Moments in the Sun

[Brian]

"Ah," Devin says, nodding, his eyes clouding briefly.  "I maintain the walls.  The ... the crystal within the keep resonates with old spells placed deep within the Stormwall itself.  It has been centuries since those spells have been renewed, so I strengthen them, that the walls will not fail, and that despair will not spill over them into the keep.  I can move earth, and that is simple enough when my attention is not required elsewhere.  But it is difficult for me to do so quickly, while a battle rages."

"My own services were asked for because there was a fear that the beacons wouldn't provide enough illumination.  My faculty with illusion to aid Loremaster Radagast was entirely secondary to that purpose," Astryd says.  "Weaving light is difficult to explain to those who do not practice the lores.  But if you wish to know if we can do a thing, you have merely to ask it."

[Bjorn]

Furrowing his brow, Bjorn asks, "How strong an illumination can you provide, if I may ask?"

[Brian]

"Bright enough to rival the sun, for a while," Astryd says slowly.  "But not forever.  Brighter, but not for long -- though I do not think you would understand was light so bright does."  She says this in a manner that's obviously not meant to be condescending, but at the same time....

[Bjorn]

"I most certainly will not understand," Bjorn says gravely, without a hint of reproach in his voice, "if you will not explain.  It will blind those who are looking at it, certainly, and ruin the night vision of all with their eyes opened.  It would likely give a painful sunburn to any too close to it -- and do all the more damage to those orcs and ogres who fear the light, I presume?  Would heat be a problem?"

[Brian]

"It could be hot, but on a scale to cover the battle-field ... that is beyond my scope.  I could blind the enemy, perhaps, at least briefly," Astryd says slowly.

[Bjorn]

"A moment of blindness is a great thing.  If a light as strong as the sun flared behind our troops just as we were about to make contact with the Dreadmarch's lines... blindness, the pain of blindness, and the ensuing chaos are great things."  He grins, shark-like.  "For us, of course.

"As for illusion... can you, during battle, create the illusion of the moat suddenly being widened by magic?"

[Brian]

She nods quickly at the first, and slowly at the second.  "It would be difficult to make the moat seem wider, but it wouldn't be created, merely changed ... at least, in appearance.  That would take some time to set up, but I could do it.  I couldn't do both, however, not at the same time."

[Bjorn]

Bjorn grunts slightly.  "They don't need to be done at the same time.  The moat-widening illusion is to cause them to break their ranks and slow down earlier, making them easier targets for the archers -- and then to slow them down more, as they try to find the true width of the moat.  Once they've crossed the moat, however, the illusion serves little purpose.

"On the subject of Earth, Master Devin," Bjorn says, turning to face him, "can you create pit-traps?  Hollow pockets with only a thin layer above them?"

[Brian]

Devin considers this for a long moment.  "I could," he says.  "But not a great number of them ... and the moved earth would need to be put somewhere, as well."

[Bjorn]

Staring off into the distance for a second, Bjorn exhales slowly.  "Maybe... there's a best approach to the gate.  If you could create a row of pit-traps in front of that approach, and then use the moved earth to create walls between the traps, to funnel the Dreadmarchers into the traps..." He shrugs.  "Hardly subtle, but for our purposes, it doesn't matter.  Either they go through the pit-traps, or they stop to break down the walls.  Either way, we'd gain."

[Brian]

Devin nods.  "Then, I'll see what I can do."  Eying Parthipan, he adds, "We must speak again, later."

Astryd looks at Devin as he turns, and wanders off -- presumably towards the walls to work on what Bjorn mentioned.  Frowning, she nods at Parthipan.  "Agreed," she says.  "Be well."  With that, she turns around and follows the other Lorekeeper away.

[Ginrai]

Before the two lorekeepers could get too far away, Ginrai catches up to them.

Once the others are out of hearing range, he asks, "If possible, can we continue the conversation we had before Bjorn and Mirallia appeared?"

[Brian]

"That was what I intended," Devin says, shooting a glance down the hall towards Bjorn and Mirallia.

[Ginrai]

"Personally, I trust Bjorn though I'm currently unsure of Mirallia, especially with her being accused of committing some sort of sin."  Ginrai makes a mental note to go back to his room after this and check any of his books on the Archonae to see what they consider to be a sin.

"I also agree with taking part in the oath of blood."

[Brian]

"Well, we'll discuss that when we're not being watched," Devin says, motioning you back to Bjorn.  "Just look for us on the walls when you're ready.  At the same tower we used for the battle."