"What I was thinking is, we should find out how sneaky and convincing they are when no magic is involved. So I was going to set them a task. Procure an item of a certain size from somewhere within the covenant -- locate me within the covenant -- and conceal the item in the area where I am without me seeing them." Stultus smiles. "Of course, since we're attempting to create something new -- build a new custom, add another room to our House -- the item has to be mystically appropriate. Associated with building in some way. Hammer, say. Mattock. Miner's pick. Think that would be an appropriate challenge?"
[color=blue]"Hmmm...would the challenge be to secrete the item without you seeing them," Fiona says thoughtfully, [color=blue]"or without you noticing that they've hidden the item?"
"Oh, the second... although they get bonus points for managing the first."
Some of the participants will be powerful enough to do this with their Arts, despite the Aegis. How is your Intellego?
Finally acknowledging the request for an Aegis token, "We will have breakfast with Cavillor in the morning. apologies, Fiona, but it will just be the three of us."
[color=blue]"That's fine, it will give me a chance to catch up with Alips."
Fiona looks back toward the garden, and its statue. [color=blue]"Is there anything you want me to tell her...or not?"
((Does that mean Fiona has a casting token now?))
"About that? Augustina asks, indicating the statue. "That is entirely up to you. I showed the statue for you for a multitude of reasons that are my own." at that se smile enigmatically and bids the pair a good night,
(( Just to clarify -- Stultus will have to place himself in a particular area of the covenant for the next challenge. Both of you know exactly which area that's going to be, right?))
Swing the clue by 4.
The garden with the statue, of course. So as to have hammers and picks and things conveniently and coincidentally laying around when we show the statue to Allips.
And the intention is to leave these for Alips alone to use?
The intention is to have them handy if she chooses to snatch one up and go to town. They'll probably figure in a later game too, at some point.
Not sure what you mean by 'Alips alone' in this context...
Ok, I just wanted to see if it was as obvious as it was appearing. To which Augustina adds, "If you put the tools for destruction so close at hand, are you telling her you want to destroy the statue? Might she chose to destroy the statue to please her friends? Is it a genuine thought of her own? Do you think she is incapable of finding a hammer on her own, here at Confluensis? What you're doing is putting yourself between beloved rivals. Fiona can probably see this better, because she is a woman. And perharps, I am somewhat offended, as a woman, myself, but leading her down the primrose path to the statue of Valerian, with tools to be at her disposal, should she wish to destroy the statue. Doesn't that seem, well, condescending? Perhaps, because you are a man, and you like to fix things, you think this is being helpful. But you are toying with Alips emotions here. Her love for Praxiteles and her hate for Valerian are embodied within the statue. It is possible that with the tools so readily at hand, she destroys the statue, for the wrong reasons."
[color=blue]"I can see reasons for her to destroy the statue and to leave it alone," Fiona says. [color=blue]"I don't know how many such masterpieces Praxiteles left behind. This may be the only work she would have to remember him by. On the other hand, it may be such a painful reminder of the man who murdered him that she may very well turn it to gravel. And yet again, it may remind her that she was not alone in her husband's heart...which may be a comfort, or more likely a heartbreak.
"But whatever choice she makes, she needs to make herself. Without anyone pushing her one way or the other."
She looks at Augustina. [color=blue]"I take it she hasn't seen the statue yet?"
"Oh, she has seen it, and knows about it. But she knows what happened to Valerian, so she probably believes he took it with him to Magvillus, and isn't expecting to see it here. Her feelings about the statue are going to be complex and nuanced, it may be that being confronted with it will be cathartic. Or she may find she needs to destroy it. But, as you say, it needs to come from within her, and not be suggested from without."
Fiona nods thoughtfully. [color=blue]"I see." She stands in silence for a couple of minutes, deep in thought, before she finally looks at the Tytali. [color=blue]"I assume I won't be needed anymore tonight?"
If so, she will bid them good night and make her way to Alips's room.
Stultus blinks, and nods slowly. "You are correct, sodales." He actually looks ashamed for a brief moment. Very brief.
"I will come with you to speak to Alips, if you do not mind, Fiona. I am not planning to mention the statue, never fear. And... this means I need to come up with another contest for tomorrow. Dammit."
Fiona merely nods, and walks slowly enough that Stultus has no trouble walking next to her. She looks down at him with a somber look on her face.
[color=blue]"Alips means a lot to me, sodalis," she says softly. [color=blue]"She, and to some degree her husband, opened my eyes to a lot of things that I had never seen before. I wouldn't be half the woman I am today if not for her."
She stops and turns to face the dwarf. [color=blue]"I doubt that I cried as much as she did when he was m...killed. But I meant what I said about what I hope happens to him. And whatever she decides to do with regards to that man, I'll not stand in her way. I'm hoping she'll be content to smashing a representation to pebbles. And I pray that she's not letting her grief and anger make her do things she would not otherwise do. But no matter what, I intend to be there for her, to help her through like I should have been all along."
"I hear you, Fiona." The dwarf sighs. "I haven't met Praxiteles, but I did spend rather a lot of time with his pater, and I respect the man. She's important to him, so... I'll help however I can. I just hope that she can still be helped."
[color=blue]"Me too," Fiona sighs, then resumes her journey to Alips's chamber. She stops at the door, takes a deep breath, then another to compose herself and put on the bravest face she can muster, then knocks on the door.
[color=blue]"Alips, it's Fiona. Are you busy?"
Fiona can hear Alips quietly crying. "Just a minute." Fiona can hear some splashing of water. And then a minute later she opens the door. "How was dinner?" She asks and makes the pantomime for the Parma ritual.