"Languidus Merinatae, charmed." He provides a wan smile. "My master informed me expected someone to be arriving presently, though he didn't provide me a name."
At mention of walking a path, "We all walk paths, and we all chose to follow them, whether we are honest with ourselves or not. You are here because you wish to be here, there is no denying that. Whether you continue to walk along the path is, also, up to you." His words should ring true, as no one compelled Viscaria to come, and indeed she had many vivid dreams before departing, but she could have chosen to ignore them, perhaps even used magic to quiet the dreams.
"Not all of our covenfolk speak so. His house is stationed closest to the entry into the covenant so he can intercept mundane... visitors.
"Oh, I was there, and I had even come to a preliminary agreement with Fieltarn to come visit us. However, my letters to him when unanswered, and were eventually returned because no one could find him at Mons Electi."
"Candidus is the fae king of this forest. We live here under his auspices. And as for trade, I'm not at liberty to discuss trade items, at the moment, you should probably speak to my master. When you are ready, I'll escort you. Would you care to see to your retinue and then send someone for me when you are ready and rested?"
Viscaria's face transforms with delight at learning of his house. Oh, how she loves the Merinita! She casually inspects him for clues to his fae heritage.
She waves poetic and philosophical in response, as if she were (poorly) imitating a foreign accent. "Oh, certainly it was my choice to walk forward, but does not the one who beckons share some responsibility as well? Destiny is not a thing inherent to the individual, but rather is the strands that connect one man to the next. If I did not exist, then who would have invited my companions to come here? Their destiny is connected to my own, by each of our choosings."
"How strange! Would that I could shed some light on this mystery for you, but I began working for Mons Electi after he had already departed, and all I know is that he left for 'personal reasons.' He worked with Spirits of Animal, I believe?"
"Certainly. With your permission, we'll set up our camp over there. Could I borrow Charles for a few minutes? It would make things go quicker." (Assuming he isn't granting us use of one of the huts).
(OOC: My Creo, Mentem and Imaginem scores are still low enough that it would probably almost be easier for me to communicate with Wen using ReTe sponts to accentuate my meaning -- at 28+Aura, I can non-fatiguing spont 1st magnitude)
She gets them situated, whether that be in our own camping supplies or in the tent. She'll dine on a light meal of fruits and then leave the Arab and the Impetuous Youth to their own devices. A part of her hopes they have An Adventure while she meets with the magi.
With Vin Diesel as her shadow, she returns to Languidus and indicates her readiness.
"Very well, I'll escort you." Languidus escorts the pair into the half-shack. Inside the shack is very little except a chair and a silver mirror with the depiction of a faerie court in the ornately designed frame of the mirror.
Wen tries to follow the conversation as best she can, but once they switch to Latin (assuming she doesn't understand), she resumes her study of Everything. The steady-glowing torches are neat, she thinks.
Once they finish dinner, and Viscaria and Vin leave, she will wander around a bit, but not straying to far. At first.
Finally she turns to Mufarjj. "Want to do something?" she asks in French. With or without him, she will strike out and explore some more, checking out some of the Weird Things they have here, and maybe stumbling into some Weird Places.
"What do you suggest, child? We have traveled far, the hour is late, and I was planning for Isha and then retiring." His use of the word child softens Mufarjj's generally stoic demeanor.
"If you do not know where you are going, then look back to where you have come from." He says that while laying out a mat. "Isha is my evening devotion to Allah, where we recognize the presence and guidance Allah has given me through the day."
Viscaria admires the mirror's craftsmanship, and studies the carvings intently. So much of her own work is a mimicry of the natural expressions of the fae, who can do naught but mimic the world around themselves either, that it is a deep privilege to her to see the work of any. Indeed, there were few fair folk near Phoenix, and so she hasn't laid eyes on even dwarven craftsmanship since her childhood.
Is she inside an Aegis? Has she been given a token? What's the floor of the shack made out of? Assuming it's a "shack" in every sense of the word, then after admiring the mirror, if nothing else happens, she'll spont(/5) a ReTe to craft a hard-packed earthen table out of the earthen floor, in front of the chair. Of course, the job she does with her low Finesse score is frustratingly indelicate.
She didn't feel the tell-tale tingle of an Aegis. The floor of the shack is wooden, and the shack appears to be in quite a state of disrepair generally. As Viscaria inspects the mirror she's taken aback that it does not show her reflection.
A perception roll is necessary to give some other information.
Languidus says, "Somnifer will be with you momentarily. If you'll excuse me, I have some things to attend to, if you have need of me, send word to Charles who can find me." He departs the shack.
Viscaria is not able to make the table. The Aura isn't as strong as Viscaria expected... or perhaps it's different.
Viscaria has neither Perception nor Awareness, and [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3613530/]rolls a 2[/url.]
Distracted by the failure of the table, she tries to spont some InVi spells.
(InVi 2 + 1 Touch to determine aura power = 3)
In 14 + Vi 15 - 5 No gestures - 5 Quiet words+ Sta 0 + Aura = 19+ Aura /5 = 3.8 + Aura/5
Running her fingers across her belt of casting tools, and murmuring to herself she spends the next four rounds determining the power of any Infernal, Dominion, Faerie and Magic aura she might be in (in that order)
Viscaria, discommoded as she is, also thinks her spell fails and the power of the aura is not forthcoming.
In the mirror before her a figure coalesces, in the spot where her reflection should be she sees what appears to be a young man, who looks as if he could be related to Languidus. "Whom do I have the honor of addressing? I am Somnifer Merinitae." He has a disconcerting quirk, his eyes are remaining shut, but he appears to be aiming his stare at Viscaria.
"Ah, okay," Wen says. "In that case, I'll go look around for a little bit, I won't be gone too long." And she heads out to explore a little bit, heading back down the way they came and seeing what's off to the sides and whatnot. She doesn't plan to be long.
"I am Viscaria fillia Norbert Gunthar scholae Verditus ab Phoenix ab Mons Electi. Greetings unto you, Somnifer Merinitae. Long have I held great esteem for my mother's house."
"Do tell, what was your mother's name, child?" His brings his hands together with his finger tips touching and meticulously touches each digit to its counterpart repeatedly (Think Monty Burns from the Simpsons, but without the menacing voice when he says 'Excellent'). His voice is almost melodic and the way he moves his hands is hypnotic. His calling you child suggests that he is much older than he appears, around his late 20s or early 30s.
Viscaria sighs heavily. "Ah, I have yet to find out. I know from the dwarves that raised me that I was born among them from a wizard's womb, but she betrayed their bargain somehow soon 'ere I was born, and they will not speak her name. Learning that much cost me the only kin I've ever known. But enough of my own story, my new friend. Tell me some of your own. Did you enchant this mirror yourself? It appeals to me on many levels -- not least as a silversmith and an enchanter."
(and for those of you watching the show at home, yes, Viscaria just asked him to talk about himself and then immediately turned the conversation back to her own likes and dislikes. She's that kind of girl.)
"You like it?" He smiles and appears to be quite proud that a Verditius would like it. "By all means, look at it all you'd like. The finish in the mirror is simply amazing, touching the surface feels like you're touching the surface of a pond." You can see him approach the mirror and touch his side of it, again his eyes are closed, and he navigates easily and directly to the mirror without hesitation. "I can do this for hours when I'm stuck on a particularly vexing problem, it soothes my nerves." His face adopts a blissful expression of contentment and fulfillment.
OOC: See, just because you referenced Burns, now I'm all suspicious.
"Oh, yes, it's quite lovely. It reminds me a great deal of some cartoons* that I have made of a device to trap incautious spirits who enter my sanctum."
cartoons, in the middle ages, meant sketches.
"Ah, but I think I shouldn't touch the pool like surface. I wouldn't want to activate any additional enchantments on it. What sort of problems tend to vex you?"
Viscaria eyes the chair suspiciously as well (Cynical +3!). Vin Diesel, picking up on the subtle shift in her tone, begins carefully scrutinizing the room for invisible attackers with his Second Sight.
Viscaria's Second Sight is Per 0 + Sight 2 (faeires). She has no other skills in searching.
Vin is Per 3 + Second Sight 6 (ghosts). He also has Awareness 5 (bodyguarding) and Hunt 5(people). Is this a trap?
Its quite obvious he wants Viscaria to touch the mirror. "Well the most vexing problem is escaping this side of the regio, if only for a little while. I had hoped I could change the parameters under which we bargain. Regardless, I have something you want. Something you can only get by coming to this side. I know your lineage, my dear. Your vulgar lineage, that is. If you want to know more you must visit our library.
He opens his eyes which are light blue where the whites would be and his irises are even deeper blue.And to visit our library you must place your hand on the mirror.". It is obvious that the mirror is an entrance to a regio, and the regio boundary intersects this shack.
"You've given little enough to me so far beside your name. I admit, the offer you make is enough to keep me at the bargaining table -- would have been enough to bring me to the table in the first place, but first you must prove you have what I seek, and second, you must be clear about what it is you expect in return. Only then can we possibly decide."