((Where are you getting 11 botch dice from? If it's because of the strength of the Magic Aura, that's not applicable, since this is a same realm interaction. I'll just take the first roll, and it's a simple botch, gain a point of warping [no Twilight check] and try again.))
((I don't know why I keep thinking that you roll Aura botch dice, even if you're in the "same" realm.))
Second attempt on the InCo, after resting a couple of minutes. Casting Total of 32 + die roll of 1 (followed by a die roll of 4, for a dice total of 8 ) = 40, halved is 20, vs. a target level of 15, with any remainder to Penetration (Penetration ability of 4, for Corpus).
The only thing the InIg spell detects is that the fire was naturally and not magical, same as Marcus said. The InCo spell that Fiona botches knocks her out and when she comes to she's in the Blacksmith's home and Marcus is there.
Fiona gets up slowly and looks around her
[color=blue]"What happened?" she asks.
"I would guess a spell of yours got away from you."
[color=blue]"Well, that was embarrassing," she says as she straightens out her robe. She will wait a moment, and then try casting again (as above).
Why? Fiona is in the presence of Marcus and the Blacksmith. I should have said "restored" home.
((Because we were already in the Blacksmith's home when we cast the spells, and I only see Marcus there, not the Blacksmith, and for some reason I botched on whose ashes I thought I was casting the spell on. But if the Blacksmith is there, too, that makes a big difference.))
Fiona smiles when she realizes that Marcus isn't a charred pile of ash after all, and hugs him tightly. [color=blue]"You're alive!"
Then she sees the Blacksmith there, and jumps up in his arms, kissing him warmly. [color=blue]"We made it back, Blacksmith," she smiles. [color=blue]"Sorry it took so long."
"It would be an amazing fire to turn me into ash..." Marcus supplies cheerfully, "When you returned with Wilhelm, I was attempting to intercept you, but it took too much time, and then you had that spell misfire." Only Fiona and Marcus are with the Blacksmith.
"Sometime after you two returned I was visited by the giant chief and his liege a giant of fire. The fire giant penetrated my outer defenses, which you see are now charred, and I retreated into this place. Luckily for you, he was too large to visit you directly at your home, but he was able to see as I do into the mundane world..."
[color=blue]"Why would he want to come to me?" Fiona muses.
[color=blue]"And you can see into the mundane world? As can the fiery giant? Is that something anybody can do, or just you two?"
She looks around the place, maybe looking out any windows or incinerated doors into the realm. [color=blue]"How long ago did this happen, and why haven't they been back yet?"
"I think you misunderstand, when I say you I mean all of you, not you in particular, Fiona. Although, you could ignite a different kind of fire within him, I have no doubt." The Blacksmith flashes Fiona a knowing smile, "Time is difficult to measure here. It happened closer to your leaving this realm than to your current visit. More specific than that, I can't really say. Iosephus was with him, too."
Fiona can't hide her surprise at this revelation. [color=blue]"Iosephus was with the giants? Did he look like he was with them willingly, or even aiding them somehow?"
She looks around a little more. [color=blue]"So, it should be safe to go out there, then, do you think? And...if those ashes weren't Marcus, what were they? And did anyone see where the others went?"
"Well, the fire giant didn't call him Iosephus. I couldn't hear what they called him, but it started with an 's' I think. As to whether it's safe? That's something that's difficult to answer."
Marcus interrupts, "The ashes were from a real fire, they weren't me, or even a person, but ash and char from a burned building. Wilhelm and the grogs are waiting patiently for us to return while we chat with the Blacksmith. They haven't gone anywhere, but we have, into this inner domain the Blacksmith has created for himself."
((sorry, for some reason I totally forgot about this thread...))
[color=blue]"So, for some reason, he is...attempting to make his way to the mortal world, and knows that the best way is through your demesnes. And he apparently has one of our former sodales under his thrall, whether willingly or otherwise. And when they couldn't get through the first time, they apparently retreated. They could be anywhere in the magic realm, but the smart money would be where they could keep an eye on the Blacksmith's abode. And we would still have to get past, or through, them before we can even start to look for the Diedne, if they're still in the Magic Realm somewhere. That pretty much sum it up?"
"Yes and no. Iosephus seemed rather troubled, and he seemed to be giving the Fire Giant commands. Who commands a King?" Appearing to change the subject, "Where has Iosephus's apprentice gone?"
((Do you mean Iosephus, or Silviatos?))
((If Iosephus:)) Fiona thinks for a moment. [color=blue]"I don't remember him having an apprentice...at least, not while he was at Mons Electi."
((If it's Silviatos:)) [color=blue]"He's in Iberia, at the Covenant of the Phoenix. Why?"
"Iosephus spoke of his apprentice, about leaving him, but thinking that Mons Electi was a good place for him to be and that he would be taken care of."
((No, I [as the SG] am not confused.))
((Just checking, since, as best I can recall, Iosephus didn't have an apprentice.))
Fiona thinks for a moment.[color=blue] "I don't remember him having an apprentice...at least, not while he was at Mons Electi. Did he say anything about his apprentice? His name, where he found him, anything?"
"No, not to my recollection. Although his German accented Latin was pretty strong, so I would imagine somewhere east of the Rhine. Why?
[color=blue]"I'm just trying to figure out who he meant by his apprentice." Fiona rubs her fingertip against her lips as she thinks. [color=blue]"Ulrich is German, but he was Silviatos's; he belongs to Ra'am now. Otto is German, too, but I don't believe he's Gifted."
Int 1 + die roll of 9 = 10. Fiona's trying to remember who among the covenant, particularly Iosephus's people, are/were German.