Stultus is not in the best of moods, so he almost wanders past the lily. Almost. His ineffable curiosity does get the better of him, though. He quirks his head to one side as he peers at the flower. "You," he says, "are not where you're supposed to be." Yet another Weird Thing to add to the cascade of weirdness that this day has brought.
(( Per 1 + Awareness 3 + roll of 1 then 9 = 22. 23 if it involves Alertness. ))
(( Also, my apologies for the absence. Work has been hell. Last weekend, as an example, involved an 8-hour drive, 11 hours on-site and then another 8-hour drive. Plus, the work site was in Oklahoma City. I had to stop about an hour out so as not to drive into the tornado's aftermath.))
((My apologies for being MIA as well. I've been going through a really challenging time in my personal life the past couple of weeks. Not all bad by any stretch, but enough to make it hard for me to concentrate. Beating my head against these forums wasn't something I had the patience for....))
The flower itself certainly doesn't offer any more insight: it simply shouldn't be there, and Stultus suspects magic was involved. He knows well, though, that when there's one weird thing there are usually others, and looks around carefully. Almost right next to the flower, an ample vertical crack (about as wide as a normal person) intrudes several feet into the cliff face. Two more lilies are "growing" therein, faintly visible near the back of the crevice. Although the slightly overhanging rock face makes it extremely difficult to see within, Stultus's careful examination allows him to make out a thin ring on the ground within the crevice, as if drawn on a wax tablet with a stylus.
At this point his senses are all highly engaged, and so he notices immediately when a long shadow blinks into existence on the path he was until recently walking upon. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees that the feet of the shadow are not attached to any visible person. "It would seem quite unremarkable, to any observer from down below," murmurs Tranquillina's voice, "for you to indulge some curiosity and explore the crack for a short time."
Stultus stands there, facing the crack, his head quirked to one side, looking at the opening with an expression of intense curiosity on his phyz. He doesn't speak. The poppet in his arms, however, does: quietly, in Gaelic, and also without moving.
"Tranquillina, darling. I know very well what 'The Earth Split Asunder' and similar spells do, and I know equally well that Parma will not protect me if that crack should suddenly happen to close. Been there, done that, still have the scars. I also see the ring inscribed within, which suggests another spell. When one combines those two facts with your recent display of temper in the Council Chamber, one is left with but a single question.
"The kind that simply must know what's going on," Tranquillina replies matter-of-factly. The feet of the shadow approach the crevice and disappear into the dimness, the sound of the footsteps suggesting that Tranquillina walked all the way into the circle.
Stultus can't quite restrain a smirk. Whatever else you might say about Tranquillina, on this particular topic she's certainly got his number. He steps forward, almost to the edge of the crack -- estimates his chances of an InVi spell telling him anything useful -- discards that idea and steps all the way within the crevasse.
((Just to clarify: it's a vertical crack - like a very thin cave - rather than a horizontal ditch-like crack.))
When Stultus reaches the interior of the etched circle, he feels (with a bit of a start) a hand press on his shoulder - just enough to indicate where Tranquillina is. "Stay still," she murmurs. Then her voice begins to travel around the circle, speaking the words of a Perdo Imaginem spell. ((Let's call it a Per + Magic Theory roll against EF 15 to tell that it's Ambush on the Deserted Road.)) Nothing apparent to Stultus happens when the spell is complete; however, she then begins another spell around the ring, this one a spontaneous Perdo Imaginem spell. A few seconds after that one is complete, Tranquillina becomes visible again without warning. She looks like her normal fifteen-year-old self, and her wolfskin cloak is also undisguised by magic.
"Nobody who passes by, or spies on us from afar, will be able to see or hear anything now," Tranquillina declares in a strong but low-pitched voice. "We can talk openly here."
((2nd PeIm spell is like Ambush, but for sound rather than sight, and doesn't require the ability to move the direction of the effect - hence Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Ring for level 10. Sta -3 + Pe 14 + Im 10 + aura 5 + Talisman attunement (peace) 4 - quiet words 5 + stress die 3 = 28, halved is 14.))
((Per + Finesse rolls vs. EF of 9 to be convincing, if anyone happens by: 2+2+stress die 4=8 for both rolls. Oh come on. I'll spend a Confidence point on each roll to make them successful 11s.))
((Folk Ken roll for Tranquillina to read Stultus's mood: Per 2 + Folk Ken (their opinions of her) 4 + stress die 4 = 10.))
Tranquillina isn't deliberately towering over Stultus, but the ring in which they stand is just small enough that she can't avoid intruding into his personal space. "Where to begin, sodalis, where to begin," she temporizes, her body doing its best to pace within the circle's very limited confines. "I ... have a friend, who was known by those around her to be under stress. This friend elected to attend a meeting, which she knew about in advance, yet if anything she displayed an overabundance of agitation. She arrived in a physical state that can be described as provocative and overtly distracting. She insistently brought the conversation back around to a particular topic of her choosing." Tranquillina's eyes do not bear any trace of madness or fury; instead, she seems to be in somewhat of a good mood, almost ... teasing?
"What might one conclude about this friend of mine? - no. That is the wrong question." She looks down towards the magus. "What would you, conclude about this woman?"
(( Com 2 + Guile 3 + roll of 1 then 5 = 15. Sorry, Tranquillina, not today. ))
"Well." Stultus smiles a bit. "I did witness the meeting in question, and your friend as well. Her behavior, while perfectly consistent with her earlier patterns, represented a marked escalation. So my conclusion was that this ... friend of yours ... had proceeded to willfully ignore everything the rest of us have been telling her, and had -- in layman's terms -- finally reached the end of her rope."
"You begin to make my point for me," Tranquillina continues with raised eyebrows. "I know well what you think about me, about what you witnessed. But phrasing it as a description of some person unknown to you, I had hoped, would engage your rational faculties a bit more powerfully." She pokes idly at one of the out-of-place lilies with her foot. "A person who, aware of her earlier patterns, decided to escalate them, to the point of appearing unhinged - but oh so justifiably. And sure enough, all present came to the obvious conclusion that this person had indeed lost her grip somewhat. Quite tidy, nobody asking any more questions." She looks again at Stultus. "Anything strike you, magus of Tytalus, about this scenario as described?"
Stultus hmmms, looking up at Tranquillina with a slight smile. His voice is mild, polite, and thoughtful. "Before I answer that question, maga of Bonisagus, I require some additional information." He strokes his chin for a moment. "To the best of your knowledge, are you -- at the present moment -- under the influence of a Mentem spell, effect, or other contrivance? Specifically one designed to keep your emotions in check?"
This question seems a pretty fair play for the riddle game that Tranquillina has started. "No, I am not. In fact, to the best of my knowledge I am under the influence of no magic whatsoever, save my Parma and my Longevity Ritual. And, I suppose, the aura and our Aegis."
Stultus nods thoughtfully. "And what would your reaction be if I told you that Cumhachd of Tytalus taught you very well indeed?"
The Old Tranquillina's reaction to such a question would be to explode, and he knows that. (In point of fact, considering the very close quarters, the Old Tranquillina's reaction may very well necessitate the first application of the Chunky Salsa rule to Ars Magica.) How this New-ish Tranquillina might react to it is still an open question, but it's one Stultus wants answered.
Tranquillina's eyes close for a long moment; in the deep shadow, it's hard to tell whether they're squeezed shut or just resting. "Let us hope that she has the same belief," she murmurs finally. "She and I are scheming. Scheming, in point of fact, towards hastening the end of the Guernicus Prima's life."
"Ohh-ho-ho-ho!" murmurs the dwarf. "The plot thickens."
He stands there for a moment, considering the implications. "Before we discuss this further, I'd like to make sure that it is Tranquillina I am speaking to. So... can you remind me what it was you said to Gerulf and myself right after Fiona kissed you?"
((Wasn't sure what mechanic to use for how well she remembers her words; it was over a year prior. Decided on a random Int roll: Int 3 + stress die 7 = 10. Now what the hell does that mean.... ))
Tranquillina blinks for a moment, not getting the context; then she remembers the huge kiss that Fiona planted on her at the beginning of their "race" down the mountain from Stultus's sanctum. "Well," she answers, "I think I made a 'fast' quip at Fiona's expense. Then I let Gerulf know how our vis tour would continue ... I believe the last thing I said was, 'Wish me luck.'" She finds that she has a hard time remembering how that vis tour actually turned out, after her race against Fiona. ((Yes, this is an OOC-driven in-joke ))
Stultus starts to lean against the wall of the crack, realizes just in time that that would break the circle, and straightens up again. "In that case, your friend carried off the deception in the council chamber with panache, elan, sangfroid, a certain amount of je ne sais quoi and several other French words. I was not deceived, of course," he says with an airy wave (lying through his teeth, 'cause he totally bought it) "but I would be willing to bet everyone else was."
((I'm going to make a roll-vs-roll out of your little lie there Per 2 + Folk Ken 3 + stress die 0 (no botch) = 5. Well then.))
"Primarily," she responds, "because you and Cumhachd have that inscrutible Tytalus love triangle going, with chaos as your mutual paramour. You need to know what we are trying to do here, so that the responses you choose are largely helpful to our eventual goal: to cause so much inter-Tribunal trouble that a special Tribunal meeting must be called, with Bilera presiding." Tranquillina faces the blank rock as she speaks the Prima's name, her expression invisible. "And also because otherwise you would repeatedly tell me to butt out of the conflict which will escalate between her and me, which would annoy me, even without the 'repeatedly'. And," she inhales deeply before finishing, "because the actions I select need to be well tailored, both in appearance and in effectiveness to our private goal - I trust that my dealing with Loys was calibrated appropriately - and, hmm, perhaps your experiences would make your counsel useful." Tranquillina peers out of the narrow crack to the reddening sky beyond, as if keeping watch in case someone flies past.
(( Not rolling against you. You can have a success, I think it'll advance the story. ))
Stultus hmms. "Well, the othermenage-a-trois we have going is the one between Cumhachd, myself, and you, as disturbing as that mental image is. That one is insanely complex from a Tytalus standpoint -- enough so that I can slant it in a number of different ways and not lose plausible deniability. Here's the fascinating part, though. You are cooperating with Cumhachd towards a larger goal... I would assume because the goal is acceptable to you. However, assassination is not your modus operandi, so it was her idea. What did she tell you? What was her reasoning for why Bilera needs to die?"
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