes you cautious of it. Learning how it works lets you prepare defenses and cures. And often times, a cure for something like this can be applied to other things. Sometimes things that haven't had a cure yet."

[Anastasia]

"As long as you maintain that cautiousness and know when to look away. Shar's used curses that curse anyone who studies them," Elle mentions, offhandedly.

Emily freezes at that, slowly turning, "Please don't remind me."

[Iron Dragoon]

"Plesant. I see why you focus on resisting her so much."

[Anastasia]

"She's a menace," Elle concurs as she focuses. "Focus, Emily. What can you take away from this. What about you, Alyssa?"

[Iron Dragoon]

Alyssa raises an eyebrow at being spoken to as an apprentice.

"If Emily can unravel it, I'll be able to figure out the structure of the spell and how it attaches itself to the victim and how it twists the energy, and the schools involved. It seems to attach to what the victim values most, so it's got a component that attacks the spirit and mind."

[Anastasia]

"Yes," Elle agrees, "Are you familiar with corrupt magic? Spite is often a big component of such vile workings, spite, hatred and malice. This is why you can't take someone like Shar like a normal threat."

"I think I can break it," Emily says, "By calling on Mom's power directly to intervene."

"Good, Emily. Whenever you're ready." Elle steps back.

[Iron Dragoon]

"Too bad you haven't had the special training of the Order. We could cast the spells in conjunction. Though I wouldn't be calling on Seira for that."

Regardless, she takes a step back. A small one. Still need to be able to see the magic, after all.