Pursuit Through Dreams

Shining Chalice Meetinghouse, midday

It's been a couple days since the dust-up in the Observatory. Once Telamon had recovered from being rather unceremoniously forced back in his pursuit of Idoren, he had simply told the others he would 'be in touch' -- before stepping through a gate, and vanishing.

And now letters have gone out to those involved, and a couple others, asking them to meet with the archmage at the Shining Chalice meetinghouse. A familiar place for some, well-built and wrapped with spells -- after all, it's a nest of sorcerers.

Simony arrives a little early, and though she seems timid inside this place, she does know her way around. At least, the room she was instruct to go to is familiar to her. She knocks lightly, before peeking her head in the door and peering around.

One of the first to arrive is a woman with jet-black straight hair that falls to her shoulders wearing a tunic and pants that match one another in Eluna's colors. Pale cream and silver suit her darker skin tone and make her dark eyes shimmer. She enters and nods to Telamon politely, "Amenara Paki. You sent for me."

Already inside is one Skyler Skywalker in his great coat and mithril, sword across his back juuust in case. He is, in classic Skyler fashion, telling an animated story about a goat, a block of cheese, and three shells. But despite *looking* as thoughtlessly casual as he usually is, Telamon at least knows him well enough to see the subtle signs of it being an act. Especially after the rather uncharacteristic outburst that caused this whole thing to go so far south so quick.

"... And that's when I told him, that's not my mom. That's a *goat*!" He says, chuckling before nodding at the new arrivals, adding, "Oh! Jarik sends his regards, but he said there was some witchy-thing he had to do out in the woods. Something about dancing clad in the sky? I think he just needs some time to himself." He scratches his jaw, "I know I'm pretty easy-going so don't know why he'd want solitude, but I promised I'd keep him in the loop."

Carver has a knife! She's not using it on anyone. She's whittling, her knife a tool rather than a weapon, carving art from imagination and a piece of basswood; steel forming shape. What little debris she makes gathers at her lap to be disposed. Mages do not care for your messes to become their problems. Other way around is usually socially acceptable.

As Skyler's story comes to its conclusion, she looks up as the priestess introduces herself, tucking her distractions away with a heavy exhale. Simple was over.

The sitting room is well furnished, with comfortable chairs, a sideboard with plenty of snacks and tea... mage-lamps lighting the room, a fire stoked in the fireplace, and an animated painting of a mountainside, clouds flowing past. Very soothing, really.

Telamon himself is dressed in his usual -- a tunic that shifts somewhere between dark blue and deep violet, depending on the angle, over black leather riding trousers and well-made boots. His expression... well, it's not the thunderous one he wore two days ago, but it's still a trifle grim. He takes a sip of tea to steady himself, and nods politely to Amenara.

"I have unearthed some information. First: Skyler, everything you said... was true." Telamon's expression is faintly sickened. "I did some... corroboration, in the libraries. The Golden Songbird, the Brazen Genie, the King in Orichalcum Rags... the practice has a couple names." His eyes flick around, pausing on Amenara. "My esteemed colleague from the temple probably recognizes what I speak of."

"Second, our quarry has relocated. So far I have not pinpointed his location, but he is having a tower constructed -- with Nemenba's powers, of course. Somewhere quite sunny, sandy, and warm. Veyshan, perhaps -- if he can pass Nemenba off as a bound genie, he won't draw much attention."

Amenara takes a seat, listening to Telamon's words and nodding when he directs his words toward her. "Indeed I am familiar with the practice. It is one of the reasons that I offered to assist with this. Such a practice... And that which comes of it should not be allowed to simply fall into the hands of someone like Idoren." She frowns.

The Goblin finds the snacks before Telamon begins to speak, and has settled herself in time to pull out her notebook and pencil. She offers Amenara Paki a polite nod, Simony's robes marking her as a Temperance of Navos. Carver and Skyler get a polite, finger-wiggle wave as a greeting.

She sips daintily at some tea, her pencil wiggling back and forth. Her brow furrows as she listens to Telamon, her initial confusion slowly vanishing as things become clear.

"It is a horrifying practice. Did you wish me to employ the gifts Navos has imparted to me, to try and scry his location?"

Skyler's expression goes from playfully vapid to serious in an instant when Telamon speaks, his own eyes hard as jade as he nods slowly, grimly. "Carver's the one that sussed out what he was. I've left notices with the other people that were on the mission with me to acquire the box of bones." He scrubs his face, "In hindsight, and after talking to Jarik? I think I was a little... hasty... in my actions confronting the bastard."

He closes his eyes briefly, taking a deep breath and letting it out, adding to Simony as he pats his coat, "I still have his hair, if it will be useful? Part of my education as nobility included the basics of arcana, but I was never a good study." He scratches his jaw a touch self-consciously, "Never had much of a head for books, and absolutely zero inborn talent or call to the divine."

"I don't suppose the Knights of Daeus, theys offer assistance?" Carver asks, stepping forward with the others. "I guess it's not like they keep their blood, so they can track, but this man... the arrogance to build a tower to house his sin using stolen power?" She almost spits. She swallows it with a grimace when she looks to the two priestess and the glamored sorcerer. "Arrogance will be his downfall, yous can tell he's never had to hide himself. Too much glory seeking."

She shifts her weight, anxious. Like she's already on the hunt. "So if do not have a lead, are you jus' seeking assistance in narrowing down where they might be?"

"A little of both, Carver." Telamon rubs his chin. "I don't want to try and jump there only to get bounced back like I did. So I need to aim a little ways off -- but to do that I need to know where he is, roughly. That may mean scouting out the locale. Has he made promises to a nearby township? Offered them Nemenba's services? I doubt it myself, but he can't hide forever."

"Which is where you come in, Simony. My answer to you is yes. I want to know at least roughly where he is. My -guess- is that he's in Veyshan somewhere, but I don't -know- that. I need to be sure. The last thing I need is to stumble into a mess with one or more of the local nobles."

"I need to do some preparations to be certain that I can do what needs doing once you return with Nemenba." The archmage Amenara nods to Telamon here. "Thus I will have to entrust his rescue to you. I will caution you that the box that his bones are held within may be powerfully warded to avoid tampering however."

f"I will try to remotely view him and his location.", the Goblin replies to Telamon. She squints at Skyler. "You kept the hair you yanked from his head?" Simony blinks a few times, before her eyebrows rise up. She looks to Telamon and then Amenara.

"Is Nemenba dead? Would it be possible to resurrect him? Or perhaps call upon a deity to intervene? It would be pretty efficient to both remove him from his current situation as well as restoring him to his mortal self.'

"I've done some weird shit in my life, ma'am." Skyler says to Simony, waving a hand dismissively, "That wasn't even top ten. He took a link from my mithril shirt, so I took some of his hair."

Which begs the question was *is* his top ten stupidest things he's kept? Is it the possibly cursed Pothy he cut a hole in and stuffed with salt and holy water? Is it the hair plucked from a genie? Or is something no one else has seen, something so bizarre and outrageous that even the shameless young swashbuckler would never show it to anyone else? Only the Gods know... if them.

Why did you cut a hole into Pothy?

"I know that the boy, he reached out in the past to seek some aid from others like Skyler here. I don't suppose that will be possible now, iffin' the master has become more paranoid." Shame. Passively waiting for more information when you have no trail to follow? If it could be relied on, it would make all their lives much easier. "Findin' him, great. I agree that shoul' be the first task but how do you take him down. I assume this genie? He's not the likes of which you put an arrow in and then your life is easy. If he could say no to you following them that easily? That his powers are more than otherworldly. Theys... uh, mmm, trans-end-ent?" She chokes out that final expression with a grimace. It might have caused her physical pain.

"I jus' don't know how to overcome that."

Telamon just... eyes Skyler, but then shrugs. "I don't think it's useless. If nothing else, the hair gives us a tangible link to Nemenba. Could be useful for any number of things, not just scrying. We might be able to fashion a counter-ward against his powers."

The half-sil nods to Amenara. "With any luck, we can deliver the box and Ni'essa can light our path. I dearly hope we can free the lad. What was done to him was... appalling."

He sighs at Simony. "It's... not that easy. Nemenba is... not really dead, or alive. He's transformed into something akin to a genie, bound to his remains and the box. There's some distinct similarities -- assuming you can stomach the research -- with how a wizard might become a lich." His expression is sour. "That's also why Idoren fled. It's a lot harder to bring down a god's displeasure when the subject isn't in front of you."

"I doubt a simple resurrection would bring Nemenba back to life." The woman archmage says. "But either way, learning more would be helpful to us. I encourage you to learn as much about Idoren's plans as possible, so that he can be brought to justice." Amenara smiles a little bit.

"You can run from a lot of things, but the Gods? They'll always get you in the end." Skyler says grimly, eyes hard as ice, "And their justice is quite a bit more definitive than any court of law."

He reaches into his coat, pulling a small glass vial out with hairs in it, the entire thing sealed with wax. He sets it down on the nearest surface, adding, "Probably best you keep it, Telamon. Now that the bastard knows I have it, he might try to take it." He juts his chin out stubbornly. "Since it's important and totally useful." That's said as much to convince himself as it is the others.

The Goblin simply stares at Skyler for several long moments, her pencil continuing to write out the minutes of the meeting. She tilts her head to Carver and nods. "We are all in the same boat, as they say. For now. But with hard work we'll figure out how to overcome that."

Looking to Telamon, Simony lets out a sigh. "I was afraid that you were going to say that. However.." She glances to Amenara. "A miracle is more than a simple resurrection. Something to keep in mind." Another glance to Telamon. "Should I try now?"

"I know all yous might not like this, but isn't destroyin' the box the right answer?" Carver says. "He's... ah, he's not right. I met him, he seemed like a sweet boy, but he's not. Or not jus' a sweet boy. He's powerful in ways mortals can't or maybe even shouldn't be. He's not of this world in anyway what coul' be called natural." She gives Telamon a look, which expresses maybe such thoughts might apply to the Archmage. You don't earn titles like that by holding power lightly. "I suppose it's not just as simple as all that."

Her implied question is not voiced, for fear Simony will scratch it down. How do you discuss in good faith killing someone, or something if you're as cynical as she pretends to be, without coming off as the villian. The hair is handed off. Her eyes go to Simony who will be their eyes into distant lands.

Telamon considers, before sliding the vial over to Simony. "Try to get a bigger picture if you can, Simony. Landmarks, towns, that sort of thing. I want to know if Idoren's completely dependent on Nemenba or if he's going some place for supplies." He smirks. "Knowing Idoren, my guess is he's not -too- far from civilization. He always struck me as the sort who loved to brag, and loved his creature comforts."

His eyes move to Carver's, and his expression is kind. "I agree with you, but it might not be as simple as hitting it with an axe till it breaks. We have to unravel the ritual that binds Nemenba, and that's best done in the Temple. I'm not happy this involves so many extra steps, but it's necessary."

GAME: Simony rolls spellcraft: (19)+13: 32

Her small hand closes around the vial of stolen genie hairs. "I will do my best, Tel. But as you might guess, it will possibly quite difficult. He's likely in a location I am not familiar with. Warded, quite likely."

She settles back in her chair, setting her pencil down. Her eyes close and a faint glow appears around her briefly.

"Well. He is not close enough, or he is in a place totally alien to me.", she says with a frown, her eyes popping open.

"I will have to change my prayers this evening, and gird myself with stronger scrying spells in the morn. Is that acceptable?"

Amenara hums as Simony's spell fails. "This is not surprising given the nature of that spell, however scrying may not work either. Nemenba likely has wardings to prevent one from scrying upon him, and the man controlling him at the moment may be either under them as well or simply... too powerful to scry so simply."

Telamon taps his fingertips on the table, watching Simony. There's an aspect of... caution, protectiveness, as the little priestess tries to locate Nemenba. At Simony's pronouncement, and Amenara's words, Telamon nods.

"When I sought Idoren, it was from the Castle." Simony and Carver, of course, know what castle he means. "Which might explain why I could find him. Still... wards must be renewed. He will make a mistake. And then he will be caught. I need to think, and review my options."

"I remember that," Carver says, as Telamon reminds her of the castle. It's why it's hard to imagine Telamon as a normal fella. He's got dream fortresses, where they have tea with celestials... and other things? "He will slip. His arrogance is th' only thing that shadows his incompetence." Maybe that's harsh. If anyone deserves it though, it's a man like Idoren.

She looks to Simony, "An' you'll find 'em. I know't."

"It is still worth attempting, however.", Simony says in reply to Amenara. And she grins at Telamon. "Especially if we try it from a different perspective. If I may use your castle to work from, Telamon?" She rolls her shoulders in a shrug. "If it fails, it fails, and we can tick that off our list of things to do. I shall also look into the uh... process used to make him what he is now. Perhaps there is a clue in there to unravelling what was done, or a means to find him." She holds up the vial for Telamon to take back. "We may have need of this. You should keep it safe.'

Simony offers up a smile to Carver. "I appreciate your confidence, Carver."