Home Security

Log Info

• Title: Home Security
• Emitter: Cryosanthia
• Characters: Cryosanthia, Mikilos, Braelnoir
• Place: A07: Lower Alexandria Market District
• Time: Wednesday, February 10, 2021, 7:13 PM
• Summary: Cryosanthia and Braelnoir encounter Mikilos, while disguised, and ask to speak to him someplace private. He casts Mage's Magic Mansion in an alleyway. They all enter, and Lily goes wild with the banquet. The scale-sisters explain they have an Animus Shard and the lengths they've gone to, to protect it. Essentially, they're playing a shell game, keeping it in a haversack, passing that around and switching disguises, as well as handing out similar looking packs to everyone at large. Mikilos is protecting his shard, which was found in a Dragon's horde in Dragonier, in a more straightforward manner. He shoved it into the Ethereal Plane. They discuss options, escape options, whether rumours would be a good idea to spread. They decided against that, there are too many undiscovered shards; a fake rumour might turn out to be true. Finally, the vulnerability of the known location, Eluna's Temple is raised, but not resolved. They spend the night.

-=--=--=--=--=--=<* A07: Lower Alexandria Market District *>-=--=--=--=--=--=-

Just west of the Northern Highbridge and east of the arena, commerce blooms. Noisy and bustling, most anything may be purchased here for a price. Vendors from all cultures sell their wares from exotically colored carts, and the smells of different nations and far-off city-states mix with local ones from Alexandria and its riverbanks.

For all its commerce, visitors are advised to keep hold of their purses. Even the merchants possess a certain, cunning look. Most are positioned at carts or stalls as opposed to a formal storefront, with trade here being mobile, and visiting from all parts of the world.

Though the quality of goods suffers here compared to Upper Alexandria, the options are more diverse. Too, the oversight of the Watch is slightly less, and during times events are held at the Arena, chaos abounds. After dark, the square becomes a hangout for bards and other entrepreneurs whose business is best conducted by night; the shadows at the edges of the square often contain furtive figures engaging in their own brand of business.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  Appearing, in Order  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Cryosanthia  6'9"     291 Lb     Sith-Makar        Female    A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman.
Mikilos      6'8"     180 Lb     Dawn Elf          Male     Tall male dawn elf, rosey blonde and handsome.
Braelnoir    5'11"    146 Lb     Human             Female    A tall, pale Acanian woman, branded in silver.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

It's windy, with dark clouds obscuring the stars overhead. The stars down-below are few and far between. The day trade of the market has cleared out, leaving the night merchants. The kind where one is never quite sure if they're about to make a sale at knifepoint. Best to have correct change.

Slipping into the square, looking around, is a green-scaled sith'makar woman, carrying a matching youngling on her shoulders. She has a casual furtiveness, pretending that she is not looking around and watching every corner when she absolutely is.

Mikilos is, for his part shopping. For locks, apparently. Now, would might think it unwise to buy a lock from a thief, but who better knows what actually works? Besides, a smart thief knows better than to steal from a wizard. So why does the elf need a lock? Dumb thieves, obviously.

Braelnoir thinks merchants get more honest once the knives are out, but, that's her. She is clad in fashionable Stormgardian chic, over most of her combat equipment. This includes a fuzzy hat that comes down over her brows and hair. For her part, she has been drifting about checking out wares here and there, or picking up some kind of delectable morsel. She returns from another foray with smoked meats in a cloth bundle, but ventures toward the two draconids from the north. She's also picked up some alchemist fire, but that's for something else, entirely.

The greenscales angle over towards the Mage, with a signal to the Storm-clad with the meats. As they draw closer, the smaller one gives the disguise away, her voice recognizeable even if she is not. "Peasss Mikssos."

The larger one keeps up the pretense, badly, "Good eve, Sir Mage. This one sees you are interested in Home Security. We had some hypothetical questions." Her and the youngling it would seem, or perhaps she meant the other individual approaching, the Stormgardian.

Just what one wants, sketchy looking women asking after one's locks in the dark.

Mikilos quirks a brow at the two sith, smiling, having a pretty solid idea what's going on. As the smaller speaks, the elf gives a small bow in return. "Peace unto your nests. What sort of 'hypothetical questions' do you have? I'd be happy to offer what assistance I may."

Drifting closer on the silent cue, eyes scanning by habit, the Stormgardian ventures closer with a slow and subdued, "Hello, everyone." She glances with a little smile to the mage, then, "It sounds like a long conversation. Perhaps we should go somewhere more comfortable?" "Yes, somewhere secluded with no witnesses." The larger greenscale suggests, waving a hand. "It could get involved, regarding a possible ways a precious object might be stolen, ways it might safeguarded, potential methods of getting at it. A hypothetical heist."

The honest night market, where everything is hypothetically speaking.

Mikilos laughs. "I've a few places in mind, but only one an easy walk. An easy walk where ever may be, once it's cast."

Braelnoir, thankfully, has had occasion to deal with people who needed her to be less... casual/brutal with her Tradespeak, and she can probably manage a few more sentences this way. The woman glances about as they talk, hypotetically, of course, to make sure no one, convieably, needs to be hollowed out like a feast bird, "Shall we, then?"

"Let's go with the easy walk." The larger greenscale says. Meanwhile, the smaller one which is riding on her shoulders, stares at the Stormguardian. She hasn't grasped the 'be subtle' aspect of the charade. With a quick glance around, the larger one says, "after you, after we go this way a little."

She leads away from the lock-merchant, towards a dark alley. Primarily to get away from any immediate observation.

Mikilos grins, pulling a small stone from his pouch and tossing it up near his head. Grabbed by unseen hands, the simple stone starts to circle the wizards head, glowing with a magical light. Reaching the alley, there's a quiet scurry of those who prefer to avoid the light. Pulling a piece of chalk from his pocket, the wizard murmurs a few arcane phrases as he draws a crude door onto the wall of the alley, and motions towards it. "After you, ladies."

Braelnoir, overtrained, or under civilized, never enters an alley without a hand on a hilt. So it is, now, as virgin longblade Eksellios is gripped ready to draw. She gives the little greenscales a little wink, a playful quirk to her lips, and she follows the man's instructions to step through the doorway, armored palm, first, "Most kind, sir."

"Indeed," The greenscale steps in after the Stormguardian. As soon as she's entered, there's a visible relaxation. She reaches up to her eyes and removes an invisible mask, which becomes visible, as her scales switch from green to white and her body becomes slightly leaner and taller. "Oh thank the Silver Empress, and you Mikilos."

The whitescale hugs the dawn elf when he enters. Cryo's embraces send a mixed message, clearly she is being genuinely affectionate. She's also on the cool side, especially when she's been wandering around in winter weather. The 'warmth' is all metaphysical. It makes for an experience that is both friendly and hopefully over soon.

The greenscale youngling also removes her mask, becoming smaller and pink. She looks around, cooing appreciatively, "Ooooooo."

Mikilos enters the magic door, into a massive dining hall, suited to feed hundreds. The air is warm and bright, and amassive table is piled high with a range of food and drink. At Cryo's hug, he laughs again, returning the hug briefly. The concept is welcome if the actual practice leans towards uncomfortably chilly. "Now, i take it you had more than just passing intrest in your talk of security?"

Braelnoir drops her own disguise as she appears in the feast hall, her hair spilling in a waterfall of spun silver and she looks to her bundle, slung over her elbow and she sets it on one of the nearby tables with a shrug and a short laugh. "Well, guess we won't need this, now." She steps up to Mikilos and Cryo, "How ya doin', luvs?" she wonders with a smile before looking up to Lily and spreading her arms for a hug with a fond, draconic trill. C'mere! Miki's question gets a smirk, "Could say that."

Cryo is more than familiar with the inside of the mansion, even if she tailored it many different ways when she was given the option. She sets Little Fang down, taking her mask from her and slipping it into her haversack. She hisses, "Little Fang, you can explore. Don't go far." <draconic>

And her carnation scaled kobold is off! First stop, Braelnoir, for a hug. Next, the food table! Soon as she's released. Squirm!

Cryo nods to the questions and slips off her pack. Her haversack is actually inside it, the flaps line up, and that's removed. "Shoulders are stiff, I'm always watching. Feeling like I'm always being watched."

Finding a near table and pulling a seat close, she sits. First thing out of her haversack is a rough looking wooden box. The second thing is strange. It resembles a large egg, woven out of lead or perhaps cold iron. Some grey metal. It has a circular stand beneath, and hinges. Through the weave, another reed basket is visible inside.

"I didn't want to speak about this at the Explorer's Guild, not with so many around."

Mikilos nods in understanding, grabbing himself an apple to nibble as they chat. "A Shard, I take it. I'd heard you were guarding one, but wqasn't sure if you currently had it with you. What it's tale?"

Braelnoir gives the little one a squeeze and laughs heartily as the yearn for foods gets the kobold to doing her landed fish impression. The Korite unleashes her upon the feast and turns to regard the cruz of recent subterfuges as it's shown to the light for the first time in a while, "Yeah... this one's... hot." Since she put coin down, she opens her bundle of smoked meats and pulls out a skewer of rabbit, though she does help herself to the provided libations. She looks to Cryo, knowing her sister to fond of stories, leaves her to that part.

Cryo straightens up, just slightly, her nostrils flaring with an intake of breath, "From Griva, I hope. We told no one, except her. Braelnoir, Edinaz, MAC-B1G, Baz, we've been taking turns carrying the haversack."

She wriggles in her seat, rests her hand on top of the wooden box. "A girl we were looking for, Zaya, she was in the Sanctum Phalanx, the plane hopping house. She had it, and handling it seemed a bad idea. Something spoke through her. Her voice, but it sounded different, and it told us to save the girl. So we did."

Tap, tap, the whitescale indicates the box, "We put it in this, packed it up with rags and paper that was in the attic, kept it in the haversack, hoping that was enough of 'another plane' that it's hard to find."

"We've been moving around. Also handed out a bunch of packs that look just like ours. Each one with a little scrap of the junk we packed it with, in case the magic was rubbing off on its surroundings." She rests her hand on the egg-thing next.

Mikilos nods. "Dragon horde in the ruins of Dragonier, were rumors of a Shard hidden in the tresure. Not all that hidden, once we found the treasure, but touching the Shard took over Hala's mind, made her think she -was- Animus. Managed to break the hold, wrap the Shard in a blanket. I've got it stashed on the Ethreal Plane, but looking for a solid lock as well. The Etheral is most empty, but certainly not entirely, so a little extra security wouldn't hurt."

Braelnoir listens to the retelling, leaving the extra parts out. Just as well, she looks thoughtful a moment, too long a moment, as she goes back there again. She busies herself with a hunk of rabbit from the skewer. The word on Halani gets an eyebrow raised, "Sh'alright?" The planar talk she absorbs without imput, but it could be useful to know later.

"Halani? Is she okay now? She thought she was Animus? As he was dying? Or... more aware of... after? Did He...shhhHe? Say anything?" Cryo asks, her attention fixed on Mikilos, sitting forward on her seat. "Zaya didn't say much at all. She was overwhelmed, then unconscious, then terrified when she saw us. Baz got her back to her village. I don't know what happened after. I think she's fine. Halani's fine, right?"

Worry about one, then another. The whitescale looks to see what her carnation scale is up to. Gorging on the cakes. Okay. Safe and Sound. Plan on a sugar-rush later. She glances at Braelnoir, then back to Mikilos, "Ethereal... that's a neat idea."

Cryo taps the woven, egg-like thing, then opens it. This is a procedure. There's a latch which catches when the lid is halfway up, she has to reach in and disengage that. The basket inside hinges the opposite way, it's also latched so neither will spring open easily. Once both are clam-shelled open it's apparent the inner woven basket has a silk lining and sitting nestled in the centre, is the Animus shard.

"So, this is an egg carrying basket. For when one has to move Sith'makar eggs, which should never, ever be done." She explains, making a shaking-toss gesture from one hand to the other, "I transferred it inside the haversack. I thought... if it's Animus, he shouldn't be surrounded by junk. The outer basket is supposed to be able to deflect lightning bolts. I don't know if it helps against scrying."

Mikilos waves vaugely. "Halani appeared in a wizardly robe with a large mage staff, giving commands and generally acting superior, but not offering any real insights...She had no memory of what had passed when she recovered, was annoyed but not injured." The egg carrying basket gets a look, and a shrug. "I doubt it hurts, but wouldn't alone stop most sorts of scrying. I'm not confidant on the haversack, and if truely powerful forces are after these, even hidng on a different plane might not be enough. Pondering if i were to try and stop -me-, how might it be done? Plenty to slow me down, but stop? Bit harder. I think current actions are pretty good while still being practical."

The Korite swallows her bit of rabbit, swirling the mug in her hand before she takes the initiative when the conversation changes topics."

"Been runnin' a shell game, since meetin' Griva." Brae chimes in, settling in on a chair, "Keepin' it movin', we even threw out some spare backpacks ta muddy th'water some more." A smirk and wink, "Happy Traveller's Day!' she cheers, then takes a swig, licks her lips, then, "Thought about gettin' the magic house goin, doin' the same thing on a broader scale. Makin'em think we got the prize in the house while it's really layin' someplace else."

A sigh, slow and considered, another swig, "There's chains o'vulernability o'course. Angles o'pressure can get put on us. Magic'r mundane. Pluse we ain't got no wayo'knowin who's up fer protectin it, an who's fer takin' it."

"Can't Nightmare horses follow people along in the Ethereal? One of those could walk up to where you stashed it, if it followed you." Cryosanthia speculates. She leans back, her tail pressing against the ground, supporting her a little in the lean. She nods as Braelnoir explains their efforts.

"Security through obscurity. Hopefully 'they' don't know we have one, or where to find us. The scraps in the packs might register more than it in the haversack. It seems known that the Temple of Eluna is where one is being kept. I figure that will get hit first."

"As to how, well. Someone could teleport, shadow walk, wild shape into a tiny bug, charm someone to let them in. Be invisible. Hit it with overwhelming force..."

Cryo shrugs, "I still can't get away from anyone fast enough. I can fight, but not against a bunch of demons or something." She looks over at Little Fang, nods. Angles of pressure are a concern. A big concern, "And the trust too. I trust you. Serene. Not many others..."

Mikilos nods in agreement. "I think the first targets will be the ones unclaimed, unprotected except by ignorance and circumstance. the same ones we've been seaking already. But once the rumors dry up, yes, those well know are likely targets. Obscurity is a good shield. Hard to find what you don't know to look for."

"All fer a good fight." Brae comments with a shrug, "But completin' the objective doin' it'd be better." She follows Cryo's look to the child. Angles, indeed. She frowns and looks back to Mikilos, "So... There a way we can spice up our decoys? Mebbe make'm 'smell' better'n what we got?"

Cryosanthia watches Little Fang for a moment longer before nodding at Braelnoir and looking at Mikilos, "I was thinking of sending the box itself on a long sea voyage, in case someone was looking for something from the house. Or perhaps pieces of it. It hasn't seemed magic to my eyes, but yours would be stronger."

"OH!" She immediately closes up the baskets, "This is blinding, obviously."

Mikilos considers. "the Shards seem to protect themselves, blocking most scrying all on their own. So having nothing to scry might come off as not being able to scry something that is there. Still a great deal i don't understand about the shards and how they work... assuming any two do in fact work the same. Utterly possible each is unique."

Braelnoir hmmm's softly, "So... when Halani got turned..." How else do you put it, really? "She make any noises about rejoinin' what was sundered'r anythin' like that?" She draws her feet back out of the way of a scampering Lily on her way to yet more delectable delights without missing a beat, "But we're makin' headway, anyway. Know more'n we did before." Hmm.

"The resurrectionists tried scrying one and had a backlash, so maybe that was the Shard protecting itself. Possibly each unique. Hmm... Can it... tell intentions? Ours wanted us to save Zaya." Cryo stares at her egg basket, "I got the silk pillows in his colours... because... "

The whitescale shakes her head, "There's stuff to see in my haversack. Lily's toys mostly, and an empty egg carrier makes a little more sense than an empty box. If someone goes looking."

She blinks slowly, "Do you think Zaya might be more important than accidentally finding it? That she was cho.. Oh My Scales! That she's a Chosen One, by the Shard? That's why he told us to save her, she was somehow meant to find the shard? It wanted her to find it?"

Mikilos shakes his head. "May have thought she was Animus, but was still mostly Halani. Pretty much just wanted to punch things." He listens to Cryo, and shrugs. "Maybe? It;s unclear if the Shards have will, or just some, or none. If they have some sort of plan, or just -are-. far too much we just don't know."

Braelnoir hrm's and nods, taking another bite. There's a comfort in knowing the Shards can't take who someone is from them. She looks to Cryo then, to Mikilos and back, "POssible they're imbued with parts o's personality. One's drive, one's compassion, one's anger, one's knowledge, that kinda thing."

"Well we have two. Want to stick them together and see what happens?" Cryosanthia suggests randomly. Her best, and sometimes worst ideas come without much thought. As has been shown before.

Mikilos considers. "Tempting, but likely should stufy then a little first. Something to try later."

"Could be fun." Brae muses with a shrug, "But may not wanna do this fer a full crowd." she says, still being oblique, though she does so with a glance to the child.

Lily is definitely the full crowd, having eaten her fill then sprawled out on the table amongst the food to demonstrate that has happened. Cryo looks over at her, no sugar hit yet, conversation can continue. "Right, should have thought more. Thanks Brae."

Looking back at Mikilos, she nods, "Okay. More study sounds good. Long as you don't try making yours into Mortal Dread or something."

The whitescale exhales, "Braelnoir had the idea of setting rumours, false flags, that there's a Shard in the Vast, or the Shard Tower, Char... perhaps not there, Jade Isle's maybe. See who scrambles that way. Any thoughts on how to make it more convincing."

She holds her hands out to either side, "or better fast escapes for us? Is there such a thing as a Teleport potion?"

Mikilos considers. "The problem with making up rumors is they might be true. Too many still out and about. I have considered false rumors, but hadn't come up with anything worth spreading, or a good way to spread it. As for teleport, no potions, but scrolls are an option."

Braelnoir grins a bit and shrugs, "Sure thing, luv." to cryo with a wink before getting up to check on her niece. Happy kobold gets a gentle stroke along her scales, then, "I'unno, lettin' someone turn Charn upside down could be quite the giggle." She turns to look at Mikilos, "I ain't a proper wiz, scrolls gonna do me any good, luv?"

"Well, Giggles is there. Giggles the Gnoll." Cryosanthia says, smiling as she watches Braelnoir and Lily. Lily squirms. Full lizard belly. She might sleep for days. Probably not. Cryo asks Mikilos, "We're not supposed to say Grauthis the Griever, right? Like Big E. all over again?"

She exhales, two frosty streams of air visible from her nostrils, "Braelnoir's right, a scroll won't work for her. I might... eventually get one to work for me, but it'll be a tight thing in an emergency and that's when I'll be needing it most. S'why I was thinking potions. Maybe Invisibility and a haste wouldn't be too expensive."

Braelnoir grins a bit and rubs the pebbled pink scales a little more, but relents before too terribly long. No one wins with KoBarf. She settles onto more gently stroking her head, "Good food, hun?" The conversation draws her attention again and, "Love some area denial stuff. Door sealers, more reliable tanglefoot bags an' flash powders. That kinda thing." She frowns, shrugging, "Less i'm playin' nasty."

"Well, this will last twenty eight hours, if I remember right." Cryo says, giving a brief gesture at the fantastic magical space, "Nothing can come in that Mikilos didn't set permissions for, and I'm guessing it's just us."

She gets a nod.

"So we can find some beds, stretch out and relax. We're as safe here as we're going to be and some time tomorrow or the middle of the next day we can pop out." The whitescale shrugs, "I don't have anyplace to be. Asking about Giggles was the main thing I was going to look into, that can wait a bit."

She rises, her tail swishing about, a wide grin on her snout. She moves towards Lily, "Want to look over the bedrooms, find a good one for the banquet tyrant?"