Vibria seems surprised, but then nods knowingly. [color=red]"Of course. I should have realized that one can't become as great and powerful as you have without becoming incredibly insightful.
"I take it, then, that you know why I'm here. I'm sure that you know that the Pax Draconis has fallen. A worm* by the name of Abur-circirlie is usurping your authority, and convincing those who should know better that you're dead. And those who doubt that you can't be killed, he's telling that your rumored existence is a trick of the magi. Which, of course, is utter rubbish, since there's not a magus, or even a group of magi, who could come close to mimicking your splendor and grandeur.
"Abur-circirlie is too powerful for us to stop. Even more that he has an army of scale-lickers at his beck and call. The damage he would wreak on the world if unchecked is unimaginable to the mortal mind.
"Fetiluscaviceps, we need your help to defeat Abur-circirlie." Vibria drops to her knees, hands clasped before her. [color=red]"We are begging for your help. Please. Abur-circilie must be stopped, and only you can do so."
The pun probably doesn't work as well in Latin as in English, but she's using the word vermis instead of draco. Yeah...totally loses everything in the translation.
Heh. I am not as powerful or as insightful as you think. But my guess is correct as well as yours. When this all broke loose, I had expected the magi would come seeking me out sooner or latter.
But I am sorry. Even though I am who you think, I am not what you think. I have not assumed my birth form for centuries, and I was never that powerful to begin with. Just clever. The impersonators, they were ever so much more powerful than I! And yes, there were impersonators. Tremere himself was the first, and there was that Flambeau seeker.
To face Abur in direct conflict, he would kill me in seconds! Plus I have sworn a vow to Holy God to remain in human form. Forever until doomsday or until he calls me somehow. It is not easy to redeem your soul when you are a being of magic. An old friend of mine, we used to debate and he rejected the notion of the draconic soul."We are cosmic beings of magical energy, manifest eternal by the will of the universe" old Sig used to say. But I have seen a different way of life and i cannot turn my back on it. I must have faith that there is another way.
Vibria cocks her head curiously. [color=red]"Sig?" she asks. [color=red]"You mean my grandfather, Sigmundo?"
She shakes her head. [color=red]"Far be it from me to suggest that you should do anything to endanger your immortal soul like stand between Abur and the destruction of Europe. But, on the other hand, I can't stand idly by while countless thousands are sent to meet their maker before their intended time.
"If you can't face him directly, can you help us indirectly? You probably know Abur as well, if not better, than anyone else. What advice can you give us to help us stop him?"
All things proceed according to the design of the grand architect. No one goes before their time, just perhaps a time the rest of us are not ready for. As for advice, the best I can give you is to tell you his greatest weakness. Hubris. Pride makes stars of us all until we fall for everyone to see. You can use that to surprise him, or perhaps weaken his resolve by embarrasing him. His might is of the tenth magnitude, if you have a ward that strong. If you think it would help with you magic, I have his tooth. A souvanier from his fight with Tremere when he pretended he was me. Here. And take this ring to. It was my wife's. She was a mortal, passed on a few hundred years ago. It has a single simple enchantment that allows the wearer to assume a draconic shape. It was a gift from Tremere himself, though I don't think he made it.
Vibria purses her lips thoughtfully at the gift of Abur-circirlie's tooth. She knows just enough to know how incredibly useful it is...and how much more useful it would be if she knew better how to apply it.
[color=red]If...when I return to Andorra, I really must spend some time studying the Penetration books. And hear his story about Abur-circirlie's battle with Tremere. That sounds incredibly fascinating.
Then he gifts her with his late wife's ring, that would let her do what she's wanted to do for years, and she's overwhelmed. She throws her arms around Felix and gives him a long hug, with a huge grin and crying happily. [color=red]"It is beautiful, Felix! I promise that I will use it well."
She steps back, thinking again about the tooth and penetration.
[color=red]"You don't happen to know Abur-circirlie's birth name, do you? Or whether I'm related to him by blood?"
Felix is a bit surprised by the sudden hug, but eases into it. [b]That is his birth name, a fusion of names of his parental lineages. And you, if you are indeed of the blood of ol' Ziggy, then no relation. You, dear child, are of the Chthonic line of SuGarr. This does not necessarily mean what you may think. But this is the reason that, if Sig is involved, he cannot take direct action. The followers of Abur-circirlie would view him as an infiltrator and instigator allied with the Infernal Dragons.
You should ask your grandfather to explain your lineage to you one day. It is quite complicated and interesting.
...
Most important, have faith. You are of dragon blood, but of human heart and soul. Maybe I am a primal force of magic as tour grandfather says. But you are not. Remember that, lest you loose sense of yourself.
I shall pray for you, and trust that I will be watching. The fate of nations hangs in the balance. You must-not-fail!
Now God-Speed. Go and deliver this message to Abur-circirlie. Use the ring to alter your appearance when you do so.[/b]
He hands you a scroll tied with a colored string and sealed with wax imprinted with his symbol.
[color=red]"I promise you, Felix, that I shan't fail. If nations fall before Abur-Circirlie, it will only be because I have fallen first."
Vibria takes her leave (after having Felix explain how to activate the ring), with Abbie's tooth and the scroll in her hands, and slipping the ring onto her finger for safe-keeping.
When she returns to the ship, she calls the others (and Jaksic) to council.
[color=red]"Fetiluscaviceps could not help us directly. But he has given us the tools, I believe, that will allow us to wipe the blight of Abur-Circirlie from the face of the earth forever. He have given us this," she says as she slams the tooth on the table top, [color=red]"which is Abur-Circilie's. I also learned that that is his birth-name, which we can use against him. Unless one of you knows enough about the stars to make his horoscope when the time comes, that may be all we have to help us get through his magical defenses, but it's more than we had yesterday.
"He's also given me a message to deliver in person, in draconic form. I don't know what the message is, but every little bit helps. All we have to do now is find him. Sodales, what do you think?"
One of the Tremere soldiers with you, Ugelli, he happens to be a Leadworker. Excellent. With this tooth and knowledge of the animals true name, I can craft a katadesmoi. A representation that can greatly amplify penetration if need be. Though I am not sure if I have a spell strong enough to make use of it properly. I am mostly a necromancer. Work with ghosts and winds and ephemeral magics. Illusions too. Suffice to say, I think the tablet I create is best suited for the use of a more powerful maga such as yourself, General.
Well, that went better than expected, although I hoped for more.
Like Ugelli, there's little I can do here. We run into the problem I raised at the generals meeting: Even assuming they can penetrate, physical spells will barely, if at all, hurt a dragon. We might try to destroy their essence, but some of them, especially the most potent ones, can survive this, becoming only mundane monsters. Even then, this might take too much time, as we'd need to first deplete his magical reserves, before striking at its very nature.
No, I'm beginning to think our best chance lies in you using the ring to change into a dragon with sufficient penetration to fight him, and beat him into submission. I wouldn't worry about Penetration, though: If the Founder used this beforehand, it must have sufficient built-in penetration for our purposes.
As for the teeth... I am quite skilled with Penetration, so, if you give it to me beforehand, I can work through an Intangible Tunnel, slowly depriving it of its magical energies so that it won't be able to use its powers against you.
We might even be able to create a small ambush in which you'd draw it, while we'd weaken it with our arbalests and ballista.
That way, if you beat him, you might be able to cower his faction into submission, maybe even end the war, whereas just killing him would only stall things until a new leader emerges.
[color=red]"Wonderful," Vibria mutters. [color=red]"So, all we have to do is kill him, then we can use the Arcane Connections to...to..." Her voice trails off as an idea comes to her, and she purses her lips thoughtfully for a moment.
[color=red]"That dragon we killed in the pass back there. Do you think you would be able to raise his spirit, maybe we can use it as a last-ditch weapon against Abbie?"
[color=red]"As did I. But he has given us useful tools, so we weren't exactly turned away at the door."
Vibria nods thoughtfully. [color=red]"I only wish that I had time to practice with the draconic form. Perhaps, if he lets me keep the ring. I can get better with it." Vibria shakes her head to snap herself out of the wistful funk she could feel building and returns to the matter at hand.
[color=red]"That sounds like an excellent idea, Kenza. Let's get started on that, hopefully by the time we arrive where he is, you will have weakened him to the point that I can defeat him and still return my body to my fiancé intact."
Oooh, that's a wonderful idea! Since we can access the remains, this should give a potent enough Arcane Connection for this. At worst, this should distract our ennemy, give you an edge. Well-thought, sodales
It is a go, then. All we have to do now is find code A.
[color=red]"I'm glad you like it," Vibria says. She turns to the pilot and has him set a course back to where they will (hopefully) find the dead dragon so they can work their magic on it, at best speed.
En route, she looks at the ring that Felix gave her, fighting the temptation to use it. After the better part of a day, she succumbs and finds Sigmundo, taking him to the stern of the ship.
[color=red]"Anything I should know about changing shape, Grandfather?"
Sigmundo did not come with you. Remember the tearful goodbye? It is as Felix told you, he must not be seen as being part of this. It is up to Vibria!
But this is a Tremere Air Ship, owned and operated by the House and Tribunal. It is of course equipped with a Mirror of Communication.
[size=85]Don't ask me how it works.[/size]
It is not a matter of what you are doing, but how it is being done. You are a wizard. You can invent spells to change shape. It is as natural to you as it is to me.
That ring is the thing. I do not know that much about it, but I did know Felix's wife. Forgot her name. But you are not her, it is not your ring, and you are not a dragon! She would get a little loopy on the ring sometimes. But she was a woman of grace, could exert self control as needed. Felix got the ring from Tremere. That guy got it from somewhere else, through Verditius I think but it is possibly non-Hermetic. Look at it, the design is ornate but barbarian, before the fall of Rome. I remember that because I was curious, looking at it while having dinner with them back in...? Whatever. I was curious and asked if I could have a closer look, Willamina hissed. That was her name! Mina. She hissed and accused me of coveting her ring. Then she got a grip, apologized, but still refused to take it off so I could look at it.
Ummm...
Have you put it on yet?
In other news, there are no signs of the rainbow dragon to be found. Just flowers of fabulous color blooming atop the rubble right at that spot. Faerie Vis. 3 pawns Imaginem. The Faerie served it's purpose and yielded it's roll, dissolving its pretense of a corporeal form and leaving vis behind.
I think that is how faeries work. Don't have that book. Feel free to correct me if I erred and I will retcon it.
[color=red]"Of course," she says as she holds up her hand to show Sigmundo (assuming it also shows images). [color=red]"I put it on as soon as we got back on board. Rings are made to be worn, aren't they? It's not as nice as the one Jaksic got me, but...
"Thank you, Grandfather. I love you and I'll see you soon."
When she's finished talking to Sigmundo, she goes to the stern of the ship, looking out at the landscape below her as she fidgets with the ring, going over the instructions Felix (presumably) gave her on how to activate and deactivate it. After a while, she finds Jaksic and tells him that she is going to try the ring out. She returns to the stern and casts a spontaneous Creo Imaginem spell[sup]1[/sup] to create a shimmering crimson curtain between her and anyone who might be watching. She then disrobes (sheh doesn't want to risk destroying her clothes when she changes), climbs over the railing, takes a deep breath, then leaps into the sky. Once she's clear of the ship, she activates the ring.
Sounds good to me. At least we have Faerie vis. And as commanding general, she gets to pocket that, right?
[color=red]"Ah, well. It was worth a thought."
[hr][/hr][sup]1[/sup] The effect is a Base 1 to create an image that affects a single sense, R: Voice +2, D: Concentration +1, T: Individual, +1 for size (to make it about 8' tall and as wide as the ship is at that point) for a final Spell Level of 5. Her CT is Sta 2 + Cr 10 + Im 0 + die roll of 9 = 21, halved is 11. So, it works. Too well. Let's see...Chaotic Magic. How about instead of just a crimson curtain, it's crimson embroidered with flames that ripples in a breeze (the curtain, that is...not the embroidered flames).
Reckless.
You twist the ring, your ring, and your body starts to mutate and change, Your limbs grow large, your chest expands, your neck grows longer, your face elongates, you sprout extra limbs from your back that are wings, your skin hardens and grows pearl like scales, claws and teeth and shining eyes. Quite attractive as dragons go.
You plummet, then swoop skyward, spewing forth a gout of your fiery breath.
Reckless would have been doing that without telling anybody...which I seriously considered doing.
Draco-Vibria grins broadly, all her teeth showing as she whoops and hollers with delight at being able to actually fly on her own. Well, with the ring, but still. And she is so unbelievably happy. The only thing that would make her happier would be if Jaksic were on her back. But then she remembers the last time Jaksic rode a dragon, and decides she's better with him on the ship. Maybe if he were to ride her more often, get used to it...hmmm. And then her mind wanders off into wondering what laying with him would be like. Then she realizes (as she almost plows into a...something,she's not sure what, as she only got a glimpse of it. Might have been a large bird, might have been a griffin, who knows?) that she should pay more attention to what she's doing. After a long time of stretching her wings and getting a feel for how things work, she pulls up next to the ship and decides to try talking.
[color=red]"Ahoy!" she yells. [color=red]"How much farther until we make landfall? Or land, I'm not sure if 'fall' is a word I want to use with this ship. And could you tell the crew not to look at the back of the ship for a few minutes? I want to try to land and change back, and I'm not really decent."
A mirror with a place for an AC to another mirror. Each mirror has a small set of fixed AC to it (That's what you do with apprentices!)
It uses a CrIm effect to create your image and your sound in the other mirror, at AC range, just as if you were there.
So once vibria signals her presence, her grandfather activates his own device, and the image in Vibria's mirror is replaced by her grandfather's.
We need to move this along and bring it to a close. You are now in the region of Abur's cave and his clutch of followers.
What precautions and proceedures are to be employed?
Hmm. First trick, obviously, would be to weaken Abbie to where, if we have to magically attack him, we can get past his MR. So...Kenza (or whomever) can cast Magic Might strippers through the Arcane Connections, and prepare for a barrage of dragon-hurting-until-he-dies spells. Or hurting-until-he-cries-Uncle.
Ideally, she would like some way for them to observe her from afar, so they can do something if things go south.
Once that's ready, she will use the ring to transform into the dragon, take Felix's (still-sealed) letter, and fly to Abur-Circirlie's hideout.
Once she alights, she calls out, [color=red]"Abur-Circilie! I demand parley!"
