!!! You guys wrote a lot!!! T-T
Well, thanks. But I'll be better able to surprise our ennemies this way
(Yes, Isen can be focused, monomaniacal and quite oblivious.. A man, one would say 
)
If Diameter durations spells are permanent, too, Isen will do just that. Fatigueless casting = no botch chance 
Isen seems... 
Err... No, that's not that at all, I can assure you.
He will look at tranquillina and Fiona's multiple spellcasting with befuddlement, waiting patiently until everyone's ready.
((No one said anything about storming the volcano? I am disappoint.))
((Fiona's got an entirely different kind of volcano to deal with ))
A number of ZZ Top songs are now running through my head...
((oh I missed this before))
Think this group of ersatz giants will ever get started? Tranquillina bemoans to herself, It would take a miracle.
"Ignitio, if I may," she says tersely, laying a fingertip upon the drake's tail. Using bigbig words and gestures (ok, then she lays the fingertip), she attempts to use Eye of the Sage to see Marcus and what's around him. ((Sta -3 + In 6 + Co 27 + words/gestures 2 + Talisman (eyes) 6 + Mastery 1 + aura 12 (?) + stress die 5 = 56. Penetration: 56 - 30 + (Penetration 2 + Mastery 1) x (1 + Arcane Connection 4 + name 1) = 26 + 3 x 6 = 44.))
Mrcus is sitting criss-cross applesauce[1] in a confined area. Everyonce in a while there is a flash of bright reddish light.
How long is Tranquillina going to concentrate?
[1]Well, as much as anyone can do that when their legs end at the knee.
Hmmm, I guess she'll concentrate a minute or two. (Concentration isn't her forte to begin with, and in her mind a spell should just last as long as it needs to by itself.) Plus Ignitio may or may not like the touching part.
But she will shoot the second barrel of her scrying shotgun: The Ear for Distant Voices, again using the drake as an AC. ((Sta -3 + In 6 + Im 10 + words/gestures 2 + Mastery 1 + aura 12 + stress die 9 - Vis Allergy 1** = 36. Penetration 36 - 20 + bonus 18 as before* = 34.)) If the spell works, she'll again concentrate for just a minute or two, unless there's some reason to continue like an ongoing conversation.
"I can see Marcus, sitting cross-legged and still, in ... perhaps a small cell," she reports to the others after the first spell, choking a little bit as the supernatural taste of Ignitio's vis hits her throat. "The lighting is poor, but there are occasional flashes of ... fire? illuminating him. He does not seem to be physically harmed."
Tranquillina sees him start to scratch out a message, "Bitter Taste of..." but then her concentration fails.
When the Ear for Distant Voices kicks in Tranquillina can hear a voice whispering. "Better spell. There are 8 fire giants that have me locked away. The "regular" giant chief has a device that can bring you to the volcano. When you arrive, be prepared for battle. I will attempt to mount a diversion, contact me again right before your arrive to coordinate. My magic is completely ineffective against them, though. I can escape my present circumstance, but we need the device you'll use to get here to get back."
((This is getting exciting!))
Tranquillina gasps at the unexpected information, and her concentration on the second spell lapses. She sits there, pausing in thought (probably annoyingly long), putting the pieces of the puzzle together as best she can. Whistling appreciatively, she murmurs, "That Marcus is a clever lad."
Finally acknowledging the others, Tranquillina explains. "Marcus has put himself under the effect of an old Quaesitorial spell, Bitter Taste of Betrayal, which my House helped them invent to aid in their investigations. Perhaps he will have me Marched for this particular betrayal later," she quips, "but for the moment, he was able to detect my spells and, knowing we were listening, give us valuable intelligence."
"It seems Marcus has gotten himself imprisoned in a volcano, guarded by eight fire giants. There is a device of some sort that can transport us to his place of capture, and out again; but the device is in the hands of another band of giants ... um, he called them 'regular' giants, so non-fiery I suppose. The proposed plan is to acquire this transportation device, then bespell Marcus again in warning so that he can mount a diversion as we enter, ready for a fight. I take it his Ignem prowess is of no use against his captors."
Tranquillina ponders for a moment. "I believe I can communicate a short message to him. What ought we say, other than that we understand?"
Isen is glad to know marcus is okay, and grateful for the information.
That's pretty good news. Ask him if he knows where this device can be found, or where can we find info on it. Just knowing it exists is useless to us. Also, any information on our ennemies might be good. Their number and strengths, for exemple.
...
I realize you've got no way to communicate with him. Can you spont a simple Creo Imaginem spell at this range, or do you need me to do it? Working together, I can ask questions, and you can get the answers.
Tranquillina sniffs haughtily (and much more loudly than she would in non-giant form). "I do not need anyone else to communicate with Marcus, as I believe I already said," she huffs at Isen. "But if you would prefer to spont a simple spell of your own, by all means, be my guest." She motions peremptorily towards the drake, maintaining eye contact with the blond magus.
((Don't worry Fixer, you're all good - Tranq's just a little delicate sometimes :mrgreen: ))
Isen looks at tranquillina's coldly
You would do well to speak kindly to those who offer their help, lest you turn friends into ennemies.
Now, if you're fine tiring yourself and risking twilight to cast 2 simple spells*, as you say by all means, please, do. I wouldn't dream of depriving you of this please.
Tranquillina grumbles at Isen's plan, but even an eighteen-foot-tall pouting maga can't change the fact that it makes the most sense. She touches Ignitio's tail and casts again The Ear for Distant Voices*, now ready to concentrate as best she can to maintain the spell during the "conversation". "I will repeat his words aloud immediately only if you need the answer to decide what question to next ask ... this way the spell will last as long as possible." ((Stress die is a 2; doing the same calculation yields a Penetration total of 27.))
Isen will repeat his questions in order:
And how is Isen asking the question? And does his spell penetrate? He's basically creating the effect at Marcus, and it requires penetration. I'm doing this this time, I don't want to have to do it in the future.
CrIm Base 1, Create an "image" that affects a single sense (hearing). We will not do complexity
R:Arc, D:Conc, T:Ind, that's a total of 4+1=5; 5+5 (Base 1)=10
Isen's Casting Score is
(Cr 19 + Im 2 + Sta 1 + aura 12)/2=17
He has a total of 22 (43/2=21.5 which rounds to 22)
22-10+( Penetration 2 +Specialty 1)x (1+ AC 4 + name 1)= 12 + 3 * 6 = 30
The spell penetrates.
It's with the giant chief who lives in the hall where Jurgen and Captivius were being held.
"It's a long, silver chain."
((Already answered, twice.))
"Here with me? At least five. There, i couldn't tell you."
"Not that I know of."
(Oh. I thought tranquillina was gonna cast the 2 spells after what we said, this is why I rolled nothing.)
She can't maintain concentration on two spells at the same time. And gerg was pretty clear:
She can barely maintain concentration on one spell at the same time 
But Tranquillina was giving mixed messages, sorry about that.
She faithfully relays Marcus's answers to the others present. Tranquillina's magical eavesdropping hears the quiet disembodied words Isen's spell creates at Marcus, and also Marcus's murmured replies; to her slight embarrassment, she finds herself whispering his words as well.
So, does anyone know where this hall is? Fiona? Is it heavily guarded? Can we approach it stealthily or not?
If the grogs can speak enough Latin, and they were the same grogs brought the last time, which I think they are...they know...