Dark Rumblings

[Anastasia]

"Nothing concrete, only rumblings of starting more churches," Antenora says.

[Ebiris]

"Really?" Marie asks in a surprised tone. "Well what had those twelve been doing? They seemed skilled enough that they have to be getting practice somewhere. No assassinations or blackmail plots? No secret converts in high office covering for them? Actually where did they all come from, they can't all have been local to that one oasis, right?"

Alicia just nods approvingly at Marie's inquisitive spirit. That's exactly what they need here!

[Anastasia]

"Preparing, setting up little webs and influences in Coolwind," Antenora says, "Plots but mostly setting up - they were playing the long game to get control. There's a few officials compromised already, but not to that level. Yet. They all seem to have come from Coolwind, Dragodan recruited them himself."

[Ebiris]

"Really?" Marie hums. "Were they already notable in any fashion or did Dragodan completely train them all from the ground up? And did they know each other previously?" It didn't look that big a town, but it'd be interesting if they were like an adventuring group or something that got corrupted.

[Anastasia]

Antenora takes a seat as she continues, "It appears they all had some talent, usually in magic or supernatural abilities. He trained them and they showed remarkable progress with that training. They generally didn't know each other."

[Ebiris]

"So either he sniffed out some remarkable natural talents," Alicia glances Emmaline's way, considering her own story. "Or he has a gift for teaching."

[Anastasia]

A slight nod at that from Emmaline.

"My own thoughts. If he is that good, he has to be stopped," Antenora says, "Highest priority. Someone who is that good can turn an entire world to chaos and evil merely by teaching and enabling others."

[Ebiris]

"I think I'm going to need some backup then," Marie says. "Is Ebony free? Or is Syala ever going to designate a proxy of her own?" she glances at the other third of the Sylica triumvirate.

At that, Alicia happens to look in on how her first permanent proxy happens to be doing with Aurora...

[Anastasia]

> roll 1d100
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d100 --> [ 1d100=98 ]{98}

Ebony is in the baths at Aurora, talking to Canderella.

"...only right," Ebony says, resting back with her eyes closed.

"I suppose, but she was always a bit of a cold fish," Canderella retorts, soaking in the steam. "But honest opinion? Most mortals aren't cut out for the power we have. It's too much too fast and can sour them."

[Ebiris]

Given how she threw Ebony off of things last time she contacted her, Alicia just keeps half an eye on her proxy with a view to contacting her when she's somewhere more private rather than interrupt her conversation with Canderella.

"I can see if Aurora can spare Ebony, though this may be quite a lengthy assignment Marie. You'll need to cultivate your own contacts and information network on the prime, not just ask around in taverns for the latest rumours," she says to the eladrin.

"All the more reason to get Ebony on board, she's good at that kind of stuff," Marie tosses a curtain of shimmering purple hair over her shoulder.

[Anastasia]

Ebony starts to speak but Elena pops in. She's covered in bats, shooing the ghostly bats away, "Get out here, now! VAMPIRE BATS EVERYWHERE!"

Ebony leaps up and out, running full bore, while Canderella pauses a moment to laugh before following.

Meanwhile Antenora adds, "It may be indeed. Fortunately, we do have old friends on the Prime who can help."

[Ebiris]

Alicia is silent but for a vaguely perturbed look on her face.

"... what?" Marie asks, looking at Alicia as the silence begins to grow pregnant.

Blinking momentarily, Alicia only says, "Ebony is... occupied, after all it seems."

[Anastasia]

"...occupied?" Syala asks, frowning.

"Occupied?" Jessica chimes in, tilting her head to the side.

"What does occupied mean?" Antenora asks, "There's many ways to be occupied."

[Ebiris]

"It means Aurora still has need of her services, they're not in any sort of lull that I can see," she clarifies.

"Well that's unfortunate," Marie says. "So I guess I'm flying solo for this one? At least it's nice to have responsibilities. Say," she turns back to Antenora, "Did Dragodan have a schedule for checking up on them? Or did they have a way to contact him? Other than, y'know, Sending spells."

[Anastasia]

"Sendings and showing up at his own time," Antenora says, "Typical Sharran tactics."