The Twilight Stratagem (storyline)/2024-05-29 - In the Bastion of the Great Hall (log)

Synopsis

Meanwhile in Sablecross...

Full Log

[The Bastion, Great Hall]

Shadebinders in cinerious garb flank the doors and guard immense staircases of dark marble that climb toward the upper reaches of the Bastion, twining and interlacing at fantastical landings overhead. A banquet table of inlaid widowwood stretches before a fiery hearth of grim stone fashioned to resemble a demon's yawning maw. Sumptuously laden with bone porcelain, crystal goblets, and golden cutlery, the table is flanked to either side by ornate seats of ebony that are heavily clad in gilt. You also see a pallid skin-bound grimoire flying around with its pale leathery wings and a massive snowy battle-scarred lynx that is sitting.

Also here: Aenternoll who is sitting, Nettle

Obvious exits: none

The grimoire flies off to find its owner.

Aenternoll smiles.

Raelee suddenly fades into view.

Nettle glances at Raelee.

A massive snowy battle-scarred lynx yawns, rising up onto his feet to get a full stretch in.

Aenternoll glances at Raelee.

Raelee raises an eyebrow.

Aenternoll says, "Magister."

A massive snowy battle-scarred lynx settles into a comfortable sitting position.

Raelee nods at Aenternoll.

Speaking sharply to Raelee, Nettle says, "You have questions. I will answer what I can."

Aenternoll performs a bow characteristic of the Evashiran.

Aenternoll glances at Nettle.

A massive snowy battle-scarred lynx scrambles back up onto his feet.

Aenternoll stands up.

Speaking to Nettle, Raelee asks, "Did Vectrus ever make mention of the Library on the Inorios Plateau?"

Aenternoll stretches.

Speaking to Nettle, Raelee asks, "... or Magister Orphia? Vesperti?"

Speaking to Raelee, Nettle says, "He mentioned a great many things. The mind begins to fracture under the weight of the Sorrower's blessing."

Aenternoll raises an eyebrow.

Aenternoll smiles.

Speaking to Nettle, Raelee asks, "I have no doubt that he did. But were any of those great many things the specific topics at hand?"

Sweat burns like flows of lava as it streaks down your face in salty rivulets.

Speaking to Raelee, Nettle says, "Yes."

Speaking to Nettle, Raelee asks, "And can you elaborate on that?"

Aenternoll says, "I will leave you to your discussion. Eternal light."

Aenternoll just went through a pair of ebony double doors with flames of fireleaf inlay.

Speaking to Raelee, Nettle says, "I will say this. Even stripped bare of his armor..."

Nettle says, "...the Mage-Knight was ever garbed in secrets."

Raelee closes her eyes for a moment.

Raelee says, "I have no doubt of that."

Nettle says, "The thinning of the walls was no unintentional act."

Raelee says, "... for he needed something in that library."

Raelee wryly says, "And I finished the job he could not."

Raelee adds, "... perhaps he ought to have told me why."

Speaking pointedly to Nettle, Raelee says, "Something he rather has in common with Thaiagol, I should say."

Nettle stares at Raelee.

Speaking to Raelee, Nettle says, "Thaiagol rarely shares secrets. They are too valuable to him."

Speaking to Nettle, Raelee says, "I am acutely aware of the value of information, though the comparison stands."

Your head pounds with every beat of your heart.

Raelee looks lost in thought.

Speaking carefully to Nettle, Raelee asks, "... did he ever make mention of me amongst the torture?"

Nettle walks toward Raelee.

Raelee tilts her head up.

Nettle takes Raelee's chin in her hand and lifts it so that she can look in Raelee's eyes.

Raelee gazes into Nettle's eyes.

Nettle says, "Your name and others."

Speaking evenly to Nettle, Raelee asks, "Who else?"

Nettle says, "He wept, thinking he had led you down his own pathetic path."

Speaking to Nettle, Raelee says, "He led me nowhere."

Speaking to Raelee, Nettle says, "And he will lead them nowhere."

Nettle says, "Nothing happens with my prisoners that I do not wish."

Bakarus just arrived.

Nettle sharply says, "Not even escapes."

Speaking to Nettle, Raelee says, "Understood."

Bakarus glances between Raelee and Nettle.

Bakarus asks, "Am I interrupting?"

Speaking to Bakarus, Raelee says, "No. We were merely discussing Sir Vectrus."

Bakarus nods understandingly.

Speaking to Bakarus, Raelee adds, "I had some curiousity regarding what became of him."

Speaking to Raelee, Bakarus says, "Understandably so, I know we have spoken a bit about your shared history."

Raelee nods at Bakarus.

Bakarus asks, "At the risk of rehashing too long a conversation, he is...well?"

Speaking to Bakarus, Raelee says, "That seems unlikely."

Raelee glances at Nettle.

Speaking to Raelee, Nettle says, "When one practices the art, their mind goes to many places. He spoke of the men with whom he once served. Old teachers at the Hall."

Bakarus kneels down.

Speaking to Nettle, Raelee says, "... to avoid being in the present for the pain."

Speaking quietly to Raelee, Nettle says, "Have a care with Thaiagol. He is not what he appears to be."

Bakarus ponders.

Your head pounds with every beat of your heart.

Nettle says, "...yet even so, he seems to have his eye upon you."

Raelee becomes solid again.

The shimmering multicolored sphere fades from around Raelee.

Speaking to Nettle, Raelee says, "I am always careful."

Speaking to Nettle, Raelee adds, "Thank you for the information."

Nettle says, "He was sincere, you know."

Bakarus nods understandingly.

Bakarus stands up.

Speaking to Nettle, Raelee asks, "Regarding the business tonight?"

Bakarus says, "He did seem it, earlier."

Nettle says, "Thaiagol cares nothing for Northwatch. He has lived for eons, and it is just one more haven of non-believers, in the end."

Raelee states, "Reasonable."

Bakarus says, "I enjoyed his tone and manner of speaking."

Nettle says, "But the spell there is one greater than you have had any hand in working."

Speaking to Nettle, Raelee says, "All the more reason to approach the challenge."

Speaking to Raelee, Nettle says, "Just so."

Raelee says, "Even if we should fail to unravel it, I have no doubt there will be something... interesting... in the process."

Nettle says, "As for Rammael..."

Nettle's eyes fall to the table and the inlay there.

Raelee glances at a widowwood banquet table.

Nettle says, "Five there must be, but they need not always be the same five."

Bakarus reaches out and touches a widowwood banquet table.

Bakarus glances at Nettle.

Nettle glances between Raelee and Bakarus.

Raelee says, "If he becomes a liability, he is replaceable."

Nettle says, "Should the time come, the gratitude of one of the Five can be most valuable."

With a single savage slice of her hand, Nettle tears open a portal framed by tangles of drifting, phantasmal brambles. she steps through and the aperture slams shut behind her.

Bakarus nods understandingly.

Raelee remarks, "... interesting."

Bakarus says, "Very."

Bakarus says, "A moving Five, something I had not considered."

Bakarus says, "Among all of the other pieces."

Speaking to Raelee, Bakarus says, "If you learn of anything, do let me know...and I would certainly do the same...there is much there to explore."

Speaking to Bakarus, Raelee says, "I will."

Speaking to Raelee, Bakarus asks, "This spell that was spoken of?"

Your head pounds. Lights around you are blinding in their intensity and even the faintest whisper crashes in on you like a symphony conducted by a mad fool.

Bakarus says, "I missed the meaning there."

Speaking to Bakarus, Raelee says, "I believe it refers to the one keeping the greater Northwatch region frozen."

Bakarus says, "Ahh , that."

Bakarus nods.

Bakarus says, "I see."

Speaking to Bakarus, Raelee says, "... for now, I am required back in Vornavis."

Bakarus says, "I do wonder if there are records of anything here, in the tomes..."

Bakarus nods.

Bakarus says, "Yes, the hour grows late."

Speaking to Bakarus, Raelee says, "... and there very well might be."

Speaking to Raelee, Bakarus says, "Stay safe, Magister."

Raelee says, "Good evening."

Raelee nods at Bakarus.

Raelee's hands fade to complete transparency as she intones a spell...

Raelee gestures.

Raelee suddenly disappears.

Bakarus just went through a pair of ebony double doors with flames of fireleaf inlay.