[Story] Dinner and a Council Meeting

Retired Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: Loch Caillte (Lost Lake)
61

The silence in the room is the calm before the storm, which can be seen slowly building on Deirdre's face. When the storm breaks, the invective causes many ears to burn (or at least, try to - your parma protects you). What she intends to do become more clearing as the rant switches to latin. "...There's not going to be enough left for the wind to blow away when I'm done! Does every creature on God's Green Earth have a welcome token for our Aegis..."

Dierdre grabs Asa. "Where are you quartered?" She asks, roughly.

With little noise, Mab walks up behind Dierdre, her expression neutral.

With a quick motion, She hits Deirdre or the top of her head with her fist. The dull >>Thud!<< is clearly heard..

Deirdre coinutes ranting for about 3 hearbeats, appearing to not even notice, then lets go of Asa's shirt, and falls over unconscious.

"Yes," she states plainly to the assembled Magi. "I just knocked Deirdre unconscious. "She has the nerve to call me a 3 centuries old teenager, when she can't even keep a lid on her temper..."

"Deirdre's temper is like the fire she embodies," Mab notes to all, with all seriousness. "Sometimes, she just needs to sit down and calm down. If our mystery guest meant to do us ill, they could've done so by now. And considering that they can walk through our Aegis, that could be considerable trouble indeed." She does not need to call Angus, he is already within the hall. "Take her to her apartments, and see that she gets a good night's rest." She says, gently. After a quick check to make sure the Deirdre is just unconscious, Angus picks her up and carries her off to her sanctum.

She reaches into a sleeve, and pulls out the flute, which she gives to Asa. "Tell your guest she can have her flute back, but only if she presents herself to us before she leaves. If you do not wish to deliver this message , I will do it for you." Mab smiles a friendly grin. "I do so enjoy meeting new people," she says.

62

At the sight and sound of Dierdre being laid low, Corvus slams the book shut and stands to confront Mab.

CORVUS
What are ye playin' at, woman? Faerie-kind or no, ye don't strike another maga of the covenant, certainly not within this place, and certainly not Dierdre. Ye're in the wrong, Mab, and ye'd do well to get ta ye room and sleep off ye high spirits.

Corvus fixes Mab with an angry determined look, while Angus, quickly makes his way out with his unconscious burden.

CORVUS
In the mornin' we'll learn more of this flute, more of Dawn, and more of the Englishman and put whatever plans we consider into action.

Now, will somebody tend to Dierdre, at least for a while? And will somebody go with Asa to return this "flute"?

63

Azaelle
"That was my intention, Corvus. Would you care to join me?"

Upon Corvus' statement that somebody should tend to Deidre, Asa, who is oddly unshaken for someone who was just now almost strangled by Diedre, kneels down next to her and prays for her quietly.

64

CORVUS
Aye, I may yet. But first, I'll walk Mab to her room if she'll go wi' me.

THe stretches out his hand as though guiding Mab to the door

I think it best, Mab.

65

Albertus is quite startled by the events that unfolded in front of his eyes. Is there anything I can help you with he asks as the others are exiting the chamber?

66

Mab's eyes go large and liquid, as she starts to stammer an explanation. It doesn't get very far, whne she simply disappears from sight.

"Milady has retired to her quarters," states Miach, from the entryway. "I shall go join her. You will understand why she did what she did, Master Corvus, when you finish that book. Or risk your life, and ask 'Deirdre', herself." The great wolf gets up and pads across the ring to the grove of trees that passes for Mab's Lab and Sanctum.

Rhiannon can only shake her head "Seen worse," she states. "At least, it's not Tytalus or Verditii plotting intrigues through agencies at each other in the same covenant. Still, Corvus is right; It should not have come to blows, over such a small thing. I can understand the frustration. If that is the case, then we need to up the level of the Aegis. Of course, any trouble that arises within the covenant will likely be powerful enough to destroy the site, and us with it..."

She shrugs. "It's been a long day for all of us. I think I shall retire for the evening, and pick up my reading in the morning..."

67

Azaelle
"I don't plot intrigues." She says without expression. "Madame 'Dawn' is waiting in my brother's quarters and I will go with him now to meet her. Any that wish to accompany us may do so. If not, I will, no doubt, have an interesting story for you in the morning."

68

Albertus eagerly follows Azaelle to meet this stranger. After all who can resist such a chance to study the fae up close.

69

CORVUS To no-one in particular
I'll wait until morn I think. I have enough mystery here.
Taps book
CORVUS Commandingly
Follow!

The book lifts off the table and follows Corvus to his chamber.

70

Azaelle
"I will see you all in the morning. Hopefully I will still have a human head."

Asa
"I apologize for the disturbance I caused."

Azaelle gestures toward the door and they leave together.

71

Daggin views the entire sequence with some distaste, and more than one look of incredulity.

"I... well... we need a stronger Aeigis. Whether spiders or neighbors, better control over our gates is desired."

He stands, and collects the few pages that had been before him.

"Before the rest of us retire, we should all consider what we are to do with our spy. Killing him seems just, but also a waste. If we could monitor him, see where he goes, have him followed at least..."

72

The walk over to Asa's quarters is a mercifully short and quiet one. Asa is slowing turning the bright red of embarrassment as the group arrives at the small cot Asa has been quartered in since he arrived in the spring. Asa opens the door...

And sitting in the center of the room, legs folded underneath her, is the mysterious "Dawn". She opens her eye, and starts, badly, seeing not only Asa, but Azaelle and Albertus. She says something, that while not comprehensible, sound very unpleasant, as her expression changes from serene patience, to uncertainty and fear. Asa, Azaelle, and Albertus block the only way out of the cot.

She jumps to her feet, and reaches back behind her, a hand coming to rest on the knife tucked into her sash. "You were to bring the flute," she hisses at Asa, "Not them as well!" By them, you assume she means Azaelle and Albertus.

73

There is no need to for you to be angry at Asa most unexpected guest, we followed him. Albertus tries really hard to seem like a confident man. We are only here to find out who you are and in what manner we can help you. Only those in great plight or with most dubious plan enter a covenant without going through the main gate. As you see most of our visitors report to the main gate but you seems to have come another way. Perhaps you would like to meet the other magi of this covenant?

74

Azaelle
(Bowing graciously while keeping eye contact)
"Madame Mab has requested your presence. She would very much like to meet you."

75

"Dawn" somehow manages a haughty enough glare (for a cornered fox) that inwardly, it makes everyone blanch. "I am not interested in meeting Namebreakers," she says, with a distinct note of distaste. "I would like my flute back, and I will take my leave." The hand resting on the hilts of the knife does not leave.

"As to how I entered, I simply walked in through the front gate, with everyone and everything else."

Steve

76

Azaelle takes account of the situation. Albertus... theres a few ways she isn't going to handle this situation in his presence... Asa looking bewildered... the faerie fox and her dagger. What does she think she is going to do with it? Azaelle considers disarming her but, no, there's no reason to be antagonistic just yet.

Instead she casts "Trust of the Childlike faith" silently and without gestures and thinks, God, I hope this works on the fae.

Azaelle
"We are not going to hurt you. Please put down your weapon and come with us."

(Trust of the Childlike Faith= Pe Me 15
casting total= 23 :slight_smile:

77

"Dawn" sighs, briefly, and then throws something to the ground with her other hand. The room fills with noxious and irritating smoke (Asa, as always, manages to find some clear air, so his eyes aren't tearing and he's not coughing). There is a rustling sound, then the scratching of claws on wood.

No one can see what is going on, but Asa feels a tug at the end of his arm. Azaelle sees a shape shoot between her legs, causing her to start, throwing her off balance, which sends her tumbling into Albertus, causing both to spill out the door and into fresh air. As their vision clears, they catch sight of a fox with more than one tail running for all it's worth towards the gate, with people stopping to stare and point at the fox as it runs, bowling over custos, frightening animals, and generally raising as much of a ruckus as possible before shooting out of the main gate like a flash, the flute in her mouth.

78

Azaelle
"!@#$%&^@&!!!!!!!!"

79

Albertus tries to stand up and look about and search for anything that could be fixed into an arcane connection if such are available he tries to grab it and rush towards the nearest source of vim vis. And perhaps he can find some lab space to work it within. If there isn’t such resources available but at least an arcane connection perhaps the resident Flambeau would want it when she wakes up. If nothing of that is available Albertus just tries to dust of himself and stand up, perhaps even help Azaelle if she needs any help.

80

Fabrica basically decided to stay out of the whole thing. It seemed that no one listened to his advice regarding the Fae anyway, never mind knocking Archmagi out with a cudgel. As he headed back to his lab he thought he heard a general scuffle and alarum, and briefly thought he saw a fox dart off into the darkness.

Fabrica shrugged his shoulders and headed to his lab.