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* Zoya guides Niralan to a chair in the oft-used parlor. "Jaret should be along soon. I sent for Lisl, but she wasn't home." * Niralan walks gingerly, one hand in front of him with fingers outstretched. He has been gaining confidence in his blindness, but the Tower has also been amazingly accommodating - moving entire walls three feet to the left if it looks as if he might walk into the door jam. <Niralan> ::tilting his head to one side as he sits:: And he took no lasting harm, for taking my place? <Zoya> He seems not to have. ::smiles as she settles into her accustomed chair:: He even seems to have fooled Barise into thinking you are still there. <Niralan> ::nods grimly:: I appreciate your efforts on my behalf. * Jaret has made his way to the tower mostly unmolested by the citizenry, but the fleeting contact with those who are not pleased with the Hall patrons has left him in a sour mood. He circles the Tower until he finds the knocker, a quarter of the circumference away from the door. He knocks, and steps back, trying to see the door. * Zoya glances up with a smile as a clatter of bells echoes through the Tower. "Ah, there he is. I'll be right back." <Zoya> ::opening the door:: Jaret? What are you doing all the way over there? <Jaret> This is where your knocker is. I wasn't sure if you had installed an auxiliary front door, or some other avant garde architectural device. ::he hurries over to Zoya and the door:: <Zoya> ::laughs:: The Tower has been rearranging itself quite furiously to suit our guest. It may have gotten a bit confused... ::leads Jaret back to the parlor:: Niralan, you remember Jaret, I hope? * Jaret follows Zoya into her parlor. "Well met, Wizard. I trust you are better off than our last meeting?" * Niralan turns his strange, colorless eyes up to Jaret, appearing to look slightly to one side of the man. "In some ways. And your time of penitence, I am assured, did you no lasting damage?" * Zoya settles back into her chair and summons the Staff to bring drinks. <Jaret> None to myself, that I have noticed at least. Although, the more I think on it, the more questions I have about my last day there, and what I was told. * Niralan takes his glass from the Staff gingerly, holding it in both hands. "I'll attempt to enlighten you, if I can. My own actions in this situation were deplorable and the only restitution is to attempt to correct my errors in judgement." <Jaret> I was visited in my last day by... I won't say his name. He expressed displeasure that I wasn't drinking the tonic. And at one point he said he thought the demon-child would be attacked soon. But the more I think on it, the more I doubt the veracity of those words. <Niralan> ::raises one eyebrow:: I did not believe there was direction to his plan. Random acts of violence being far more disruptive and difficult to plan against. <Jaret> And so it has been. While I was in the cell, he grasped my chin to look squarely at my face, and made physical contact other times. I do not know for certain, but my disguise was not meant to withstand brutal scrutiny, but cursory examination. He might have deduced I was not who I appeared to be on the surface. <Niralan> ::shrugs:: He is not a stupid man. He did not get to his position through magical talent, as I discovered, but through making his peers fail. <Zoya> ::frowns:: Yet one more reason to act soon. <Niralan> ::his nostriles flaring slightly:: A test, perhaps. What moves would you make to counter him? <Jaret> Hopefully one of those peers will fill his position more competently than he does, then. And I made to warn the mother, through a mutual friend. Perhaps in haste. <Niralan> ::takes another sip of his water:: I have never met the mother of the child. Would she... react in haste? <Jaret> If there was an immediate threat, most certainly. And overwhelmingly. On hearsay... she might adopt a heightened watchfulness, but I can't speak as to whether she would make any pre-emptive motions. <Zoya> ::grins:: If she were going to react in haste, we would already have heard about it. <Niralan> ::smiles grimly:: That bad? If I thought the collateral damage would be limited, I might suggest you turn her loose. It must take a brave woman to get a child from a demon. Or a very stupid one. ::he considers:: <Zoya> ::laughs:: Nacheyla is... unique. <Zoya> But I would hesitate to turn her loose on Barise. She has other responsibilities, and a certain restriction of action. It would be better if we were to stop his activity ourselves. ::seriously:: And soon, before you get any worse. <Niralan> ::seriously:: He may attempt to flee, should his plans go too far awry. It is near his motto to avoid a final conflict that he would be at risk to lose. <Jaret> And we may have already lost the element of surprise; he may know that he has been identified as the perpetrator. <Zoya> ::grins at Jaret:: Should we go and find him *now*, then? <Jaret> Perhaps. We have enough evidence to convince me, but I am quite biased. Do we have enough to convince a neutral arbitrator? <Zoya> Assuming the arbitrator has some level of background in magical theory, or is willing to listen to a neutral expert - I think the tonic you brought me should neatly underscore his actions. <Jaret> Oh? What are its properties? I didn't make myself a test case, on Niralan's advice. * Niralan goes to put his glass down and the Tower hastily scuttles a table under it. <Zoya> Well, it is in fact a true tonic. The spells which bind Wizard Niralan are causing considerably damage to his brain - the tonic slows that degeneration. But at the same time, it is constructed to make him far more susceptible to it. <Niralan> ::nods slowly:: I hesitate to postulate the damage that would occur to someone whose brain was functioning normally. <Zoya> With a few days' research, I could probably isolate the helpful portions of the tonic for the Wizard... But the easier solution, by far, would be to break the spell binding him. That would, however, almost certainly alert Barise. <Jaret> We should consider the possibility that Barise has already been alerted, by the vacant cell in the Penitent's Tower. * Niralan nods grimly. "The monks there would certainly have notified him, I fear." <Jaret> We may gain some time if we don't take immediate action; if nothing appears too amiss on our side of affairs. But not much time. <Zoya> If he didn't actually learn the truth from his interview with you, Jaret... Tell me, both of you, do you think it's worth the risk to break Wizard Niralan's spell now? <Niralan> ::shrugs:: It is always possible that I could have escaped on my own. If he is unaware that I have been blinded, it wouldn't take much inattention for me to gain free - I am... well, was, a wizard. <Jaret> If breaking the spell would certainly alert Barise, I would want to make some hasty preparations before we commit to that avenue. Magus, you said that he would flee if he felt a final confrontation was bearing down on him. Do you know what he would consider a refuge? Also, he mentioned some notes that Penyl had given out. Whose cause is she aligned with? <Niralan> ::for just an instant, his austere face softens:: Wizardess Penyl is the greatest researcher of the War Wizards. It is from her one of her abandoned lines of study that Barise created this spell. <Zoya> ::nods:: And I believe that she is the one who brought the notes to the Hall which will allow us to fix the surge problems it's currently experiencing. I doubt she would have done so if she had much sympathy for Barise. <Jaret> A relief, then. For the other point, does he have allies outside the city he might retreat to? He seems from your description of him to be one who doesn't cultivate strong allegiances. <Niralan> Wizardess Penyl is a pure researcher. Her life revolves around finding magical solutions to mundane problems. As far as I know, her only loyalty is to the craft itself. As for Barise, I do not know what other relations he might have. He has some family in Candlekeep, I believe. <Zoya> ::pulls a face:: I don't have many friends there... They're deeply suspicious of "wild" mages. * Jaret frowns. "At least it is somewhere we can hope the rule of law may have some sway. I don't think we can prevent him from escaping, however, should he be determined to do so. Mages have so many unorthodox means of movement." * Niralan snorts. "Take away our books, Master Malkier, and we are as powerless as the next prisoner." <Niralan> ::thoughtfully:: Although only for a limited time, I admit. ::he removes from his pocket a half-completed scroll written over with arcane symbols:: The night you came to my cell, I was perhaps a week from finishing this. ::he holds it out for Zoya's inspection:: * Zoya raises an eyebrow and takes the scroll, perusing it with interest. <Niralan> ::half-scribed is a scroll of magical friendship which can be used to influence a person:: <Zoya> Well, the direction you're taking here is clear... You did this without access to your books? I'm impressed. <Niralan> ::smiles wanly:: Thank you, Priestess. <Zoya> ::places the scroll back in Niralan's hand, then turns to Jaret:: What sort of preparations would you like to make, then, Jaret? I can set up a teleport block around Barise's office, similar to the one that protects the Hall. I could hold it for perhaps a day. Or I could construct a physical barrier... Well, maybe not both. The feedback would... ::she degenerates into technical babble:: <Niralan> ::even years of study cannot prepare Niralan for the magically-over-achiever that Zoya is and he assumes an expression of slightly puzzled interest:: * Zoya eventually realizes that she's exceeded her audience and halts. "Ah... At any rate, I can prevent him from teleporting away, but you'd need to be on the alert for a physical escape. Or we can let him get away." <Zoya> ::grins at Jaret:: *You* are the expert person-finder, I understand, so I'd appreciate your opinion on the topic. <Jaret> ::expression unglazes:: I assume that I can catch up to him if he flees on foot, but due to the nature of the accusations, we may want to delicately attempt to enlist allies from Marsember's actual power structure for the ensnarement of our quarry. The more official we conclude matters, the easier it may be to undo what damage has been done. As much as it pains me to say it, vigilantism may not be our best recourse in this. <Zoya> ::chuckles:: Wizard Niralan? How much influence does Barise have with the local power structure outside of the War Wizards? Do you know? <Jaret> The Purple Dragons, too, should be quietly informed. <Zoya> ::nods:: That much should be easy to manage. We can pass it through Sergeant Drilgar and his officer. <Niralan> ::shrugs:: I believe he has a friend higher up in the structure of the Dragons. ::thinks:: I cannot recall the man's name at present. <Niralan> I *think* that he's in the structure of a more covert operations unit of the Dragons, one that few people even suspect exists. <Jaret> Sergeant Drilgar is probably our best choice. He's spoken of his commanding officer, and I think he indicated she was competent, if not a bouquet of sweetness and light. I hope that means she's trustworthy as well. <Zoya> ::nods:: I would hope so as well. <Zoya> So then... What shall we do now? <Jaret> As I see it, we ask Sergeant Drilgar to communicate our suspicions to his commanding officer, hope she can get us a hearing with an unbiased magistrate, and then we work to bring Barise to justice. <Zoya> Thereupon giving him plenty of time to make his escape, after which we hope he can be recovered? <Niralan> ::nods slowly:: Perhaps... perhaps Wizardess Penyl would be willing to serve as... a neutral witness? She has no claims to injury and could inspect the spells on me, with your permission? <Jaret> My hope would that our hearing with the magistrate would be initially secret from Barise, and would not be his trial, but merely the inquiry to lead to a warrant for his arrest. <Zoya> ::nods to Niralan:: I certainly have no objection to discourse with her. But we should do it soon, before you deteriorate further. Do you know how to contact her? <Zoya> ::to Jaret:: Well, I suppose we can hope that there aren't any leaks. The sooner, the better - would you like to go find Sergeant Drilgar while Wizard Niralan and I contact Penyl? <Niralan> ::nods:: If someone could get into the Wizard's School, she left a method to contact her, should any of her students and assistants ever need her. In the library, there is a tome entitled "Treatise on Telepathy and Possible Planar Interferences." Take it from the shelf and turn to page 1367 and speak her name. <Zoya> ::laughs:: I do believe I'm going to like Mistress Penyl a great deal. That should be simple enough to arrange. I have a few acquaintances at the school who are quite gleeful whenever my own library proves lacking. <Jaret> I can seek out the Sergeant. Should I have him directly contact his lieutenant, or bring him here? I feel I can explain all the particulars, but if you want to brief him in person... <Zoya> No, I'm certain you can convey the information well enough. I do believe I make the Sergeant somewhat... uneasy. Though of course if he or his captain have any questions, I will be happy to see them. * Jaret stands. "Unless you have further need of me, then, I'll be off. Time is of the essence." <Zoya> Indeed. We'll see you again soon, then, I hope. ::stands to escort Jaret out, lest the Tower decide it would be amusing to trap him in a circular path for a few hours:: * Niralan nods. "Farewell, then, Master Malkier." <Jaret> Good day, Magus. |
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