"That is a possibility, and if need be we can do that, but I get a feeling you're more comfortable in your own skin, plus, I would love to see what it feels like to have a body like yours." That said, she goes outside to find one her fellow Magi, and let them know she's going with Elephant-slayer to explore the area.
Lares is heading towards his laboratory, meets Okeannetis on the way, and nods at the news.
"Be careful, though. Our little expedition earlier may not have seen anything dangerous, but that doesn't mean there isn't anything dangerous there."
"I appreciate your concern, but Elephant-Killer tell me that most creatures tend to flee his kind, so I should be safe enough." She doesn't elaborate that she plans to take a similar shape. Best to keep some surprises...
Silas looks through the scripts, perhaps the reason for his past-future selfās anger and violence could be explained by some ordeal. Once satisfied he organizes the scripts in their own little pile where he can find them later.
I am afraid these scripts are all but useless now. Well sooner or later I will have to contact my House either way, and my confraternityā¦ I have time thinking of excuses and explanations in the meanwhile. One mystery I could perhaps skip the script of.
He approaches the wooden man within his laboratory thoughtfully.
Automata. I could follow Icilius the Traitor footsteps just a littleā¦ Wouldnāt even be very hard, just contact a fellow Verditius maga and buy a tractus or get them to teach meā¦ But I shouldnāt forget the fate of Icilius. Well itās too early to worry about this, itās nothing that I need to do now either way. First, I should learn everything I can about what happened.
Silas approaches the wooden man who, in the absence of orders does nothing. You know from your lab notes that he is a competent (ability 6) woodcarver that you apparently used as an assistant, possibly as a form of forge companion.
(OOC: Iām moving Laresā business here from the library thread)
Having looked through his lab, Lares goes back outside and asks around for someone who could translate between Latin and Arabic.
Okeannetis leads Elephant-Killer outside the covenant grounds, and then asks him to change her into a monocerous form.
She relishes in the musculature and perspective of the form, before starting out, to explore the area around the covenant.
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Lares is able to find an Arabic translator fairly quickly, a young man who is fairly proud of his mastery of Latin.
Okeannetis is transformed into a Monocerous and begins exploring what turns out to be a labyrinthian series of valleys between the various peaks.
Lares bows his head slightly.
āPerhaps you remember me ā I am Lares, one of the magi, although presently somewhat invigorated. I am afraid my memory is not what it used to be, though ā who might you be, and what services do you perform for the covenant?"
"I am Rashid ism Rashid, I... remember studying to be a scribe, what I actually did before regaining my youth I cannot say."
"Pleasure to meet you, Rashid. I am hoping to hear how the Arabic speakers of the covenant are faring with this bizarre situation. I would be pleased if you could help me by translating."
Lares will try to organize a similar thing as with the Berbers - ask the children who was the last leader, and then go see if anyone would contest Rashid if he were to start taking the reins. Then ask him to start seeing that everybody knows what their tasks are, that they start reporting any concerns they have to him, etc. Try to promote a leader among them that could then respond to Lares.
As you gather together the arabs you find there are only a dozen of them in the covenant. The youngest identify Salim abu Rashid as the leader, but the person they (eventually) identify as that person does not recognize that as his name and does not speak Latin beyond a few phrases (ability score:1).
Lares addresses them collectively and asks Rashid to translate.
āAs you will have noticed, all adult members of this covenant have lost parts of their lives, abilities, and memories. We are all also in the middle of the desert here,ā
he gestures at the landscape,
āso it is imperative that we reorganize rapidly to ensure that the covenantās reproduction resumes as soon as possible. I therefore suggest that we choose one among you to represent you towards the magi and help coordinate your activities with those of the other covenfolk. This person must speak both Arabic and Latin, for which reason I propose Rashid, here, as your liaison toward the magi.ā
Since her last memories are passing her Gauntlet, and she has spent her entire apprenticeship at Fudarus, it was exhilarating, and very liberating to be able to travel freely across the land, and she urges Elephant-Killer to a few races.
But she is still looking around them, both to know the geography of the area, and to see if she can spot any vis, edible plants, or what creatures inhabit the region.
"What, other than the spells I imbued into the bond, are your capabilities? I can sense your massive strength, and the fierceness of your nature, now that I am in your shape, but while they are impressive, I would wager that there's more to you than meets the eye. You're not just an animal, but a creature of the Magic Realm, a creature of Virtue."
"I am stronger than the typical Monocerous, have more endurance, and tougher hide. I can also make the earth tremble."
Okeannetis looks at Elephant-Killer with admiration "Make the earth tremble? and even stronger and tougher than a normal Monocerous? You are truly a wonder my friend, and I am very glad to have the chance to know you, again. How far away does the earth tremble when you use your power?"
"For as far as I can see."
Looking through the eyes of a monocerous yourself you realize that is not quite as impressive as it sounds.
"Interesting, so if I can cast a spell that improves your sight, it would affect an even greater range?" The possibilities were tantalizing. "What happens to you? Do you suffer from the trembling of the earth?"
He pauses "I do not know if my sight defines how far the earth will tremble, or if they just have teh same range. I do not notice suffering when the earth trembles."
Okeannetis does her best to smile as a Monocerous "Let us try it. Take some distance away from me, and activate your power. Afterwards, come back, and change me back to my human form, and then I will cast a spell to improve your sight, and we'll see if it increases the range."
OOC: i assume such a spell would be MuAn Base 4, Touch, Concentration, Individual with +1 for size, so MuAn15.
Assuming we're outside the covenant's Aura, as a Ceremonial Spontaneous Spell, I have +26 to cast it, before the die roll.