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* Michelle unlocks the door and announces, "Hall's Open!" * Michelle returns behind the bar. She's dressed in a blue skirt and blouse. * Zoya comes through the door wearing stained working clothes. Her long white hair is carefully braided and pinned up on top of her head, and the expression on her face manages to be somehow both grim and triumphant. * Jaret enters with Zoya. He looks freshly scrubbed, as if coming from an exceptionally vigorous bath. He's wearing a white shirt with a ruffled chest and puffed sleeves and tight black pants. He is carrying his rapier at his side. "Michelle! Have you seen Nacheyla?" * Loria comes in. She is wearing a plain pair of grey cotton trousers and a loose fitting blue shirt. The knees of her pants are stained with grass and dirt and there is a smudge of dirt across one cheek. "Good evening!" * Michelle waves a note, "Nacheyla says she's sorry, but Cheylon's a little upset after breaking his favorite, and I quote, 'toy.'" <Michelle> So where have you been Jaret, or would you have to kill us after telling us? ::smiles to show she's joking:: <Zoya> Toy isn't usually a word that requires quotation, Michelle. Can I have an ale? Make it a big one. I've had a *very* busy day. <Michelle> ::to Zoya and Loria:: Good evening you two. ::to the room at large:: Can I get anyone anything? * Michelle gets a mug and fills it for Zoya, "There you go Zoya." * Loria sits down on a stool and gives Michelle a hopeful look. "Tarri said you had some ice cream, a few weeks ago? Can I get some? Maybe with one of those fizzy drinks?" <Michelle> I'll have to check. If we do, do you want them separately or in the same glass? <Jaret> I've been in the Penitent's Tower in the temple of Lathander, not bathing. ::he catches sight of Loria and spins:: Loria! Have you seen Nach-- your-- the Blessed Mother? Have you talked? To the local incarnation, at least? I need to speak to her, it's urgent. * Loria beams. "Together sounds lovely." <Michelle> I'll be back in a second then. ::disappears into the kitchen:: * Zoya takes a deep drink from her ale, then leans against her stool with a sigh. * Michelle returns from the kitchen with a tall glass with several scoops of ice cream and a long spoon. Setting the glass down she begins experimenting with the taps, until she gets a bubbly brown liquid that seems to satisfy her. <Zoya> ::smiles at Loria:: Having a good day? Gardening? * Michelle fills the glass, then sets it down in front of Loria along with the spoon, "There you go Loria." <Michelle> Can I get you anything Jaret? Your usual along with a warm meal perhaps? * Loria takes a sip of her drink and smiles. "That's just fabulous, Michelle, thanks. And yes, I was doing some gardening." She turns to Jaret. "Not today, no, but I can pass something along, if you'd like." <Jaret> Well, please let her know that I spoke with Barise, of the War Wizards, and he indicated that he is involved in the recent negative events against Hall patrons, and he thinks that the next target will be the one he called 'the demon-child'. Could you make sure that Nacheyla knows Cheylon might be receiving some unwanted attention, and I stand ready to assist if she would like me at her side. * Loria looks vaguely dubious. "That would be very, very stupid of someone. But I'll pass it along." <Michelle> ::Michelle's face goes hard:: Throw my help in with that as well Loria. ::mutters some disparaging things about the War Wizards under her breath:: <Jaret> I agree, but it's the current information I have, and I would be delinquent if I didn't pass it on. Can you think of who else that patronizes the Hall whom such a description might apply to? <Zoya> ::smiles at Michelle:: Now, now. They're not *all* that bad. My latest houseguest is being quite polite. * Michelle quirks her eyebrow at Zoya. <Zoya> ::takes another long drink from her mug:: Wizard Niralan was kind enough to accept my invitation to stay for a time. <Michelle> Niralan... Isn't that the one who accused us of forcing him to peep on women in the bath houses? <Zoya> Yes, as a matter of fact. It came to my attention that there was a possibility that he might not have been acting entirely of his own accord. <Michelle> Oh... ::stamps around in a little circle behind the bar, clearly looking for words to express her anger and frustration, her arms moving jerkily:: <Zoya> Which is to say that Lisl and I paid a visit to Master Wizard Barise, who told us an astonishing array of half-truths, and then carelessly lied through his teeth about Wizard Niralan. ::shakes her head sadly:: A regrettable lack of attention to detail, no doubt. <Loria> ::slurks her drink some, then spoons out a bit of ice cream, giving every indication of being totally involved with her treat:: <Michelle> I need a drink if I'm going to hear much more of this. ::puts a shot glass on the bar and pulls out a bottle of amber liquid. Filling the glass Michelle's knocks its contents back.:: Alright, what else do we know, and how big a mess are we in? <Zoya> When she heard the tale, Tarri insisted on visiting the Wizard in his retreat at Lathander's temple - she still has friends there, from when she was apprenticed, you see - and she came *running* back to me with the news that Master Niralan was being magically controlled. ::sips her ale:: Which she should know if anyone should, the poor child... * Michelle sighs. <Zoya> And so our valiant Lord Malkier, here, leapt at the chance to throw himself into harm's way and trade places with the Wizard. ::gestures at Jaret, inviting him to take up the tale:: * Loria glances over at Jaret over her glass. <Jaret> The High Priestess and Archmage here concocted a bit of a disguise for me, and a bit over a week ago I made my way into the Penitent's Tower and took Niralan's place, sending him to Zoya's tender mercies. There I lay in near solitude for more than a week. My only companion the friendly temple cat, the mumbling priests of the order, and the fetching woman with the shorn head in the cell across the way. But mostly, it was just the cat. Today, the War Wizard came to see his cousin. * Loria raises her eyebrows. "What woman?" * Michelle listens to Jaret with interest. <Zoya> ::blinks at Jaret in surprise:: You didn't tell me that part. <Jaret> I didn't get her name. She was young, quite attractive, recently wore a wedding band, and had her head shaved. I was impersonating someone with boundless lecherous urges. I tried not to make too much conversation, for fear of ruining my disguise. <Zoya> ::coughs back a laugh, and tosses more ale down her throat:: * Michelle shakes her head and smiles. <Loria> ::hrmphs slightly in the back of her throat:: <Jaret> In any case, today, Niralan's uncle came to see him. He was somewhat guarded in his speech, but he did indicate that he and... Pennil? Were working on a cure for Niralan's condition, and thought that in a month or so they would be able to devote their full attentions to it. * Michelle quirks her eyebrow again. <Zoya> Penyl. That seems doubtful; she's the one who contributed our cure for the Hall's little magic problem. <Jaret> I can only repeat what I was told. And when I asked how things were, he said things were growing, and soon he thought they would... I can't remember the precise wording, but the implication was that Cheylon was the next possible target. <Michelle> ::a pair of knives climb up onto the bar and begin sharpening themselves:: <Zoya> In the meantime, I've been struggling with Wizard Niralan. It seems that spells he was under had a... reaction to the wild magic I used to transport him to the Tower, and he spent most of the week Jaret was twiddling his thumbs either asleep or raving. <Jaret> His uncle implied that it was those spells resident on his person that reacted with the Hall, and caused the surge that... modified him. <Zoya> He finally woke up this morning, and I got to finally see those spells in action well enough to devise a... shield of sorts. ::she drinks again:: After which we had a very nice chat. ::smiles at Loria:: Has Kevil mentioned a bard by the name of Swan to you? * Loria makes a face. "Not recently, no. Why?" <Zoya> Niralan is under the very distinct impression that Bard Swan is under a spell that is a modified version of the one that held him. Her rivalry with your husband may be her own, but her ability to sway others to her cause is... enhanced, at the very least. <Loria> ::raises an eyebrow:: That's some potent spell... I wonder if... oh, the stupid twiddle wrote a very nasty satire about Kevil some months ago. He was... well, you know how he is. <Zoya> ::grins:: Yes, I do. <Zoya> Anyway, apparently Niralan volunteered last autumn to assist the Master Wizard in some research. He didn't think much of it, other than it would be good for his career, to have worked with Barise. <Zoya> Barise dropped this spell on him - I'm still analyzing it, but it *failed*. It turned Niralan into a lecherous, whining pustule. And Barise couldn't figure out how to undo the spell... and didn't much care. He refined the spell, perfected it, and dropped it on Swan, who began saying nasty things about us to anyone who would listen. <Loria> ::blinks:: But she was *already* saying nasty things? <Zoya> ::grins at Loria:: Only about Kevil, and no one seriously pays attention to one jealous bard sniping about another, do they? But Barise's spell made it so that people who heard Swan were forced to believe her, with certain exceptions... Dislike of the Hall and its patrons is a magical contagion. <Zoya> There are still pieces I've yet to put together. Niralan doesn't know everything. But the good news about the contagion-spell is that it's very... brittle, for lack of a better word. Easy to break, even for non-mages. <Loria> ::scraping the bottom of her glass with the spoon:: How? <Zoya> Anyone who is grateful to a Hall patron is rendered immune, even if they were previously affected. <Loria> Well, that's not so bad then? ::she tips the glass up, attempting to get every last drop of melted ice-cream:: <Michelle> Hmm... Maybe we should start running a soup kitchen. Or would that upset our competitors? <Zoya> It would give Lisl apoplexy to hear it, but i suspect Swan never intended this to go so far. I suspect Barise only promised her that the spell would end the rivalry between her and Kevil - in her favor, of course. I doubt he told her exactly how it would work, or who else would be affected. * Loria puts the glass down mournfully. "She's not exactly untalented, no matter what Kevil says. But before we sang at the ambassador's ball, she was the one who got most of the top jobs." She looks slightly ashamed. <Zoya> ::shrugs:: But I don't know that, of course. At any rate, Niralan's spell was harder to pry loose; the moreso because I didn't want to *break* it just yet. That will certainly alert Barise. I concocted something more subtle that left the spell in place, but shielded him from its effects. <Zoya> ::smiles at Loria:: Professional rivalry is nothing new. Kevil's always been a little funny about his rivals, but you don't have to feel guilty about being better than her. <Loria> ::pushing the glass towards Michelle:: Could... could I get another one? Only without the ice cream, this time? And... do you have any vegetables in the back? Tomatoes, maybe? Or pickles? * Jaret looks at Loria askance. "Are... do you have news of your own, Priestess?" * Michelle smiles, "Of course Loria." Smiles at Jaret's question, "Beat me to it Jaret." <Loria> Hmm? Oh. Well, yes, but gracious, keep that to yourselves, would you? I don't... with Kevil so angry about all this other stuff ::she waves her hands around indicating the general area:: I thought I'd wait a bit, just in case. * Michelle turns and refills Loria's glass, "There you are Loria. I'll be back in a moment." <Zoya> ::raises an eyebrow:: You don't imagine he'd be *unhappy*, do you? <Jaret> I'm sure he'd be incredibly happy, Loria. But please accept my congratulations. <Loria> Oh, no, not unhappy... just... fussy... <Loria> ::imitating Kevil's voice:: Are you feeling well, n'shava? Should you not lay down for a while? Are you certain you should eat that, raindrop? <Zoya> ::laughs:: * Michelle disappears into the kitchen. <Zoya> Fair enough. Maybe you can enlist Diya to keep him out of your hair, this time around. <Loria> ::looks half amused, half annoyed:: Mother goddess, I hope so. I don't think I can cope with *two* chronic worriers. <Zoya> ::chuckles:: Of course you know him better than I do, but Diya didn't seem the worrying sort. <Loria> ::slucking on the new drink:: You never know about men, sometimes... they do the strangest things. <Zoya> At any rate, you can tell him that this nonsense should be drawing to an end soon. Niralan is staying at the Tower until Barise is dealt with. He's promised to help - even testify against the Master Wizard, if it comes to that. <Loria> I certainly hope so... I've lost several students to this whole mess of gossip and while the garden looks quite nice this summer, I'd really rather be working. <Jaret> All right... I hate to be the one asking questions, but now what do we do? Bring a case against Barise in the courts? Work on a counterspell? * Michelle returns from the kitchen with a tray of different pickled vegetables as well as some sliced tomatoes, a salt shaker, and a bottle of vinegar. <Michelle> There we go. Everyone feel free to help yourselves. * Loria smiles. "Ah, you're a life-saver." She helps herself to some tomato slices and a few pickles. <Jaret> Oh, a glass of Arabellan Red, please, Michelle. I forgot to ask when I entered. <Zoya> ::considering Jaret's question:: It won't be long before I have enough of Wizard Penyl's metal to "cure" the Hall. I'd like to set that in place before we report Barise to the authorities. A counter-spell for the contagion shouldn't be *too* hard to devise, either. <Jaret> Not to dispute your abilities, High Priestess, but perhaps a more small-scale test would be advisable before you attempt to modify the Hall? Or have you done that already? * Michelle smiles, "You had rather a lot else on your mind." Michelle quickly gets Jaret a glass of his usual. <Jaret> Thank you, Mistress Phoenix. ::he has some wine:: <Michelle> ::grin:: You're welcome Lord Malkier. <Zoya> ::nods to Jaret:: I've done some testing while Wizard Niralan was napping. The metal does indeed suppress wild magic within its boundaries... The only noticeable side effect is that it seems to slow *normal* magic by a factor of... Well, let's just say minutes will pass between casting and effect. <Zoya> At least, until things re-stabilize. <Jaret> If you say it is fine, then I assume it will be. It is just surprisingly convenient, in a time when false rumors and innuendo abound, and one of the War Wizards works against the Hall, for one of the Wizards own number to volunteer such information. The timing is curious. <Zoya> Oh, it is. ::grins:: You should've heard Lisl protesting when I told her I was going to try Penyl's recipe. But you can believe I shielded that lab - and my person - to a fare-thee-well before I so much as mixed the first ingredients. <Loria> ::looks up from her snack:: Well, they're not totally united, I suspect. I mean, Tarri's beau, that brown fellow? He doesn't like all the other Dragons he works with... he doesn't even *know* all of them, does he? <Michelle> I'm certain there are fewer War Wizards, but your point is a good one. <Zoya> ::nods to Loria:: I should be surprised if he does. But I might note that Mistress Penyl *was* Niralan's immediate supervisor, before he volunteered for Barise's experiment. On the other hand, Barise seems to have effectively found work for her out of town, so I think it may be that he didn't want someone around who might notice Niralan's rather... abrupt personality change. <Loria> ::taking another bite of pickled beet:: Busy fellow, this Barise. I wonder when he finds time to use the necessary. <Jaret> A very valid point, Priestess. I always wonder the relationships I don't know about, with people on the periphery of events like these. I suppose either I'll find out eventually or I won't. <Michelle> ::shakes her head:: Almost makes you miss the invasion when we knew who we were fighting and why. <Zoya> ::grins at Loria:: Well, he may have accomplices, of course. I intend, as soon as I get back to the Tower, to have a *long* talk with Wizard Niralan and find out everything he can remember about the whole incident. * Loria slurks down the last bit of her drink. "Well, that was lovely, Michelle. And now I'm quite sure the twins are in bed, so I'm going to run along home." <Michelle> ::chuckle:: Goodnight Loria, and congratulations. <Zoya> Good night, Loria. <Jaret> Good night Loria. Would you like an escort home? And please do pass on my message when you get a chance. <Loria> Surely, and I'll do it as soon as I get home... ::she smiles:: <Jaret> Thank you. ::he stands:: Archmage, I hope your experiments go well. I think I will be walking Lady Talarin home, and then going to my own abode and bathing some more. Good night, everyone! <Zoya> Good night, Jaret. <Michelle> Good night Jaret. <Zoya> Speaking of my experiments, and my house guest, I should get back to them. <Zoya> Good night, Michelle. <Michelle> Good night Zoya. * Zoya finishes the last swig of her ale, and strolls out the door. <Loria> ::laughs and takes Jaret's arm:: I feel exactly the same way whenever we come back from the Ven. * Jaret guides Loria out of the Hall, and into Marsember's night. * Michelle shooes the dishes into the kitchen, dims the lamps, and locks the door behind her. |
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