A Shot of Crisis

[Rezantis]

"I have something of an objection, as stated before.  I don't mean to undermine the competency of the lorekeepers," Nathan nods to them, "but if this is an extremely complicated rite the Windmaster seems poorly briefed, and it seems to me that if you held off somewhat you could practice or some such and make it both more likely to succeed and less likely to kill those involved.  Unless I misunderstood something, anyway."

[Brian]

Radagast looks thoughtful at that, and glances to Devin.

Devin frowns, and drums his fingers on the table.  "It is a possibility," he says slowly.  "Though ... it would give and spies that caught wind of the activity time to act, if any are left.  We have the advantage of surprise, right now.  We might not, in the future."

[Bjorn]

"The obvious question," Bjorn points out quietly, "is how much benefit a day of practice would provide."  He looks at Radagast and Devin questioningly.

[Brian]

Radagast grimaces.  "Very little, in all truth," he says.

[Bjorn]

"Then a delay gains us nothing," Bjorn says, looking around the table, looking to see if there are any more objections.

[Rezantis]

Nathan shrugs, not looking happy, but not saying anything else either.

[Dracos]

Dracos wasn't enthusastic at all, but wasn't opposing it further either.

Dracos

[Brian]

"Right," Kevin says, surveying the table, his eyes finally coming to rest on Parthipan.  "Unless there are further objections?"

[Ginrai]

Ginrai checks to see if his other-self knew anything about combining powers with other lorekeepers.

"Which two lorekeepers will I be working with?"

[Brian]

Parthipan's otherself does indeed remember how to combine powers with other lorekeepers, though it takes a lot of concentration to do so correctly.

"That will be for you to decide," Radagast says, in response to Parthipan's question.

[Ginrai]

"Okay.  In which case is there anything else that I'll need to know here?  Otherwise I'll need to go to see who I want the other two to be."

[Brian]

"Nothing I can think of," Radagast says, sighing.

"Then I suppose our meeting is adjourned," Kevin says, slapping one palm against the rough wooden table.  "Warriors, I think it best we assemble in the courtyard, should our attempt for the day fail.  Lorekeepers, I trust you to know your arts better than I, and to you I bid good luck," he finishes, rising from his seat.

[Dracos]

Dracos coughed.  "Radagast, I believe there was that other issue we talked about earlier when I asked about your research.  I think, Lord Kevin and the rest of the room should know about that."

Dracos actively shared the information he'd gained mentally.

~Additionally, Radagast, the crystal is a prison for the younger gods.  It may ease things over if you reveal that you discovered this while tracking down the source of Elric's power.~

Dracos

[Ginrai]

Unless told otherwise, Ginrai gets up and heads out to find Serril.

Along the way he tries to recall the specific details on combining powers with other lorekeepers.

[Brian]

Ginrai now moves to Fire and Rain.

Once Parthipan leaves the room, Radagast heaves a sigh, and rubs at his temples, shooting a glance at Phil.

Turning his attention back to Kevin, Radagast says, "My Lord ... there is one other thing ... I ... thought it best not to mention this before Parthipan, as he'll need to concentrate.  But ... it has been revealed to me that the Archonae betrayal runs deeper than we imagined."

Kevin raises an eyebrow, and Lammermore grimaces, cracking his knuckles and glowering at nothing in particular.  "Yes?" Lord Kevin says, after an extended moment of uncomfortable silence.

"Ah ... Lord Kevin ... the Archonae turned upon the younger gods, and sealed them into crystals," Radagast says, rubbing his chin thoughtfully."

Eske hangs his head.  "Ah," he sighs.  "I know it, now.  I had hoped this was a mad game," he continues, ignoring the fact that he's interrupted Radagast and the others, "but Solariat did speak of the Archonae ability to create wards to contain nearly anything.  He said they could only not contain the elder gods ... and now I know why."

"Yes," Radagast says.  "Well.  At any rate, this explains why the younger gods vanished after the war -- they might be able to do much, MUCH more than simply swing the tide of the war in our favor.  They could finish driving the elder gods off and end the war for good -- if we could free them."

"And how would we do this?" Lord Rogers asks, leaning an elbow on the table and raising an eyebrow.  "It seems to me a worthy cause, but how would we go about it?"

"Yes," Eric murmurs, stealing a thoughtful glance at Nathan.

Ekim rubs his chin, producing another series of metalic twangs as his beard gets pushed around.

"We would need to recover the crystals, first," Radagast says.  "If we had them, then we could discover the means to free our potential allies."

"Therein lies the problem," Kevin sighs.

"I'm certain that the clergy of Liene would be willing to relinquish their crystal, should we tell them what we know," Mirallia says, unexpectedly breaking the silence.  "I ... my ... family is from that city.  I'm certain that given a day, I could arrange a meeting with the high priestess, and explain our situation."

Lammermore and Kevin eye Mirallia with appraising eyes.  "Wouldn't it be more simple to just take it?" Lord Rogers asks, rubbing his own chin in evident emulation of Ekim.

"No ... I imagine we'll use that approach with the Archonae ... if it comes to that," Kevin says, shaking his head.  "We need to find a way to get the crystal from them ... but also to avoid drawing them into a fight against us.  I'm not certain how to accomplish this, though."

"It'd be a skilled thief what could sneak something from 'neath an Archonea nose with them none the wiser," Lord George says somewhat sourly.  "From what I've heard, it will be a fight.  The question is a full scale assault, which we've scarecely the time, let alone manpower for, or a quick strike-force, lead into the heart of their fortress."  He shakes his head.  "Do they have a fortress?" he asks curiously.

"Yes," Sir Harold Volter answers, twirling a scrap of papers between his fingers thoughtfully.  "With walls seventy man-heights high, and all aflame, according to the stories."  He shoots a questioning glance at Radagast.

"Not true flame," Radagast says, shaking his head.  "But close enough for us."

"Well, then we've got to figure that out, first," Kevin notes, grimacing.