In the middle of the Night , in fact at Midnight Wirth and Clara are woken by a sudden chill through their bedchamber, waking they see the translucent image of a skeletal figure draped in the tatterred remains of robes. It seems to have floated through the wall and has clearly overcome the aegis
Uh-Oh...
Reacting instinctively, if not at all wisely, Wirth quickly puts himself between the apparition and his wife, even though he probably can't do much against this apparition.
Fear engulfs him. Not for his life, but fear to lose his beloved.
And he can't do much against this apparition, save make some quick gestures and (without words, but silent casting) casting a "Hide from the Prying Eyes" spell (boosted at touch range through FFM) on his wife while whispering:[color=red]
Clara!! Get out of here, fast!
And then? Try to hold the thing's attention. Using his more commanding voice, trying to sound full of confidence after being surprised by such a sudden visitor:
[color=red]Who are you to disturb me in the middle of the night?
[color=red]"Pray that you never find out who I am. I have come bearing a message for Wirth of Flambeau.
The spirit seems to Ignore Clara as she leaves , and now Wirth views it more closely he thinks he see's an hourglass symbol on the buckle of it's belt.
[color=green]Wirth
Interior Sigh. Whatever happens now, at least she's safe. From immediate harm, at least.
[color=red]Well, you're a curious messenger. But that's me.
Little pause, give some time to clara to go to a safe place. Say something!!!
[color=red]Excuse me, I'm curious sometimes. But I forget my duties. Make yourself confortable.
Please, tell me. What kind of creature are you, and who would go to such lengths to send me a message?
[color=red]"Marrissa sends her apologies as to the delay in providing this information .There where some unrelated unconnected problems which diverted her attention.
The spirit reaches within itself and produces a vellum scroll sealed with a wax seal places it on the table and then fades away leaving behind the faint scent of rotting flesh.
[color=green]Wirth
So. That's it?
I don't like this. Why go to such lenghts when we have redcaps? To impress me?
Clara!!!
I rush outside, searching for my wife
Clara is waiting outside their home, Kilica is arriving drawn by the commotion.
Roberto pokes his head otside his window (he lives in his Lab, which is on the ground floor)
[color=red]What's going on out here? Everything allright?
[color=green]Wirth
Comes to his wife, take her in his arms, while still watching his surroundings
[color=red]
I don't know. Some kind of skeletal creature pierced our aegis. It then dropped me a message from that bjornaer archmaga. I can't help but be wary, I don't like this much.
[color=red]A skeletal creature? Solid or an apparition? Hold on, I am coming out there! Let me grab my sword!
Roberto uses Wizard's Leap to go out through the window and saves some time. He is not wearin his armour or anything, just holding his flaming sword, acting all agitated and looking around for danger.
Apart from the scroll ot left behind, there is no trace of the apparition , it seems to have vanished back to where ever it came from. The Scroll is sealed with a Wax seal bearing what you take to be Marrissa's sigil although you have not seen it before . It is a very detailed image probably impressed into the wax by magic rather than a seal and seems to be of an Eagle soaring over a mountain with a skull grasped in it's talons.
[color=red]Is ths that thing where she said she knew an alternative form of longevity for Clara and you? Some variation of a Familiar bond or something? I warn you, cafefully consider what you are about to do. The change is irrevocable
[color=red]It seemed ethereal, but then, it dropped a solid parchment. We must assume it can be both.
[color=red]
I guess is it. And yes, I am very wary. I don't like this at all. Your concern is appreciated, though.
Well, I guess I should open it, then.
And with this, Wirth opens the parchment.
The Scroll starts off with a brief note from Marrissa
[color=darkred]My apologies for the late deleivery of this note to you , urgent matters interupted me and delayed my researches for which I must apologise . As It has taken me an unconcionably long time to complete this task I felt it important to deleiver the message immediatly and sadly are covenant is rarely visited by Redcaps and none of the magi where available to make a personal delivery. Given the defenses of Novus Mane against visitors I have been forced to send one of my more powerful servitors , the disturbance this will cause is regrettable but I assure you that you and your wife where in no danger as I that particular servitor would not attack one such as yourslef even if I ordered him too.
The rest of the scroll is a detailed study of astrological factors concerning wirth and Clara , concluding with an analysis of the necessary steps to complete a ritual , it will take Wirth some time to digest it.
Oddly the letter is written in several slightly different hand writing styles , with different paragraphs having slughtly different styles although the phrasing and use of words seems consistent through out the handwriting istelf is different
I show the thing to Roberto.
[color=red]
Just as I thought. This is strange, though. And why wouldn't this creature attack me?
Well, I guess I'll have to study this.
[color=red]I don't trust it. Seems too suspicious. And what's with the eclectic handwriting? Even my penmanship isn't that bad.
OCC, actually Roberto's penmanship is much worse (Scribe 0 w 2xps, specialized in copying).
[color=green]Wirth
[color=red]
Yes. I agree. But this is my only hope at the moment.
AARGH
Just spent 40 minutes writing up the ritual accidentlaly clicked the wrong thing and lost it all .
The Scroll is a complicated account of a magical ritual derived from the horoscopes of Wirth and Clara , it seems internally consistent but Wirth is not able to follow all of the magical principals involved it seems that there are a number of none hermetic elements worked into the ritual.
The Ritual provides a time and place at which it must occure , sunset at a ruined temple south east of the town of Hagios Theologos in the Byzantine empire.
To complete the ritual a number of ritual components must be brought by the couple with them to the ritual site besides these ritual components there are a couple of other rites of preperation to carry out. The ritual also requires a Priest or Priestess who knows the appropriate rites and spells, Marissa says that she can ensure such a person is available at the site .
(In stages so I cannot lose so much)
I have done that so many times. Especially when I decide to "control-z" back a long ways to copy somthing I deleted, and "control-y" all the way back to where I was to pase in the previously deleted item. It usually works, except when I forget to hit "control" and just type "y" by accident.