"Oh, all right," Wen says with a pout as she scuffs the ground. She does keep looking back and groans as she leaves, afraid that she's missing the best party in the history of forever.
"For the best...
Once that's settled, she'll explain the situation to Mufarjj and Wen, and establish a code phrase for them to use if, at the end of a season, they think something fishy is going on. If they think they'll need to force Somnifer into the mirror, then they should work "bounty" into a sentence (eg, "Have you been enjoying your bounty of books?")
Then she'll bide them adeiu for now, and do the swap.
"Sounds good." Mufarjj says simply.
When Viscaria returns to the shack and places her hand on the mirror onto Somnifer's reflection. She's struck by a moment of vertigo lights seem to flash and her perspective alters slightly. Additionally, she feels the tell-tale tingle of a foreign Aegis. "Mnemnos will be able to invite you into the Aegis and provide you a token. We have prepared some long disused guest quarters for you, and I've placed my wife's journals there. Finally, you may make full use of our library."
Doh! I completely forgot to determine the nature of the aura first.
When Mnemnos arrives, she is still staring in open-mouthed shock at the mirror.
How long is she going to wait?
Not entirely sure. She just waits until the shock passes, and then goes exploring, if nobody has shown up.
((I take it Viscaria is the only one who passes through?))
Wen waits next to Mufarjj and Vin, rocking up and down on the balls of her feet as Somnifer emerges from the mirror and Viscaria disappears, watching him intently.
No one arrives. She leaves the other half of the shack, which appears better maintained on this side. The darkness of the forest seems even more oppressive here and it seems as if a persistent gloom hangs over the valley. There are several stone buildings present, and several people going about their daily business.
((Viscaria is the only one.))
Wen and Mufarjj heard the exchange, as well as Vin, but Vin is the only one who understand the significance of it. As soon as he's said it, he's out the door, with Mufarjj and Vin in close proximity. "In the morning, we will begin travelling to Confluensis. I need a formal recognition from the Presiding Quaesitor, since I have been absent from Tribunals for so long..."
She will critically examine the architecture and the people for several minutes.
invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3615024/
Per 0 + Prof:Architect 2 + die roll (1*8=16) = 18
Per 0 + Folk Ken 1 (+ body language 1) + die roll 0 (no botch) = 2
Per 0 + Craft:Stone 3 + dwarf affinity 1 +die roll 5 = 9
Vin has no OoH Lore, but was on duty when Viscaria attended the Normandy Tribunal. He may recall the name of this person, but is far too taciturn to reveal if he does.
Wen follows close behind. She doesn't know what anyone is saying, but it sounds important.
Wen should pick up levels of OoHLore with all she goes through, with the caveat that she doesn't know anyone's actual name, or what anyone ever said.
Yeah, and she should probably have someone teach her Latin, too.
Now you're being ridiculous. She makes herself perfectly well understood as she is.
Very serviceable buildings, well built, appears to have been built by magic. They are primarily sandstone. No one is paying Viscaria any attention. Oddly a few walk extremely close to hear and appear to be on a collision course, but change their direction at the last minute to avoid bumping into her. As Viscaria adjusts to the scene she sees people employing magical tools to do a number of their daily tasks. A building is being repaired, and stones are being carried on something floating effortlessly through the air being pulled along by one person. Mortar is being mixed in a bucket that appears to be turning without anyone actually doing the work of turning it. In the distance she can here the clang and noise associated with a blacksmith.
The largest building is immediately before Viscaria, across a square/public area from the shack she just left. People are going in and out of it rather regularly.
"That!" she murmurs to herself. "We need exactly that for the Tribunal."
After the second or third person narrowly avoids her, she'll leap in front of the fourth person (one of the masons repairing the building), just as he steps away. "YOU!" she bellows. "Notice me. Pay attention to me."
Assuming he is capable of that, she will calm down. "That's better. Now, where is Mnemnos?"
"Where do you think he'd be? In his lab, of course." He resumes his previous activity before coming to realize that Viscaria is unfamiliar to him. He quickly turns back towards here and says to her, "Wait, who are you?"
((What time of day did the transfer take place, at one point you had suggested noon, I'm going with that, unless there's an objection.))
"I'm someone who knows what it is like to live in a cage, and who has just staked her future on a bet that Magus Somnifer is someone who keeps his bargains, even in the face of great temptation.
"Viscaria Lynchis, by name. It is a pleasure to meet you. Whom do I have the honor of speaking to?
She'll chat the man up aimiably, recalling the years spent locked in Norbert's sanctum. At least these people haven't been subjected to ethically questionable experiments....or rather, she has no reason to suspect they have yet.
The man is dressed in deep and dark rich blue and his skin is chalky white, almost appearing as if dust might fall from him if you were to strike him hard. His white hair covers his eyes, but he pushes his hair aside and says, "You have the honor of speaking to your host. I am Candidus, and you have entered my realm. I watched your exchange with Somnifer with some delight. You were the first one brave enough to agree to his request to trade places. Not even his filius would make the exchange with him. What drives you, Viscaria?"
Viscaria curtsies deeply (Presence +1 + Charm 2 + Specialty: Faeries 1 + die roll 2 = 6), but is too surprised and overcome with emotions to do so gracefully. The day has been a whirlwind of events -- discovering the man who claims to be her father, offering a treasure trove of knowledge she had been seeking her entire life, the desperate gamble she took in trading places with him, and now to meet a Fae Lord who seems at least equal to the dwarven king who raised her so long ago!
She recalls brief moments of her ill-conceived return to the mountainhome, the way her clansmen had fled from stone inside her soul. All but her fath---all but the dwarf who had once raised her like one of his own, who named her an abomination.
Wordless in surprise for a brief but quiet detectable moment, she gathers her composure before responding.
"As I said, Lord Candidus, I know what it is like to live in a cage. Beyond that, well...the motivations of a wizardess is valuable knowledge. What would you trade to know such a thing?" She smiles, as the lessons of social discourse among the fay return to her.
(OOC: I'm basing most of my assumptions about how fair folk act on Dresden Files)
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